The latest model from Airbus, the A350-1000, is now certified by both the FAA and EASA, the company said on Wednesday. The airplane is a stretched version of the A350 XWB airliner. The 1000 features Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, adding more power than earlier versions, as well as main landing gear with six wheels. The fuselage is stretched 23 feet, adding space for 40 more seats, and a total of 366 passengers in the standard three-class configuration. With the extra capacity, plus an 8,000-NM range, the new airplane is well-equipped to handle busy long-haul routes, Airbus says. First delivery is planned before the end of the year, to Qatar Airways.
The airplane first flew last November. Since then, three A350-1000 flight-test aircraft have accumulated over 1,600 flight hours. One of the jets flew 150 flight test hours in an airline-like operational environment to demonstrate its readiness for entry into service, Airbus said. The company says it has orders in hand for 169 of the airplanes, from 11 customers on five continents.
