Design changes to the original lithium-ion battery system for the A350-900 to allow certification in coming months.

Airbus has reached the final stages of regulatory reviews over a plan to use lithium ion batteries for backup and starting power on the A350-900, said executive vice-president of engineering Charles Champion.

Source: Airbus

But well-publicised safety problems with lithium ion batteries on the Boeing 787-8 and other aircraft have stretched out the regulatory review process.

“We might have to do a few more tests because authorities are extremely nervous on the subject because of the Boeing 787,” Champion said.

Airbus already has decided to make one design change to the original lithium ion battery system for the A350-900.

The original design allowed power to flow between the batteries, but that raised concerns that one overheating battery could cause another to fail.

“So we put in a non-return valve so that if it blows out, it doesn’t go back in the other battery,” Champion said.

Airbus also is still trying to persuade regulators that it is safe to install such powerful lithium ion batteries inside an aircraft without enclosing them inside a heavy stainless steel box, which Champion likens to a “huge coffin”.

Weight savings is one of the key advantages gained by switching to lithium ion batteries, so Airbus hopes to install the batteries using an enclosure made of lighter materials than stainless steel.

"If you start to put a huge coffin around the battery system in place then you lose all the benefit of the lithium ion battery,” Champion said.

Airbus took a conservative design approach with the A350-900, selecting 4 Saft-made batteries with 14 3.6V-cells each, storing a total 45Ah of power, according to specifications released by Saft.

Boeing’s design includes 2 GS Yuasa-made batteries with 8 3.7V-cells each, storing a total of 72Ah of electrical power per battery.   

Airbus also selected Saft to supply the battery and the battery charging unit, unlike Boeing’s approach that divided the system between GS Yuasa and Meggitt Securaplane.

“We are rather confident with our system because we have a different architecture than Boeing,” Champion said.

Based on the article “Airbus nearing final approvals for A350 lithium ion batteries" published in Flight Global

Singapore Airlines plans Copenhagen operations with daily A350 service from early 2016.

Singapore Airlines has revealed it is planning to expand its operations in Copenhagen by launching daily flights between the Danish capital and Singapore using new Airbus aircraft.
 

Source: Jujug Spotting

According to the airline, the move is a response to aggressive moves from competitors attempting to move in on the lucrative southeast Asian routes.

 
“Everyone can see there is a weapons race going on and we have our own strategy,” Tim Lee, the head of Singapore Airlines in the Nordic region, told Børsen business newspaper.

“We’re aiming to have daily departures between Copenhagen and Singapore.”

“Our strength is giving the most lucrative customer groups the best possible service between Scandinavia and southeast Asia.”

The ‘weapons race’ kicked off in April when Emirates announced it would use its new A380 planes on its daily flights between Copenhagen and Dubai.

Source: Jujug Spotting

Singapore Airlines currently operates five flights a week between Copenhagen and Singapore using a Boeing 777-200 aircraft that seats 271 passengers.

“We are hedging our bets in Copenhagen. You won’t see us open new routes to Stockholm or Oslo in the near future. Our strategy is strengthening our position in Copenhagen,” said Lee.

Based on the article “Singapore Airlines stepping up activities in Copenhagen” published in cphpost.dk

A350 cabin completion and deliveries from China?

Airbus is already eyeing an expanded future role for its planned A330 Completion and Delivery Centre (C&DC) in Tianjin, with the airframer keen for the site to also support its A350 model.

C&DC will cover the aircraft completion activities including reception, cabin installation, aircraft painting, engine run and flight test, as well as aircraft delivery and customer flight acceptance.

Under the project, the A330 Family aircraft to be completed at the A330 C&DC Tianjin will be assembled in Toulouse but will be painted and have their cabin furnished and installed in Tianjin.

Speaking to Flight International in Beijing, Airbus China COO Rafael González Ripoll said the company hopes to have broken ground on the widebody facility by next May/2016. It will be connected to its existing A320 FAL by a 600m-long road.

The target for the Delivery Centre announced in July is to complete its 1^st A330 in October/2017, ramping up over a period of around 3 years to a production rate of 2 aircraft per month.

González Ripoll said Airbus intends not only to complete A330s and A330neos at the centre, but also to undertake work on the A350.

“It´s a great opportunity for Chinese industry to make a step change in its capacity to develop cabin interior components from seats, galleys, panels and everything you can imagine”, he said.

Airbus will invest CNY900 million ($141 million) in the widebody completions project, which also should provide around 300 new jobs.

Source: Manuel Belleli

Airbus is participating in the 16th Aviation Expo China (Beijing Airshow), in Beijing from 16-19/September.

