After incredible twists and turns, the delivery of the first Airbus A350-900 in the history of commercial aviation with Qatar Airways to be finally delivered on Monday December 22 at Unless a new stunt company Gulf.
Announced on Saturday, receiving the latest generation of long-haul jet was suspended indefinitely on Wednesday for some reason by the company Doha.
Airbus finally sent an invitation on Friday night for delivery to Toulouse on December 22 in the presence of the Director General of Qatar, Akbar Al Baker, Fabrice Brégier, CEO of Airbus, and the boss Rolls-Royce, John Rishton, the engine of the machine.
Akbar al Baker, known for its requirement and strokes of brilliance, announced the impending delivery and maintenance of the first commercial flight between Doha and Frankfurt on 15 January.
Delivery promised before the end of the year
He stressed the need 30 days to refine the training of crews, leaving and hear that delivery would occur no later than a few days and the approach of the Independence Day of Qatar (December 18).
The question of the date of first commercial flight of A350 remains unresolved.
The stakes are high for Airbus to strengthen its presence in the lucrative long-haul. The B777 and 787 of its US rival Boeing are far majority facing the A330 jet entered service there twenty years.
The A350 XWB (extra wide body) was launched in 2007 after a first version retoquée in 2005 by companies who saw a pale improving the A330.
Airbus had promised Qatar Airways to deliver the first “before the end of the year “, with about a year behind the original schedule.
” This issue is important because it enables a very ambitious schedule and reflects the seriousness of the aircraft manufacturer in its ability to meet its commitments, “said Stéphane Albernhe, aeronautics expert consultancy Archery strategy consulting.
The first test flight of the A350-900 took place on 14 June 2013. The unit received its certification by the European Aviation Safety authorities on 30 September, before the green light from their US counterparts on 12 November.
Composite Materials
“It’s also a clever strategy Airbus demonstrates that did not confuse speed with haste unlike Boeing with its Dreamliner “, which had accumulated over three years late and encountered multiple dysfunctions after its commissioning in late 2011.
Airbus is especially forget the dramatic cancellation of the order of 70 Emirates A350, unveiled in June.
The manufacturer has invested 10 to 12 billion euros in this strategic program. Equipped with the Trent XWB engines from Rolls-Royce and able to carry 315 passengers on average over a distance of 14,500 km, the A350-900 is the first device operated by Airbus A380 from the super jumbo in October 2007.
The aircraft will transport Qatar, he, 283 passengers (36 in business class, economy class 247).
The A350-900 will be a direct competitor of 787-10 (323 seats ). The extended version A350-1000 (369 seats) planned for mid-2017, will rival the 777-8X (350 seats).
Made mostly of composite materials, the A350 promises fuel savings 25% compared to the 777 and 6% from the 787 crucial for companies seeking to reduce costs.
With 778 orders at the end of November, the program is already a commercial success. According to the CEO of Airbus, Fabrice Brégier, sales potential is 2,500 aircraft.
The appetite of Gulf airlines
80 copies ordered, Qatar is the main customer and illustrates the insatiable appetite of the Gulf companies for new aircraft.
Boeing himself has already accumulated 1,055 orders for its Dreamliner.
The aeronautical experts unanimously believe that the A350 is a “techno-industrial success.”
“The program appears as one of the most successful at this stage. He really capitalized on the mistakes of the A380,” said Christophe Menard, an analyst at Kepler Cheuvreux.
However, the director of the A350 program, Didier Evrard, pointing the enormous challenge of the ramp-up of production.
“The entire global aviation industry is already under strong pressure. Boeing and Airbus are in a logic of ramp-up on the B737, B787, A320. Place a production of two to 10 aircraft per month in four years will further increase the pressure on the suppliers ” , explains Mr. Albernhe.
The A350 should be the last long-haul before long, Airbus and Boeing with no new aircraft project. Unless the Chinese Comac, which develops medium-haul C919 does not come shake up the game.
(with AFP)
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