Aviation

First A350-1000 Tour in pictures at Singapore Airshow 2018.

Airbus debuts the newly-certified A350-1000 at the Singapore Air Show this week as part of a three-week demonstration tour across Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.

Airbus is scheduled to deliver the first production aircraft to launch customer Qatar Airways within the next two weeks. Singapore marks a three-day interlude for test aircraft MSN065, which will continue to Bangkok, Sydney, Auckland, Tokyo and Manilla having visited Doha, Muscat, Hong Kong, Seoul, Taipei and Hanoi.

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The A350-1000 competes with the Boeing 777 in the long haul, high capacity market. To date, the -1000 has 169 orders from 11 airlines.

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Measuring nearly 74 metres from nose-to-tail, the A350-1000 is the longest-fuselage version of Airbus’ all-new family of twin-aisle, widebody jetliners. In a typical three-class configuration, featuring the company’s 18-inch-wide economy class seats for modern comfort, the A350-1000 seats a total of 366 passengers – who can expect a spacious and quiet cabin, wider seats and elegant ambient lighting that contributes to a beautiful interior while also minimising the effects of jetlag.

High performance

Designed with airlines’ priorities in mind, the A350 XWB meets the multiple challenges of high fuel prices, rising expectations from passengers and increasing environmental concerns. As with the other A350 XWB Family members, Airbus’ A350-1000 brings together the very latest in aerodynamics, design and advanced technologies for a 25 per cent step change in fuel efficiency compared to its current long-range competitor.

Measuring nearly 74 metres from nose-to-tail, the A350-1000 – scheduled to enter service in 2018 – is the longest-fuselage version of Airbus’ all-new family of twin-aisle, widebody jetliners. In a typical three-class configuration, featuring the company’s 18-inch-wide economy class seats for modern comfort, the A350-1000 seats a total of 366 passengers.

The A350 XWB Family cabin design proved to be so successful that it redefined Airbus’ approach to cabin interiors – leading to the creation of Airspace by Airbus, a next-generation cabin concept inspired by four key attributes: comfort, service, ambience and design.

Passengers on the A350-1000 can expect a spacious and quiet cabin, wider seats and elegant ambient lighting that not only contributes to a beautiful interior, but minimises the effects of jetlag, as well. The A350-1000 also can offer passengers the most modern in-flight experience available.

Aviation

Airbus Enhances A350 Cabin with 10-Abreast Seating

Airbus has announced a new partnership with Jiatai Aircraft Equipment, a Chinese aircraft seating manufacturer, to supply upgraded economy-class seats for the A350 widebody series.

This collaboration, unveiled at the 2024 Airshow China, focuses on developing a newly designed economy seat tailored for the A350‘s New Production Standard (NPS) cabin.

One of the key features of the NPS cabin is the ability to accommodate 17-inch wide economy seats, compared to the previous 16.5-inch wide seats that airlines were limited to in the A350’s earlier configurations.

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This change is made possible by the expanded space in the NPS cabin, which is 35 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the previous version. This extra space is achieved by slightly moving the cockpit wall forward and shifting the rear pressure bulkhead back by one frame.

The wider cabin allows airlines to add up to 30 extra economy seats without compromising comfort. For airlines opting for a 3-4-3 seating layout, the 17-inch wide seats are an excellent choice for a more comfortable passenger experience. However, some airlines, such as Iberia, may choose to retain a 9-abreast layout with wider seats for added comfort.

The NPS cabin also offers enhanced flexibility for airline operators. One major advantage is the ability to easily switch between a 9-abreast and 10-abreast seating configuration without requiring significant downtime for aircraft reconfiguration. Airlines can use the same seat rails, tracks, and IFE interfaces, making the transition smoother and quicker.

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In addition, the design of the floor attachments and air-conditioning systems has been optimized for 10-abreast seating, meaning airlines can upgrade their cabins without needing to make substantial modifications to the aircraft’s structure.

Though it’s still unclear when Jiatai’s economy-class seats will be officially added to the A350’s Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) catalogue, the collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing the A350’s cabin offerings.

With this partnership, Airbus is providing more seating options for airlines, ensuring that they can meet diverse customer needs while improving overall operational efficiency.