Aviation

Air France takes delivery of its first A350 XWB

Toulouse, 27 September 2019 – Air France has taken delivery of its first A350-900, the world’s most efficient all new design wide-body aircraft. The first jet out of a total order of 28 was handed over to Anne Rigail, Air France Chief Executive Officer and Benjamin Smith, Air France-KLM Group Chief Executive Officer, by Airbus Chief Commercial Officer Christian Scherer during a ceremony held in Toulouse, France.

Air France will deploy the A350-900 fleet on its transatlantic and Asia routes. The Xtra WideBody aircraft features a comfortable three class layout with 324 seats including 34 full-flat business, 24 premium economy and 266 economy class seats. Fully in line with Air France’s commitment to the environment, the all-new A350-900 will provide a 25% reduction in fuel burn and CO₂ emissions. Additiona

lly, the aircraft’s delivery flight from Toulouse to Paris will be powered with a blend of conventional and synthetic biofuel.

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Air France operates an Airbus fleet of 143 aircraft. It includes 114 single-aisle and 29 wide-body planes. The airline recently opted to purchase Airbus’ newest aircraft family member, the A220, which will join the fleet over the next years.

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Aviation

Airbus Plans Cockpit Toilet to Make Single-Pilot Operations a Reality

In a bold move aimed at cutting costs, Airbus is exploring the possibility of installing a potty-style toilet right behind the Captain’s seat on its A350 long-haul aircraft. According to the reports from paddleyourownkanoo.com

This proposal is part of the ongoing effort to implement Extended Minimum Crew Operations (eMCO), a concept that could revolutionize the aviation industry by reducing the number of pilots required on ultra-long-haul flights.

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Currently, on long flights, two pilots stay in the cockpit while the others rest in a separate compartment. However, under eMCO, one pilot could be alone in the cockpit for up to three hours while the other sleeps. The goal is to reduce crew costs and improve airline efficiency, as fewer pilots would be needed for these flights.

But this proposal has raised concerns from pilot unions, who worry about safety and the challenges of single-pilot operations. To address the issue of bathroom breaks, Airbus suggests installing a radio-equipped toilet in the cockpit, allowing the pilot to use it without leaving their seat.

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If the pilot needs to use the toilet, the second pilot would have to be woken up, terminating the eMCO process temporarily.

If successful, Airbus plans to begin testing this system on its A350 aircraft as soon as 2027, with single-pilot operations possibly being introduced on freighter Airbus A320s within the next five years.