24 of 40 A350-900 ordered by Etihad are “A350 Regional” models with lower MTOW and 17% lower engine thrust. Cabin modifications to increase up to 360 passengers.

The new regional variant of the Airbus A350 is to be optimized for routes of up to 6,800 nm. and will feature derated engines and a lower maximum take-off weight.

The aircraft version has been selected by Etihad Airways as part of an order for 40 A350-900s, 24 of them will have the lower take-off weight certification.

¨We are not building a new product,¨ Airbus Senior Vice President Marketing, Chris Emerson, says. But ¨we are getting in the shorthaul market.¨ Airbus is taking the existing A350-900 and adapting it to the requirements of shorter haul flying. The maximum take-off weight will be reduced to around 250 tons from the 268 tons of the standard longhaul version of the A350-900. Engine thrust is expected to be around 70,000lb, compared to 85,000lb for the standard -900 and 97,000lb for the -1000 Rolls-Royce TrentXWB engine.

Most changes will affect the cabin. Airbus plans to reduce the space taken by the galleys or even remove them altogether. Depending on the seating configuration and the standard chosen for any business class section, the regional variant could have space for around 350-360 passengers and more if a single class layout is selected.

Airbus is positioning the aircraft for higher ranges than the A330 regional, which is optimized for routes of up to 2,000 nm. And while the A330 is marketed as a 9-abreast aircraft (compared to 8-abreast for the longer haul version), Airbus does not plan to position the A350 regional version at 10-abreast (compared to the standard 9-abreast).


Based on the article “A350 Regional Version Offered At Lower Thrust” published in Aviation Week

“If Airbus extend the size and stretch the A350, Qatar will be very interested in placing additional orders,” Al Baker, Qatar CEO.

Qatar Airways said it would consider buying an even larger version of the Airbus A350 wide-body jet than currently on offer, as the No. 2 Middle Eastern airline tilts its fleet toward bigger aircraft.

The Doha-based carrier would be interested in a variant that stretches beyond the A350-1000, the largest of the 3-member family of A350s for sale, Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker told journalists in Dubai at the biennial air show. Qatar may also switch from some of its mid-sized A350-900 models into the larger type, he said.

“If they extend the size and stretch the airplane, Qatar Airways will be very interested in placing additional orders,” Al Baker said after announcing a purchase of A330 freighters.

Qatar, the launch customer for the A350, has already dropped orders for 20 of the smallest versions for larger ones. Al Baker, an early critic of the program, said today he was impressed with the progress that Airbus has made in the last two years on the A350, which performed its maiden flight in 2013.

Airbus has said it’s not currently working on an even larger version of its A350, while maintaining that it would be technically possible. The A350-1000 is aimed at taking business from Boeing’s popular 777, whose upgraded 777X model became the bestseller on the Dubai Air show, including 50 orders from Qatar. The smaller A350 models compete with the 787 Dreamliner.


Based on the article “Qatar Interested in Even Larger A350 as Airlines Boost Jet Sizes” published in Bloomberg

7 well-established 777-300ER operators (including British Airways and Japan Airlines) have ordered the A350-1000

Boeing's 777 development strategy shows how requirements for a growing part of the long-haul aircraft market have changed. Originally designed primarily as a DC-10 replacement for domestic U.S. carriers, the big Boeing twin swiftly evolved into a long-range workhorse for the world's airlines before the influence of mainly Middle Eastern and Asian operators led to the dominance of the current 777-200LR/300ER long-range generation. This process is on the cusp of evolving to the next phase with the 777-8X/9X.

“They [Persian Gulf-based airlines] clearly had tremendous market success and we continue to work very closely with them as their business model continues to develop,” says John Wojick, Boeing's global sales senior vice president. “We see quite a lot of growth in the region in general, and they've shown themselves to be formidable competitors in the industry. They created a model that's all about long-haul capacity and connecting long-distance routes around the world through hubs—it certainly has our interest.”

