Aircraft

Airbus not shifting to all-composite barrel for A350

By Mary Kirby

Airbus does not intend to make changes to the fundamental fuselage design of its A350XWB, the company’s chief commercial officer customers John Leahy said today.

Discounting a report that Airbus is preparing to shift to an all-composite barrel, Leahy stressed that the fuselage design is frozen. “We have the A350-800, -900 and -1000,” he notes.

Airbus is issuing performance guarantees and delivery dates to customers, and taking deposits. This proves that the A350XWB “is a fully launched programme”, adds Leahy.

Official system design freeze on the A350XWB is due to be reached in October next year.

Entry into service – with launch customer Qatar Airways - is planned for mid-2013. Qatar today signed a memorandum of agreement to buy 80 A350XWB twin-jets, including the largest version, the A350-1000.

Speculation is rife that Qatar has also signed a deal for 30 Boeing 787s. “I don’t want to get into what they [Qatar] do with the rest of their fleet plan. I would always think it’s better if they go all Airbus,” says Leahy.