Airbus Debuts Ultra-Long Range A350 Widebody Model
April 23 2018 - 9:43AM
Dow Jones News
By Robert Wall
LONDON--Airbus SE (AIR.FR) on Monday completed the first flight
of an ultra-long-range version of its A350 widebody to help satisfy
growing demand to link even remote cities.
The A350-900ULR has been designed to fly non-stop for more than
11,100 miles, or more than 20 hours, said Airbus, and it is due to
enter service with Singapore Airlines Ltd. (C6L.SG) in the second
half of the year. The carrier said it plans to link Singapore with
New York on the world's longest non-stop flight.
Qantas Airways Ltd. (QAN.AU) last month began direct flights
between London and Perth, Australia, and has asked Airbus and rival
Boeing Co. (BA) to propose planes that could link Sydney with
London or New York in what would become the world's longest
route.
Airbus also said it has stretched the range of the baseline
A350-900 by allowing it to carry about 6,340 gallons more fuel, and
it is putting extra fuel in a center wing tank rather than adding
fuel tanks in the cargo compartment.
The European plane maker conducted the aircraft's first flight
from its headquarters in Toulouse, France.
The plane features some changes to the wing and other parts that
will be used to make baseline A350s more efficient, and the
enhancements should help lower fuel burn about 1%, said Marisa
Lucas-Ugena, head of A350 marketing for Airbus. The updated A350
also comes with greater takeoff weight, allowing the plane to carry
more fuel or cargo. It should stretch the range of a regular A350
about 460 miles.
Singapore Airlines is one of Airbus's biggest customers for
widebody jets. The airline has ordered 67 A350-900s, including
seven for the ultra-long-range routes.
Write to Robert Wall at robert.wall@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 23, 2018 10:28 ET (14:28 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2018 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Singapore Airlines (PK) (USOTC:SINGY)
Historical Stock Chart
From Aug 2024 to Sep 2024
Singapore Airlines (PK) (USOTC:SINGY)
Historical Stock Chart
From Sep 2023 to Sep 2024