But while some argue that pandering to the excessive range requirements of these and similar Asian-based carriers has led to limited success in the case of niche market products like the 777-200LR and A340-500, Wojick says the needs of the Middle East carriers simply form a bellwether for the rest of the world. “It's not a stand-alone phenomenon. The 787, for example, is a testament to our processes. When we looked around the world and saw what people want to do, we saw they wanted to get from Point A to Point B. So we developed the 787 for city pairs, and the Middle East carriers have capitalized on this desire. They've been able to connect city pairs that have never been connected before.”

“The 787 was designed around that philosophy, and now we have over 979 orders to date across a range of 220 seats all the way to 350 seats [the 787-10]. So we're looking at how we extend that with the 777, which today services the market with the -300ER and -200LR, and evolve it with the 8X/9X. Those are going to allow airlines to connect city pairs with an aircraft [777-9X] that burns over 20 percent less fuel [per seat], and has cash operating costs 15 percent lower relative to the -300ER, which has already largely obsoleted other aircraft,” Wojick explains.

The Middle East is the battleground where the fortunes of these new products could be largely won or lost. The competition with the smaller 350-seat A350-1000 forms the focus, with Boeing pushing further sales of the existing 777-300ER while refining the design performance of both the 777-8X and -9X to counter the challenge of the Airbus twin. Wojick refutes the Airbus claims that the A350-1000 is a “777 killer,” despite the fact that seven well-established 777-300ER operators (including British Airways and Japan Airlines) have ordered the A350-1000. “In terms of the 777-300ER, we've sold more of them in the time period that they've been offering A350-1000s, so the data would prove that's not the case. As for the future, when we look to 2020 and beyond, we know we can offer an aircraft that's better in terms of fuel burn and emissions.”

While Boeing strives to improve the range-payload performance of the 777X for the Persian Gulf carriers by reportedly increasing both maximum takeoff weight and engine power, the company is eager to show its overarching twin-aisle development strategy reflects the needs of the wider market. The 787-10, a double-stretch of the 787-8, will “capitalize on fuel efficiency,” states Wojick. “Instead of increasing thrust and range, we believe the airlines would rather have efficiency and a reduction in range. This is about 1,000 nautical miles but it still allows them to service more than 90 percent of the routes served by twins today. We give people a choice. We have the opportunity for them to buy an efficient 300-passenger 787-10, or the 300-passenger 777-8X that has adequate range and which can open up new missions. So by having two products within close proximity in terms of capacity, we can offer a choice of over and under 7,000 nautical miles.”


Based on the article “Dubai 2013. Top Designers” published in Aviation Week

The full scale cockpit mock-up of the A350 XWB shown in Le Bourget and in Dubai was “made in Spain” in 2 months.

Airbus presented at the Paris Airshow-Le Bourget las June a full size cockpit mock-up of the A350 XWB, which is the most spectacular and emblematic section. Spanish company Mazel was selected to build this stunning demonstrator due to its experience in such projects and its multidisciplinary team.

The cockpit mock-up has been shown in Dubai last week and it will be included in coming Airshows.

The full-scale mock-up allows the visitors to feel as if they were in charge of the real aircraft thanks to being fitted with original interior components such as navigation instruments, flight controls, and displays.

This project was developed by Mazel in a record time of 2 months. In order to complete this task, it was required to use multiple skills such as design, engineering, IT, special materials, assembly, electronic equipment and surface finishing.

Previously, Mazel also developed a 21 meters long full-scale mock-up of the Airbus A350 XWB, which has a panoramic cinema inside. Initially, it was presented at the Paris Air Show in 2009 and then was exhibited in Dubai, Singapore, Berlin, Hamburg and Farnborough Air Shows.

Mazel is an engineering company with over 25 years of experience that has its origins in the automotive sector.


Based on the press release “Mazel has manufactured the full-scale cockpit mock-up of the new Airbus A350 XWB”

A350 first prototype MSN1 celebrates the 100th flight after successful completion of the artificial ice shapes tests … with a special guest onboard.

