Malaysia Airlines was studying 787 and A350 as replacements for 777 and A330 from around 2018.

While the MH370 flight search keeps on going, last June/2013 was published that Malaysia Airlines was studying both the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 as potential replacements for its existing medium and long-haul fleet of aircraft.

Malaysia Airlines operates a total of 14 Boeing 777-200s and 14 Airbus A330-300s, and it eventually wanted to fly only one type of aircraft in this segment to simplify operations and reduce costs, Germal Singh, the airline's senior vice president of government and international affairs, told reporters on the sidelines of an airline conference in Capetown.

It may begin to replace these aircraft from around 2018, he added.

Malaysia Airlines also operates 6 A380s and 61 Boeing 737s.

Based on the article “Malaysia Airlines considers Airbus A350 or Boeing 787” published in The Star

MSN2 prototype returns to Toulouse after 10 days in Hamburg.

MSN2 prototype returns to Toulouse after 10 days in Hamburg.

Click the picture to watch a video

This cabin equipped prototype has made 5 flights of more than 8 hours each while based on Finkenwerder with a total of more than 44 test flights to check different cabin systems as air conditioning, power supply of seats and kitchens and the consumer electronics.

The longest flight was on 14/March with more than 9hours and a half.

A350 MSN1 prototype´s second First-Flight.

A350 MSN1 has resumed the flight testing again since being grounded last 31/January for a planned upgrade in order to install the production-standard electrical power center and system.

F-WXWB registered aircraft will fly with the “new” nickel-cadmium batteries and other Flight test instrumetation as artificial ice shapes.

The MSN1 has taken off from Toulouse today in the morning.

Pictures from  http://www.flickr.com/photos/aircrafts/

JAL CFO: “We ordered the A350 because Airbus was just «the better choice»”.

After Airbus won a tense battle against Boeing for the business of Japan's 2nd largest airline last year, the firm's chief financial officer told CNBC Airbus was just "better."

Japan Airlines announced its first jet order for Airbus in October for 31 A350 aircraft worth $9.5 billion, breaking into an aviation market which had been dominated by rival Boeing.

"We needed a successor to our largest aircraft, the 777. When we compared what both Boeing and Airbus had to offer, Airbus was better," managing executive officer of finance & accounting Norikazu Saito told CNBC. "It may have been a disappointment to Boeing, but they of course understand that business is business."

Saito told CNBC that the biggest payoff from working with Airbus would be increased economic efficiency, although there would be some complications with owning two different brands of aircraft.

"Pilots need to have different licenses; you need to have spare parts for both manufacturers. But even taking all those things into account, Airbus was the better choice," he said.

JAL faced some negative publicity earlier in the year when it temporarily grounded one of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners at Tokyo's Narita International Airport in mid-January, after white smoke was spotted outside the plane and a battery cell showed clear signs of leaking.

Saito told CNBC the incident was still under investigation. "Fortunately, compared to last year - when the batteries heated up so much that it was virtually impossible to look inside them - this time the batteries are intact. That allows us to conduct a very detailed investigation," he told CNBC.

Based on the article “Japan Airlines CFO: Airbus was just 'better'” published in CNBC

ATK American supplier ramps-up the manufacturing rate

ATK employees marked a milestone in manufacturing of composite parts and they celebrated the fabrication of the 20,000th composite part for the Airbus A350 XWB Program.

Rep. Rob Bishop and executive director of the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development Spencer Eccles were on hand at the ATK´s Aircraft Commercial Center of Excellence (ACCE) facility in Clearfield, Utah to honor the company and its employees.

ATK supplies stringers and frames to Aerolia and Premium Aerotec for A350-900 and last January/2014 ATK extended the contract for composite stringers and frames manufacturing on the A350-1000 model. 

Based on the article “ATK assembles 20,000th Airbus composite part“ published in Deseret News

A350 batteries manufacturing process. Video

Saft is the French supplier in charge of the manufacturing of batteries for the A350 XWB. In this video, there are shown the differences between traditional nickel-cadmium batteries and next-generation lithium-ion.

Click the picture to watch the video

Currently the lithium-ion batteries are more present in military aviation but their use is being generalized with replacement of certain hydraulic functions by electrical functions on the new aircraft requiring more energy on board.

The Airbus A350 is going to be certified with nickel-cadmium batteries and in 2015 it will be re-certified with lighter lithium-ion batteries.

Based on the article “Nickel-cadmium, lithium-ion : dans le secret des batteries pour l'aéronautique” published in Aeronews

A350 delivery to Qatar before end of 2014; "Can't say if it's one or two" said Enders

Airbus executives confirmed again last week that the first A350 would be delivered before the end of the year to Qatar Airways, although they didn't nail down the time frame more precisely.

"The current plan is to deliver the first aircraft before the end of the year," Enders told a dozen reporters at a breakfast meeting. "Can't say if it's one or two."

The test program with 4 planes is running "at very high speed," with the 4th plane used to train pilots. The anticipated 5th version will be the production representative and will fly from May, Enders said.

"We are in really high gear over the certification preparation, which we should have in the fall," Enders said.

Based on the article “Airbus plans to deliver A350 by end of year” published in USA Today