A350 APU by Honeywell

Honeywell is making the HGT 1700 auxiliary power unit (APU) for the A350, which is the largest APU the manufacturer has produced. 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/47086222@N03/9523532936/lightbox/

Honeywell has worked in close collaboration with Airbus from the A350’s design concept phase so that the APU, which will drive the aircraft’s environmental system, would meet the A350’s efficiency and comfort targets. 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/47086222@N03/13897009915/lightbox/

Honeywell developed its A350 Air System Integration Bench, or AirSIB, so that the APU could be developed from the start as an integrated system that was de-risked. 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/52420842@N04/13175946123/lightbox/

The AirSIB includes a full engine so that bleed air—required for APU operations—was accurately replicated in development and testing. This was the first time Honeywell has taken this approach to APU development.



Based on the article "Airbus readies for fifth A350 to fly; remains committed to -800 variant" published in ATW.

Russian titanium supplier VSMPO warns Airbus: “It's impossible to find an adequate replacement in less than 3-5 years"

VSMPO-Avisma, the world's largest titanium producer, warned Airbus it would be forced to pay penalties if the European planemaker terminated a $4 billion contract with its Russian supplier.

http://www.france-metallurgie.com/wp-content/VSMPO-003.jpg

VSMPO is 25% owned by Russian state defence conglomerate Rostec, whose CEO Sergei Chemezov was made the subject of Western sanctions in late April for Russia's role in the Ukraine crisis.

http://www.france-metallurgie.com/wp-content/VSMPO-CEO-002.jpg

"Contracts remain valid and cannot be cancelled for no reason. Otherwise, penalties come into force," VSMPO CEO and co-owner Mikhail Voevodin said.

http://www.france-metallurgie.com/wp-content/VSMPO-014.jpg

"A contract until 2020 was signed with us. And it is difficult to assume that the largest European aircraft maker would neglect the terms of the existing partnership."

http://www.france-metallurgie.com/wp-content/VSMPO-0072.jpg

"The advantage of a long-term contract is stable conditions. We always strictly fulfil the terms of the contract, so do our partners ... Politics is politics and business is business: all of our contracts are mutually beneficial," said Voevodin. “It's impossible to find an adequate replacement for VSMPO products in less than three-five years" he added.

http://www.france-metallurgie.com/index.php/2013/07/08/titanium-fills-vital-role-for-boeing-and-russia-us/

Airbus COO Guenther Butschek said this month there were no short-term impacts from the crisis in Ukraine but that the firm was looking to safeguard supplies of titanium, which is used in the A350.

http://www.france-metallurgie.com/index.php/2014/02/22/vsmpo-to-supply-snecma-with-forgings-for-a-thousand-of-aircraft-engines-us/

VSMPO meets 60% of titanium products demand at Airbus and 40% of demand at Boeing.

Based on the article “Russia's VSMPO says Airbus to face fines if quits $4 bln titanium contract” published in Reuters.

Qatar CEO expects the handover of the first A350-900 “anywhere between October and December” this year.

Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al Baker remains confident that his airline will take delivery of its first Airbus A350 in the 4th quarter, and said he is “very satisfied” by the twinjet type’s progress in certification testing.

http://www.icandy.pw/News/A350-Launch-Customer/i-T36g5tB/A

“I think it will be a fantastic airplane,” says Al Baker, who stresses that Qatar’s A350s are for replacement rather than growth. “They will eventually replace all of our A330s,” he says.

Qatar has a total of 80 A350s on order, split between the -900 and -1000 models.

http://www.planespotters.net/Aviation_Photos/photo.show?id=464347

Handover of the first, a -900, could take place “anywhere between October and December” this year, says Al Baker.

While the airline has earmarked New York as an A350 destination, that US city will not be the initial destination for the type, Al Baker indicates.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Airbus-(Qatar-Airways)/Airbus-A350-941/2445510/&sid=be753d912f1e6d373785857221917bf6

“The earlier aircraft will not go to New York, but eventually we will send the aircraft to New York,” he says.

Based on the article “Qatar’s chief ‘very satisfied’ with A350 progress” published in Flight International.

A350-1000 “would be ideal for us”. Saudi Arabian discount carrier flynas in talks with Airbus.