The first flying prototype MSN1 has successfully completed the artificial ice-shape flight test campaign

Last Sunday the artificial ice-shapes were removed from the MSN1 and the FTI reconnected in order to allow the MSN1 to celebrate on Monday the 100th flight without artificial ice-shapes as shown in the pictures below:

       

Vertical and Horizontal Stabilizers with artificial ice-shapes ....  and without ice-shapes

The artificial ice-shapes campaign has been performed from 13/Nov to 21/Nov with more than 30 flight hours of tests. This short campaign has included a 5 hours flight on 17/Nov, the first flight on Sunday.

All these pictures are available at http://www.flickr.com/photos/aircrafts/

The first flight-test aircraft, MSN001 (F-WXWB), as of today has accumulated 103 flights (missions) and more than 457 flight hours, while MSN003 (F-WZGG), the second flight-test aircraft, has completed 27 flights and close to 150 flight hours.

Following the completion of these tests with simulated ice-shapes, Airbus is preparing for icing tests with natural ice, targeted before end of the year although the exact timing and location largely depends on the weather.

With these flying maneuvers, the flight test crews wanted to be able to simulate the worst case icing conditions on the aircraft with ice shapes, installed on the wings, horizontal and vertical stabilizers.

Didier Evrard Head of A350 Program visited last week the site that Spanish Tier 1 Alestis has in Aerópolis –Sevilla.

According to Alestis, the visit has served Airbus to check on-site the good progress the company has experienced in this program "due to industrial restructuring launched in September 2012". The delegation from Airbus, and especially Didier Evrard, acknowledged the fulfillment of all the commitments made by Alestis Aerospace in the A350 XWB program, and claimed that currently the company is a "totally reliable" supplier after having overcome a difficult situation over the past months.

"Now you have the future on your hands. Continuing this progress, Alestis might be one of the best suppliers of the A350 XWB", said Evrard to the workforce of the Sevilla site.

Alestis Aerospace CEO Francisco Javier Díaz Gil said that "Alestis is in the right direction" and although "it still has many challenges ahead," also was "confident" that the commitment of all those who form the company will "tackle them successfully". "This company is proving that we can do things very well and it is trained to change and improve constantly. It is a proud to work in a Tier1 as Alestis Aerospace", underlined.

Alestis Aerospace faced last year a cash crunch and from May/2012, it was placed under court administration, operating from one bill to the next. Airbus took the control of the group and named the CEO. Alestis designs and builds the Section 19.1 of the Rear Fuselage and the belly fairing.


Based on the article “El director del A350 XWB junto a una delegación de Airbus visita la planta de Alestis en Aerópolis” published in 20minutos.

Magellan Aerospace increases the participation on the A350 XWB program with additional workpackage.

Magellan Aerospace has signed an agreement with Airbus securing a major work package on the A350 XWB. The package, which is an addition to other supply contracts Magellan Aerospace has on the A350 XWB, consists of a series of machined and assembled structural components for the fuselage structure in this aircraft which supports the cabin storage bins and aircraft systems and is worth approximately $US 45 million dollars over the next 4 years.

Production will utilize existing and new capacity at Magellan's facilities in the UK in Wrexham, Chalfont and Greyabbey. To support this program Magellan will invest in a range of new high technology machines to optimize efficiency and value to the customer.
Magellan currently participates on the Centre Wing Box and the Pylon Secondary Structure as well as with the machining and treatment of complex machined aluminium-lithium detail components.

Mr. Jim Butyniec, President and CEO of Magellan discussed the strategic importance of participation on the A350 XWB program and Magellan's continued drive to secure major work packages on future aircraft for Airbus and Boeing programs. He commented, "This new package, together with existing A350 XWB work consolidates Magellan's strong position on this exciting new Airbus program"



Based on the press release “Magellan Aerospace Selected to Machine and Assemble Structural Components for the Airbus A350 XWB Program”