Article from BTNews 6 AUGUST 2018
Singapore ULR in full colour
The latest new era in air travel moved a step closer last week with the first Ultra Long Range Airbus A350 XWB to be delivered to launch customer Singapore Airlines rolling out of the manufacturer’s paintshop in the carrier’s distinctive livery.
Airbus said the aircraft is now at an advanced stage of production and will undergo further testing before being delivered “in the coming months”. The other six in the SIA order are in various stages of assembly.
The first aircraft to have flown has successfully completed its flight test programme, which focused on the redesigned fuel system and 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.
The A350-900 ULR is the latest variant of the A350 XWB Family, and has an extended range of up to 9,700nmi thanks to the modified fuel system, which increases the fuel carrying capacity by 24,000 litres without the need for additional fuel tanks.
As of the end of June 2018, Airbus had recorded a total of 882 firm orders for the A350 XWB from 46 customers worldwide.
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