IATA 350

Airbus A350

Airbus

TravelerPulse profile

Airbus's advanced long-haul wide-body twin-engine jetliner.

First flight

2013

Category

Wide-body jet

Seating

300–410 (typical 2-class); up to 440+ in high-density

Range

15,000 km (A350-900)

Engines

Two Rolls-Royce Trent XWB turbofans

Status

In production

The Airbus A350 XWB (Extra Wide Body) is a family of long-range, wide-body twin-engine airliners developed by Airbus to compete primarily with the Boeing 777 and 787. It features an advanced airframe in which over 70% of the structure by surface area is made from composite materials, aluminium alloys, and titanium, contributing to significant fuel efficiency gains over previous-generation aircraft. The A350 family includes the A350-900 and the stretched A350-1000 variants. The -900 entered service in January 2015 with Qatar Airways, while the -1000 followed in early 2018. A freighter variant, the A350F, is also under development. The aircraft is powered exclusively by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines, which are among the most fuel-efficient large turbofan engines in service. The A350 has attracted strong commercial interest from airlines worldwide due to its fuel efficiency, long range, and passenger comfort features including wider seats, higher cabin humidity, and improved lighting. It has become a cornerstone of many airlines' long-haul fleets since entering service.

Notable operators

Major operators include Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa, Air France, Thai Airways, and China Airlines.

Notable facts

›Over 53% of the airframe by weight is made from carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer composites.
›The A350-900ULR (Ultra Long Range) can fly over 18,000 km non-stop, enabling routes like Singapore–New York.
›The Trent XWB is the world's most efficient large civil aero-engine at its entry into service.
›The A350 cockpit is designed with commonality in mind, easing transition for pilots qualified on the A330 or A380.
›Over 1,000 orders had been placed for the A350 family from more than 50 customers by the early 2020s.

Read more on Wikipedia

This profile is provided for general information only. Specifications may be inaccurate or vary by variant/operator — verify with the manufacturer before relying on them.

Encyclopaedia

The Airbus A350 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine airliner developed and produced by Airbus. The initial A350 design, which was proposed in 2004 in response to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, would have been a development of the Airbus A330 with composite wings, advanced winglets, and new efficient engines. Due to inadequate market support, Airbus switched in 2006 to a clean-sheet extra wide body (XWB) design, powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent XWB high bypass turbofan engines. The prototype first flew on 14 June 2013 from Toulouse, France. Type certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) was obtained in September 2014, followed by certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) two months later.

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