AIRBUS has finally confirmed the go-ahead for the re-vamped A330 to be known as the A350. It will be interesting to see what happens to the A340 and whether that receives what in fact is a mid-life upgrade. Planned to enter service in 2010, the A350 family will initially include two members. The A350-800 will carry 253 passengers in a standard three-class configuration up to 8,800nm/16,300km. Its larger sister, the A350-900, will accommodate as many as 300 passengers in a comparable three-class layout up to 7,500nm/13,900km. The A350 will initially be powered by General Electric”s new generation GEnx 1A engine. An agreement with Rolls-Royce has also been signed to supply a new variant of its Trent engine series for the A350, the Trent 1711. A major feature of the A350 is a new composite wing built in the Airbus Chester factory. To date Toulouse has taken orders for 140 aircraft from nine airlines.
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