Airbus A350

[Distiller]

First shipsets of parts for potential Boeing 7E7 rival needed by July 2007, with first flight targeted for mid-2008

Airbus is stepping up pre-development work on its A350 concept, confirming at a suppliers' meeting in Bremen last week that the potential Boeing 7E7 rival would be based on the existing A330 family, incorporating 7E7 technology engines and a high level of composites. It aims to reduce airframe weight to enable the A350 to match or exceed the Boeing twinjet's superior maximum range.

Airbus told suppliers that initial "shipsets" of parts would be needed by July 2007 and its target for first flight is mid-2008.

"We have been told to make minimum changes for maximum benefits," says a supplier source.

Airbus is targeting several airlines as potential launch customers, including Lufthansa, Northwest Airlines, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines. "Customers who were looking at the 7E7 suddenly have Airbus at their door. It's a shoot-out in the marketplace," says another source.

General Electric and Rolls-Royce are in talks with Airbus to supply versions of their 7E7 turbofans for the A350 with as few changes as possible. GE says: "We are talking to them every week, and we are following the aircraft very closely."

R-R also confirms it is discussing options for a virtually unchanged derivative of the 7E7's Trent 1000 with its 2.8m (112in) diameter fan. The Trent 1000 is targeted for engine certification in July 2007, providing a year-long margin before entry into service on the 7E7 and two years before the planned introduction of the A350 in 2009.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice-president business strategies and marketing Nicole Piasecki dismisses any threat to the 7E7 from the A350. "An A330 derivative will not get anywhere near the 7E7," she says. "Even with new wings and engines, it will be a compromised design. They will only get half-way to the range advantage of the 7E7."

JUSTIN WASTNAGE / LONDON

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY GUY NORRIS AND GRAHAM WARWICK


http://www.flightinternational.com/f...xtTotalRecs=23

What an idiotic FUD campaign!!!

[Mark L]

Interesting stuff. Will be good to see the figures Airbus publish for this "A350" to see whether Boeings claims are substantiated or not.

[4 engines good]

It's the wonders of competition! Airbus pushed Boeing to upgrade the 747, and now Boeing is pushing Airbus to to upgrade the A330.

So long as both manufacturers have decent sales of their new products, then the pushing ahead will carry on and we'll continue to leap forward.

I look foward to the next generation of 737s and A320s, when the two companies lock horns in that market in about 8-10 years.

[KabirT]

If its another cosmeticised version of the A330... I am not excited one bit.

[Whiskey Delta]

I thought the 7E7 wasn't a viable aircraft type?

[wysiwyg]

Competition...excellent! There are going to be some really impressive aircraft on the market at the end of this decade!

[beistrich]

No suprise airbus make a A300 replacement. But nice another new airbus plane

If its another cosmeticised version of the A330... I am not excited one bit.

lol the A350 is a holy new aircraft

[seahawk]

that is not true. However the Airbus proposal seems pretty decent, as Singapore Airlines did not yet sign up for the 7E7, because they are still considering an Airbus alternative and it is easy to guess that they are not offering the A300-600.

[pierrepjc]

By that do you mean a new wing? Fuse is pretty standard across the wide body family.

Paul

[tenthije]

By that do you mean a new wing? Fuse is pretty standard across the wide body family.

Paul

I reckon that to make the A330 succesful for short/medium haul a new wing will be required. The current wing is optimised for long haul, meaning that it is rather heavy to cater for fuel tanks and more lift. For shorth haul this is just dead weight, you do not need the extra fuel saving weight.... which also means you do not need the additional lift!

[seahawk]

According to Aero International it means new wings, a lighter fuselage (more composites - as on the wings) and new engines.

[Airline owner]

Yay!!, another Airbus. i wonder what the stats are going to be like???

[beistrich]

The A330 has always had a heavy wing - it could be lightened.

just tenthije say it: The A330 wind is perfect for long haul and for medium range

Correct me if I am wrong; The A330 still has the internal structure for the four engines instead of two ala the A340?

no

[wysiwyg]

Actually I think the A330 has got the same wing. One of the selling points for the A330 MRTT is that the refuelling points are where the pylons would have mounted for engines 1 and 4. All the structure is still there so the modification is relatively simple.

[Silver Snapper]

The A330 has always had a heavy wing - it could be lightened.

Ditch the fuel tanks! :diablo:

[dartie]

Does anyone have any pictures of sketches of what the A350 will look like ?

[Mark L]

The proposal has not been made official yet, so I highly doubt there will be any sketches.

[fightingirish]

First shipsets of parts for potential Boeing 7E7 rival needed by July 2007, with first flight targeted for mid-2008
[...]
JUSTIN WASTNAGE / LONDON
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY GUY NORRIS AND GRAHAM WARWICK
http://www.flightinternational.com/f...xtTotalRecs=23

Under the article from flightinternational.com, there was this small pic.
Don't know, if it's a A350, looks more like A330!
Maybe somebody else has it in higher resolution.

fightingirish

[beistrich]

Is this realy a photo from the A350? I think this is a A330

[seahawk]

Surely no photo from the A350. It could be a concept drawing as I would expect the A350 to look much like an A330.

[beistrich]

Of course this is not a photo from the A350.

I hope Airbus will soon release a drawing from the A350, i am very interest how the wing will look like

[US Agent]

Interesting stuff. Will be good to see the figures Airbus publish for this "A350" to see whether Boeings claims are substantiated or not.

Yeah, like either company wouldn't stretch the "figures" to suite their own agenda....pull-ease!

Sounds cool! I think Airbus is better then Boeing though.

You obviously could use a cold shower and hot cup of reality.

[Bmused55]

Yeah, like either company wouldn't stretch the "figures" to suite their own agenda....pull-ease!


You obviously could use a cold shower and hot cup of reality.

I'm glad someone said that.

[Hand87_5]

Can we avoid to turn this in an other AvsB thing ?

[seahawk]

Well in the german Flug Revue there is again an article about the A350. I think we can be save that this will be the next Airbus project.

[beistrich]

You obviously could use a cold shower and hot cup of reality.

after Airbus beat Boeing it is officel that Airbus build the better planes

[Bmused55]

after Airbus beat Boeing it is officel that Airbus build the better planes

I was waiting for an A fan to say that.

There is no logic to that statment at all.

It means A sold more than B... nothing more.

[beistrich]

I was waiting for an A fan to say that.

There is no logic to that statment at all.

It means A sold more than B... nothing more.

Airbus grow the last ten years very fast and is today the manufactor with the most orders. This say enough

[Bmused55]

Airbus grow the last ten years very fast and is today the manufactor with the most orders. This say enough

It says Airbus can drive a good bargain. Nothing more

[beistrich]

It says Airbus can drive a good bargain. Nothing more

of course you say it. and?