New twin will offer better head clearance and larger windows to boost passenger appeal
Airbus has revealed details of the clean-sheet cabin design it is showing prospective A350 customers, as it steps up the marketing war against Boeing and its rival 787.
The European manufacturer's long-haul twin will incorporate windows 8% larger than those of the A330/A340 family, countering a key 787 attribute.
The A350's overhead bins will hold at least one typical "roller bag" per passenger in economy, and at least two in business, said Airbus payload accommodation director Sophie Pendaries, speaking at last week's Aircraft Interiors event in Hamburg, Germany.
"The idea," said Pendaries, "is to make sure that the baggage will fit the volume we are offering." She said the A350's wider "three-frame" cabin lining side panels and luggage bins will be "more pleasing on the eye" than the two-frame design used on existing aircraft. There will also be improved head clearance for passengers, and economy class seats will be wider than the current standard. "We are moving to 18in – the same as for the A380," said Pendaries.
The A350 is due to enter service in 2010, two years later than the 787. Pendaries said eventual incorporation of many of the enhancements planned for the A350 into the A330/A340 family is "something that is under study".
The A350's fuselage will almost certainly be constructed from an advanced aluminium alloy offering around a 6% reduction in density compared with those used today. By contrast, the 787's fuselage will be built entirely from carbonfibre-reinforced plastic composite.
The A350's aluminium fuselage panels will typically be larger than those used on the A330, and some will be joined using laser welding. "What we are doing is taking A380 technology and bringing it on to the A350," said Airbus vice-president marketing, Colin Stuart. The A350 will have a new wing that makes greater use of lightweight materials and is optimised for higher cruise speeds than the A330.
ANDREW DOYLE/HAMBURG
Source: Flight International