Saudi Arabian discount carrier flynas has entered into negotiating talks with Airbus on a possible A350-1000 order linked to an upgrade of a deal for 20 A320s, its chief executive has said.

http://www.alfaristours.com/#!flynas/c15zd

Raja Azmi said he met with Airbus executives on the sidelines of the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai to swap the A320 order and discuss a possible A350 order. He also met with Boeing executives to discuss the Boeing Dreamliner 787.

“Yesterday we started discussions, so we are talking to both Boeing and Airbus during this time to look at all the possibilities. We’re still open in terms of the aircraft type for the long haul,” Azmi said. The airline currently leases aircraft for its long-haul routes.

http://gulfnews.com/business/aviation/saudi-s-flynas-starts-renegotiating-airbus-aircraft-order-1.1329397

Azmi said the A350-1000 “would be ideal for us because they have a bigger capacity than the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and they can go far so we can fly to Jakarta [Indonesia] and the United States.”

He ruled out looking at the Boeing 777 model, which “are a bit pricey,” but said he is open to the Dreamliner.

http://www.airplane-pictures.net/photo/345902/vp-cxj-flynas-airbus-a320/

Azmi said he will take his time to gauge which long haul aircraft he will order. However, he admits he cannot take too long with delivery dates on new aircraft ordered today not expected until the end of the decade.

Based on the article “Saudi’s flynas starts renegotiating Airbus aircraft order” published in Gulf News.

Production-representative engines installed in the A350 MSN5 flight test airframe.

The first set of “production-representative” Trent XWB engines for the A350 is being installed onto the final test aircraft MSN5 in Toulouse after it has left the paint-shop, while the first full production specification engine has been shipped to Airbus for installation on the initial customer airframe MSN6.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/industry/10835098/Rolls-Royces-newest-jet-engine-the-XWB.html

The MSN5 is the first batch-2 (B2) airframe built to full production specification and is the 2^ndA350 to be equipped with a furnished cabin.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/industry/10835098/Rolls-Royces-newest-jet-engine-the-XWB.html?frame=2912894

Airbus said that while MSN5´s Trents are not the first production-standard engines built, they are “production representative, as the aircraft will test the standard that will be delivered to customers”. This aircraft will participate in the A350´s route-proving program, which is due to be flown in conjunction with Qatar Airways in Doha.

Based on the article “Production-representative XWBs readied for A350” published in Flight International.

A350 Evacuation tests successfully performed.

Airbus has performed successfully the “partial” evacuation tests at Airbus´ Hamburg site. The tests were done on doors 1 and doors 3. The full test is not necessary in A350 XWB as some equipment is consistent with other models like A330.

http://www.airbus.com/fileadmin/media_gallery/files/tech_data/AC/AC_A350-900_20130601-June-2013.pdf

These tests are required for Certification and a representative passenger load of persons in normal health was used in the MSN2 cabin equipped flight test prototype; at least 40% of the passenger load was female, and at least 35% was over 50 years of age. Additionally, and as required by Appendix J to Part25 of the FAA requirements, 3 life-size dolls were carried by passengers to simulate live infants 2 years old or younger.

pic.twitter.com/sBoD3DeQR7

Based on the article “Airbus A350 : les essais d'évacuation passagers ont été faits” published in Air&Cosmos. 

5th flight test prototype will join the A350 Certification program in coming weeks.

Airbus is continuing the “no surprise” flight program for the A350 XWB, with more than 1.700 hours logged in preparation for certification later this year – clearing the way for deliveries to customer airlines.

One of the four A350 XWBs currently involved in the program took a brief time-out to join opening day ceremonies at ILA Berlin 2014 Air Show, and then departed for the continuation of its work.  A5th aircraft is being prepped to join the test and certification effort, with its maiden takeoff planned in the coming weeks.

The A350 XWB is living up to expectations as the developmental aircraft are being put through their paces, according to Wolfgang Absmeier, an Airbus experimental test pilot who has been fully involved in the A350’s flight test program.

“One of the surprises with this ‘carbon airplane’ is that we’ve had no surprises,” Absmeier explained.  As an example, he noted the critical flutter testing – to which every new aircraft is subjected, determining the dynamic aeroelasticity – was performed within 1 week for the A350 XWB, compared to 6 weeks for the A380.

In parallel to the flight tests, more than 13.200 cumulative hours have been logged on “zero test” means like “iron bird” and flying testbed.

Pictures: https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/sonic-photos/

Based on the press release “The A350 XWB is proving itself in flight evaluations leading to certification this year”