A350
 

Is it common knowledge that the A350 will have carbon fibre wings?

"the A350 wing will be largely manufactured using CFRP."

Date: 07/01/2005

http://www.netcomposites.com/news.asp?2647

And from Airbus web site dated 15 June 2005 ...

"With a new composite wing, a fuselage made of aluminium lithium that gives it up to 60 per cent advanced materials, a new landing gear, a new cabin, and up to 90 per cent new manufacturing part numbers, the A350 will have an unassailable advantage when it comes to fuel consumption and seat-mile costs, as well as cash operating costs. In addition, it will retain full operational commonality with the current Airbus widebody long range fleet by keeping most of the systems, allowing this new aircraft to benefit from the “Family effect”, complementing the current leading A330 and A340 Family with which it shares the same Type rating."

So to answer your question ... yes

All they need do now is bite the bullet and give the thing a new, wider, fuselage and they'll have the basis of a family of aircraft to take on the 777/787!

:D

...and, finally, Trents!

From Airbus today:

"AIRBUS LAUNCHES THE NEW A350 AIRCRAFT

Following approval by its shareholders, EADS and BAE Systems, Airbus has formally launched the new passenger long-range A350 aircraft, for which it has already received 140 firm order commitments from nine world-renowned customers*.

Airbus President and CEO Gustav Humbert, emphasizes the significance of the industrial launch of the A350, saying: “The A350 pursues the success story of the earlier Airbus types in an impressive manner by continuing to set the highest standards in term of aircraft design and innovation for the benefit of customers and operators. This new aircraft enlarges the Airbus Family and gives us the ability to respond to all long-range market needs, with the A380 for hub to hub, the A340 for the ultra long-range, and the A330 and now the new A350 for medium to very long-ranges, while offering unequalled operational efficiency and passenger comfort”.

The A350 will be produced and assembled at the same facilities as the A330 and the A340, with however, additional risk-sharing partners and associates in China, Russia and other countries around the world. The market for aircraft in this size category is estimated at 3,300, including freighters, over the next 20 years, of which Airbus expects to obtain half.

Planned to enter service in 2010, the A350 Family will initially include two members. The A350-800 will carry 253 passengers in a standard three-class configuration up to 8,800nm/16,300km. Its larger sister, the A350-900, will accommodate as many as 300 passengers in a comparable three-class layout up to 7,500nm/13,900km. These new aircraft share the technologically advanced innovations of the A380 and are also endowed with the latest technologies, while benefiting from the Airbus family commonality. The A350 will initially be powered by General Electric’s new generation GEnx 1A engine. An agreement with Rolls Royce has also been signed to supply a new variant of its Trent engine series for the A350, the Trent 1711.

The new A350 features a new composite wing and a fuselage made of aluminium lithium, which combined give the aircraft 60 per cent advanced materials. With a new landing gear, over 90 per cent new manufacturing part numbers, and a new redesigned cabin for even more passenger comfort, the A350 will be a new aircraft. The A350 will have unrivalled economics and fuel efficiency. With 30 more seats, it will have 12 to 14 percent more capacity, and offers eight percent lower cost per seat with a 300 nm (555 km) greater range than its nearest competitor. Overall, the A350 is bigger, flies further and is cheaper to operate than its competitor, and will further strengthen Airbus’ position on the world market.

To further reduce operating costs and minimize introduction costs, the A350 retains operational commonality with current Airbus long range products, allowing this new aircraft to benefit from the “Family effect”, complementing the A340 and the A330 with which it shares the same pilot type rating.

An all new cabin has also been designed to further enhance passenger comfort during long-range flights. Thanks to an increased shoulder clearance, passengers will have more room to move, while benefiting from better stowage capacity. Meanwhile, a new air conditioning system has been designed to match individual airline layouts and day-to-day passenger load factors.

Airbus is an EADS joint company with BAE Systems.

AIRBUS A350 FIRM ORDER COMMITMENTS

Air Europa 10
Alafco 12
CIT 5
Gecas 10
Kingfisher Airlines 5
Qatar Airways 60
TAM 8
US Airways 20
Unannounced 10

Total 140 commitments from 9 Customers"

Torquelink

The A350 fuselage will retain the A300/A330 external diameter but apparently a thinner fuselage will mean the internal diameter will grow a bit.

Airbus launches A350 - turns down state aid: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4316140.stm

Mark,

And they're making the windows bigger too! I hope the re-sculpted fuselage interior makes a significant difference - I understand that a number of operators of A340-600s are making significant reductions in total seats in order to accommodate upgraded first and business class products and address pax complaints: eroding almost completely the A346's notional higher seat count when compared to the B777-300ER.

>The A350 fuselage will retain the A300/A330 external diameter but apparently a thinner fuselage will mean the internal diameter will grow a bit.

**********************************

Hope they've read about Comet 1

So will they do a carbonfibre A340 now as well I wonder?

crewrest

not unless ETOPS is deemed contributory to a major disaster *and* the ensuing hoohah leads tp roll back from 207 and the planned 330 - unlikely to put it mildly. Otherwise 777LR will wipe any future 340 off the map.

........and Mr Boeing apparently going the other way with a plastic fuselage and metal wings.

Gas path

I think the 787's going to have plastic wings too.

Torquelink

Boeing has announced that the majority of the primary structure -- including the fuselage and wing -- on the 787 will be made of composite materials.

http://www.boeing.com/commercial/7e7/background.html

"Boeing has announced that the majority of the primary structure -- including the fuselage and wing -- on the 787 will be made of composite materials".

and what pray will be the environmental effects when one of these crashes? - the fumes from burning resin is lethal and the shards of Carbon/Boron dissipated in the fire and impact will be nigh on impossible to clean up, especially if there is any wind at the accident site, let alone the effects on any survivors breathing these in.
Just a thought.