SIA’s (Singapore Airlines) new Airbus A350-900ULR (ultra-long-range) aircraft from Airbus, which will operate the airline’s Singapore to New York’s (Newark Liberty International Airport) non-stop on October 11 is a superjet and a big part of the future of flying.
It is the first of seven A350-900ULRs on order.
SIA is the launch customer for the A350-900ULR, which is capable of flying up to 9,700 nautical miles, or over 20 hours non-stop.
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Anatomy of an A350
Distance
The flight to New York will cover a distance of approximately 9,000nm (16,700km), with traveling time of up to 18 hours 45 minutes.
Configuration
The aircraft is configured in a two-class layout, with 67 Business Class seats and 94 Premium Economy Class seats.
Crew
For the long flight there are two sets of pilots and after the arrival in the US, they have three days off before the return flight. And before the A350 sets off from Singapore they must have had 48 hours off. Looking after the passengers will be 13 cabin crew and these crews get four hours off during the flight.
Entertainment
Singapore Airlines has added 200 hours of movies and TV content to its over 1000 hours of content.
Meals
In premium economy, passengers will get three meals during the flight, while business class will get two larger meals and a non-stop refreshment menu throughout the flight.
New Routes
The first two A350-900ULRs will be used for the launch of Singapore-New York services while subsequent aircraft will be used for Singapore-Los Angeles services commencing on 2 November 2018, as well as to increase frequency on the existing Singapore-San Francisco route. By the end of 2018, SIA will link Singapore and the United States with 27 weekly non-stop flights.
Key Facts for the A350 Superjet
• The A350 offers a 25 percent step change in fuel efficiency and a 25 percent lower seat-mile cost compared to previous generation competitor aircraft. It also generates 25 percent lower CO2 emissions.
• In a typical three-class configuration, the A350 cabin offers as standard a comfortable 18” seat width at 9-abreast in economy with Premium Economy (8-abreast, wider seats, and large armrests) and Business (4-abreast).
• It requires 40 percent less maintenance. And 70 percent of the airframe is made out of advanced materials combining composites (53 percent ), titanium and modern aluminum alloys. It is corrosion and fatigue-free.
• The A350 XWB is powered by new Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines, the world most
efficient large aero engine flying today.
• Airbus claims that the A350 XWB offers a quieter cabin compared to the Boeing 787.
• The A350 XWB is the quietest of all twin-aisle airplanes. The exterior noise level of the A350-900 is certified at 21 EPNdB (Effective Perceived Noise Decibel) below ICAO Chapter 4 requirements.
• The A350 has been awarded Common Type Rating with the A330 (over 1,000 in
service). Both Airbus widebody product lines are complementary. The A350 XWB also enjoys
Cross Crew Qualification with the A320 Family (more in-service aircraft than any
other jetliner).
• Orders: 890 total A350 orders from 46 customers.
• Deliveries: a total of 188 A350s have been delivered to 19 operators.
A350-900-ULR Technical Data
- Seats (2-class conf.) – 161
- Engine Trent XWB-84 – 84,000lbs (374 kN)
- MTOW (tonnes) 280
- Fuel Capacity – 165,000 liters
- Range (nm) 9,700nm (18,000km)
- Length (m) 66.80
- Wingspan (m) 64.75
- Fuselage width (m) 5.96
- Height (m) 17.05
- Max Fuel Capacity (l) 141,000 156,000
A350 Production and Assembly
• The first flight took place on 14th June 2013, with MSN001. The A350-900 received type
certification by European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on 30th September 2014,
followed by FAA Type Certification on 12th November 2014.
• The first A350-900 was delivered to Qatar Airways on 22nd December 2014.
• The A350-900 commercial service started with Qatar Airways on 15th January 2015
operating the carrier’s daily Doha to Frankfurt route.
