First Ultra Long Range A350 XWB rolls out of paint shop

On July 30, 2018, the first of Airbus newest long-haul aircraft, the Ultra Long Range A350 XWB, has rolled out of the paint shop in Toulouse, France, in its launch customer’s – Singapore Airlines – distinctive livery. Now at an advanced stage of production, the plane will undergo further testing before being delivered to the airline in the coming months. The carrier has selected this version of the A350-900 for non-stop flights to the U.S.

Photo by: @singaporeair

According to Airbus, Singapore Airlines has ordered seven A350-900 Ultra Long Range version jetliners, and all of them are in various stages of assembly. The first aircraft, having made its maiden flight in April, 2018, has successfully completed its flight test program, which focused on the redesigned fuel system. It is now being fitted with its cabin.

The airline will operate the aircraft on non-stop services from Singapore to the US. This includes flights between Singapore and New York, which will be the world’s longest commercial service, as well as on routes to Los Angeles and San Francisco. 

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This is what the carrier’s CEO Goh Choon Phong previously said about the aircraft: "Our customers have been asking us to re-start non-stop Singapore-US flights and we are pleased that Airbus was able to offer the right aircraft to do so in a commercially viable manner.”

"It will also further strengthen the Singapore hub by providing the fastest and most convenient air connectivity between North America and Southeast Asia," he was quoted as saying by Aerospace Technology.

The Ultra Long Range A350-900 is the latest variant of the A350 XWB Family, and will have an extended range of up to 9,700 nautical miles (17,964 km). This has been achieved by a modified fuel system, which increases the aircraft’s fuel carrying capacity by 24,000 liters (6,340 USG) without the need for additional fuel tanks.

With a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 280 tons, the Ultra Long Range A350 is capable of flying over 20 hours non-stop.

The A350 XWB is an all new family of wide-body long-haul airliners introduced by the European manufacturer. It features the latest aerodynamic design, carbon fiber fuselage and wings, plus new fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce engines. This translates into a 25% reduction in fuel burn and emissions, and significantly lower maintenance costs.

The A350 XWB features an Airspace by Airbus cabin, offering absolute well-being on board with the quietest twin-aisle cabin and new air systems.

Singapore Airlines is one of the largest customers for the A350 XWB Family, having ordered a total of 67 A350-900s, including the seven Ultra Long Range models. The carrier has already taken delivery of 21 A350-900s.

The carrier was also the launch customer of the Airbus A380-800 back in October 2007. It operates a fleet of both Airbus (A330-300 A350-900, A380-800) and Boeing (777-200, 777-200ER, 777-300, 777-300ER, 787-10) aircraft. The newest member, Ultra Long Range A350XWB, is scheduled to be delivered to the airline in October 2018.

According to Airbus, at the end of June 2018, the company has recorded a total of 882 firm orders for the A350 XWB from 46 customers worldwide.