Airbus decide di non ottimizzare l' A350-800

[belumosi]

Allo scopo di contenere i costi, Airbus ha deciso di non ottimizzare l' A350-800, facendolo diventare una semplice versione accorciata del 900, che diventa ufficialmente la versione base del progetto. Come conseguenza si avranno pesi più elevati e consumi maggiori del 2% ma anche maggiore carico e/o autonomia.
Visto che l' autonomia era già ottima, non credo che i clienti (tra i quali c'è AZ) saranno entusiasti.

A350-800 to be developed as -900 shrink
By David Kaminski-Morrow

Airbus has opted to develop its A350-800 as a shrink version of the -900, an adjustment aimed at simplifying the programme.
By optimising the A350 around the -900 as a baseline the airframer is adopting a similar strategy to its development of the A330-200/300.
It will potentially provide the -800 with a 3t increase in payload or extend its range by 250nm - although it will also raise the fuel-burn.
Airbus chief operating officer for customers John Leahy disclosed the plan at a briefing in Seville today, stating that definition freeze on the -800 had been completed.
Designing the -800 as a derated version of the -900 will enable Airbus to avoid accommodating changes, for example, to the landing-gear.
Leahy says: "The more we looked at [changes on the -800], the more we thought: 'Why?'"
He admits that the decision would increase the -800's fuel-burn by "a couple of percent" but insists this would still keep the twin-jet in the "same competitive region".
There would be no change to the entry into service date.
Airbus has orders for 182 A350-800s, plus 248 -900s and 75 for the larger -1000.

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/01/12/337033/a350-800-to-be-developed-as-900-shrink.html

 

[malpensante]

Evidentemente non c' è gran voglia di misurarsi col 787, meglio contenere il prezzo di listino.

 

[belumosi]

DATE:15/01/10
SOURCE:Flight International
Qatar Airways backs Airbus rethink on A350-800 design
By Max Kingsley-Jones


A350 XWB launch customer Qatar Airways has declared itself pleased with Airbus's rethink on the -800 variant, which is now based directly on the -900 to offer greater commonality and more range.
"An A350-800 with longer range has more appeal as it differentiates it from the 787-8 and allows operation of long, thin routes," says the airline. It adds that it also likes the fact that it now has "a high degree of commonality with the A350-900".
The rethink was agreed last year in conjunction with the customers, ahead of the second A350 variant reaching its design freeze milestone in December, says the programme's marketing chief Sophie Pendaries. "The planned optimisation of the -800's design - slight changes to the structure and landing gear, tyre and brake changes - was not bringing the expected benefits," she says.
Consequently, Airbus decided to base the shorter model directly on the -900, and trade any penalties against a significant range improvement. The A350-800 now has identical structure and gear to the lead variant, the -900, while the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines will be offered at two thrusts - a baseline 79,000lb (352kN) and a 74,000lb derate.

The maximum take-off weight rises by 11t over the previous plan to 259t (with the old variant's 248t still offered as an option). Range (at the higher weight) increases by 460km (250nm) to 15,800km, or payload by 3t. Standard three-class seating remains the same, at 270 passengers.
By not optimising the structure and having higher thrust engines, the reworked -800 has a fuel burn penalty of "a few per cent", although Pendaries claims that its advantage over the rival Boeing 787 is unchanged as that programme is not meeting its original performance promises.
Airbus says that the new variant offers up to 1,670km more range than any 787 variant. Compared with the 777-200ER, it has a 1,300km advantage and up to 25% lower block fuel per seat.
The development timetable remains unchanged, with the -800 due to enter service with launch customer Qatar Airways around a year after the -900, in the second half of 2014.
Qatar Airways, which is launch customer for all XWB variants, has told Flight International that it fully supported Airbus in last year's rethink because "an A350-800 with longer range has more appeal as it differentiates it from the 787-8 and allows operation of long, thin routes". It adds that it also likes the fact that it now has "a high degree of commonality with the A350-900".
Airbus has orders for 182 A350-800s, a further 248 for the -900 and 75 for the -1000 stretch.

http://www.flightglobal.com/article...-backs-airbus-rethink-on-a350-800-design.html

Al link c'è la tabella comparativa con le prestazioni prima e dopo la cura.