IATA 359ICAO A359

Airbus A350-900

Airbus

Airbus's flagship wide-body for ultra-long-haul routes.

First flight

2013

Category

Wide-body jet

Seating

300–350 (3-class typical)

Range

15,000 km

Engines

Two Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-84 turbofans

Status

In production

The Airbus A350-900 is the primary variant of the A350 XWB (Extra Wide Body) family, designed to compete directly with the Boeing 777 and 787 Dreamliner. It features an airframe constructed from approximately 53% carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) and other composite materials, contributing to significant weight savings and fuel efficiency improvements of around 25% compared to older-generation aircraft. The aircraft entered commercial service with Qatar Airways in January 2015 and quickly gained traction among major carriers worldwide. It seats typically 300 to 350 passengers in a three-class configuration and is capable of flying ultra-long-haul routes nonstop, including some of the world's longest commercial flights. The A350-900 is powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-84 turbofan engines, which are among the most efficient large turbofans ever produced. Its wide cabin, with a cross-section wider than the 787, offers improved passenger comfort with lower cabin altitude and higher humidity levels.

Notable operators

Major operators include Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Cathay Pacific, Delta Air Lines, Lufthansa, and Air France.

Notable facts

›Approximately 53% of the airframe is made from composite materials, primarily CFRP.
›Entered commercial service with Qatar Airways on 15 January 2015.
›Singapore Airlines operates ultra-long-haul nonstop flights from Singapore to New York and Los Angeles using the A350-900ULR variant.
›The cabin is pressurized to an equivalent altitude of 6,000 ft (1,830 m), lower than many comparable aircraft.
›Competes directly with the Boeing 777-300ER and 777X in the long-haul wide-body market.

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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