News
Airbus begins -1000 routes proving
February 10th 2017
Airbus this week sent the third and last A350-1000 prototype on its first mission, marking the latest milestone for the program as the manufacturer aims at delivering the largest A350 variant to launch customer Qatar Airways before year-end, following certification in the third quarter. Read More »
Equipped with a full cabin, MSN065 will be dedicated to all cabin-related tests, as well as route proving flights that test the certified range of the aircraft for ETOPS certification.
The -1000 is 74 metres longer than the -900, seating 366 passengers in a typical three-class configuration, approximately 40 more than the -900.
Powered exclusively by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB 97 turbofans, it has a range of up to 7,950 nautical miles.
Airbus has received 195 orders from 11 customers for the -1000 to date, compared to 599 for the smaller -900 and a remaining 16 for the -800 (which are likely to be cancelled or converted into A330 or A350-900 orders).
Airlines from the Asia-Pacific region are particularly keen on the new variant. Asiana Airlines has 10 on order, Cathay Pacific Airways 26, Etihad Airways 22, Japan Airlines 13 and Qatar Airways will take 37.
Airbus has thus far shied away from committing to an even larger variant, provisionally dubbed the A350-2000, which might have cost it this week’s $14 billion Singapore Airlines (SIA) order (which went to Boeing’s competing B777-9 instead).
