INSIDE AIR TRAVEL
Airbus Launches A350XWB "Extra Wide Body"
As expected, Airbus revealed a completely revamped A350 design featuring a cabin that is 12 in. wider than the A330 cabin cross-section and an all-new carbon fiber wing capable of Mach 0.85 cruise. "Virtually everything has changed," COO-Customers John Leahy said here.
The aircraft, named the A350XWB (Extra Wide Body), initially is being offered in three versions, one more than was presented last year. All will share a common range of 8,500 nm. (15,800 km.). The newest and largest is the dash 1000 capable of seating 350 in a typical three-class configuration with a nine-abreast economy cabin, placing it in the same class as the 777-300ER. MTOW is 290 tons and it will require engines in the 95,000-lb.-thrust range.
Airbus did not supply powerplant specifics but said the aircraft will offer "next-generation engines" providing a 2% SFC improvement versus the original A350. It also will have "a common engine type across the family," a statement that appears to mean General Electric will not participate in the program since the engine-maker does not intend to pursue development of a 95,000 lb. engine based on the GEnx currently offered for the A350. It already is supplying the GE90 in that thrust range, and the A350-1000 will compete directly with the 777-300ER for which the GE90-115 is the exclusive engine. Rolls-Royce is currently onboard the A350 with a variant of the Trent 1000.
The first version to deliver, in mid-2012, is the A350-900 at 265 tons, requiring 87,000 lb. thrust and seating 314 in a three-class configuration. New CEO Christian Streiff said he will do "everything humanly possible" to advance the timetable. The smaller A350-800 (245 tons, 75, 000 lb. thrust and seating 270) arrives in 2013. The A350-1000 will arrive in 2014.
In the new design, Airbus has eliminated its traditional rear fuselage taper so that the cross-section remains the same from door 1 to door 4. It claims windows will be 2 in. wider than those on the original A350, making them the widest of any aircraft being offered, according to Leahy. It says the A350 cabin will be 5 in. wider than the 787 at eye level (211 in. versus 206 in.).
Airbus also said the aircraft will offer more comfortable cabin pressure of 6,000 ft. or below and 20% cabin humidity levels, although it does not intend to use a composite fuselage and did not address issues such as corrosion and fatigue from the increased moisture and pressurization. The cockpit will feature technology and systems appearing in the A380.
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