Airbus has a significant industrial presence in China with the A320 Final Assembly Line in Tianjin, the Airbus (Beijing) Engineering Centre and the Composite Manufacturing Centre in Harbin.

Based on the article “Airbus envisions A350 completions at planned Tianjin facility” published in Flight International.

Finnair has been part of the A350 development team within “Airline Office”.

In this article written by Miika Haatio, Head of Fleet Engineering A350 at Finnair, he explains some details of his work at Toulouse during the development phase of the A350 as member of the “Airline Office”.

“I was stationed in Toulouse for 3 years, and I represented Finnair at Airbus’ airline office together with colleagues representing five other airlines” Haatio said.

“Airbus’ strength is in designing aircraft. We brought in the operators point of view, what the aircraft should be like in terms of airlines expectations in operability and maintainability.”

Source: Airbus

“I really am confident that not only the A350 is an excellent aircraft for us to operate but it also brings the comfort of travel experience for our customers to the next level.”

Source: Airbus

“We are the 1st airline in Europe to fly the A350, and this position isn’t anything new to us. We may be a small airline but we’ve always been courageous enough to look in the future well ahead. “

“It will be an absolute joy and emotional moment when the ribbon gets cut and we’ll fly our first baby home.”

 

“The big day is in just few weeks.  I’m sure receiving the plane in Toulouse will be an emotional moment for me and the company as a whole.”

Based on the article “Designing state of the art aircraft” published in Finnair.blog.com

4 A350s for Malaysia Airlines.

Malaysia Airlines has settled on the Airbus A350 as a cornerstone of its future fleet, signing a lease agreement for 4 of the advanced jets to begin flying from late 2017.

 

The A350-900s will be sourced through Air Lease Corporation, in a deal which also sees the Malaysian flag-carrier holding lease options for 2 more A350-900s as well as 2 A330-900neo aircraft. 

Source: Andrey Sdatchikov

 

 

The delivery timeframe spans from the Q4/2017 to the Q2/2018, and will see the A350s fitted with new business class seats which the airline describes as having "very large dimensions, and will be positioned above the industry standard for business class."

Source: Said Aminov

 

"The A350 is the most technologically advanced aircraft and we are confident that it will deliver exceptional passenger comfort and improve the overall efficiency of our fleet" said Malaysia Airlines’ CEO Christoph Mueller in welcoming the deal.

 

'Efficiency' is a word set to echo through the halls of Malaysia Airlines as Mueller works to re-invent the troubled airline through what hedescribes as "hard reset" program.

 

Based on the article “Malaysia Airlines to fly Airbus A350 from late 2017” published in Australian Business Traveller

 

A350 flyable scale model made in Germany.

A “first-of-its-kind” 1:20 scale model of the A350 XWB joined the skies last June.

This flyable model is the result of a project spurred by an aeronautical mechanic-in-training at Airbus.

In 2011 Christoph Paff heard that fellow Airbus apprentices wanted to build an A350 XWB model, but envisioned something more ambitious than what was being discussed.

Source: Airbus

"We work for a super company so we should try something bigger: like an A350 XWB with a 3.20-metre wingspan and powered by jet engines,” Paff explained.

Source: Airbus

The project planning ran from 2011 to mid-2012, with the A350 XWB scale model subsequently produced during more than 3.000 hours of work.  

Source: Airbus

Paff was the “pilot” for the scale model’s first flight, remotely controlling this representative A350 XWB to manage the engine thrust, along with operation of the rudders, elevators, lights, flaps and other components.  

The scale model also was exposed at Le Bourget airshow as shown in the picture.

Based on the press release “The power of Airbus’ A350 XWB in a flyable scale model”

1st MLG-Door for A350-1000 delivered.

Daher has delivered to Airbus the 1st main landing gear door for the A350-1000, which will be used during the kinematics test program set to be carried out on the landing gear. 

Daher is a French Tier1 for Airbus in the A350 XWB program with headquarter at Tarbes, that additionally to the Design & Build contract for the main landing gear doors (MLGD) it has responsibility for several other Work Packages as parts for the engine environment, elementary parts made of thermoplastic composites and also integrated logistics services.

“This 1st component comes exactly 4 years after the same part for the -900 version and on the exact date of need approved with Airbus over a year ago, which is definitely testimony to our commitment to our customer” said Nicolas Orance, Director of Daher’s Aerospace & Defense Business Unit. 

“The landing gear doors required innovations to optimize their design and manufacture, using the latest equipment for automated fiber placement,” explained Christophe Berger, Industrial Director at Daher.

Based on the press release “Daher delivers its first main landing gear door for the Airbus A350-1000”