Singapore buys the new A350 + More A380 + New A380 issues?

Good news bad news?

Singapore Airlines has ordered 20 of the all new A350 XWB becoming the first to comit tot he new plane. It is unclear if there is any changes in the exisiting orders for the previous incarnation of the A350. SIA also indicated that it would take up its 9 options on the A380.

However a German magazine reported that an unspecified issue with section 19 of the fueslage. Airbus denies any problems and says the "issue was fixed"

Airbus A380 super jumbo hit by new problems on fuselage

Airbus says A380 fuselage fault long since resolved

Singapore Airlines orders Airbus planes

[edit on 7/22/06 by FredT]

[edit on 7/23/06 by FredT]

In another note Emirates has chosen to go with the 747-8F canceling options for the freighter version of the A380. The chairman of the company was non commital to the passanger version of the 747-8

Emirates Chooses New Boeing 747 Freighter Over A380F

[edit on 7/22/06 by FredT]

I thought Finair was the first to commit to the A350 XWB and that Emerates had converted their options for A380F into A380 passenger versions instead, as well as ordering extra B747-8F.

Originally posted by FredT

However a German magazine reported that an unspecified issue with section 19 of the fueslage. Airbus denies any problems and says the "issue was fixed"

Airbus A380 super jumbo hit by new problems on fuselage

Airbus says A380 fuselage fault long since resolved

Singapore Airlines orders Airbus planes

Boy that is bad news. I think I will now apply for a job selling Boeings

I expected them to overcome the wiring problems but this problem is a whole new issue and one that will cause further delays of the aircraft which could result in major finacial problems for the company.

[edit on 7/23/2006 by shots]

That is if Airbus hasn't fixed the problem. Which I think is a good possibilty. Since the problem was discovered during early flight testing. The solution of reinforcing the fuselage would lend credence IMO that it was a minor problem(too much exrta weight wouldn't be a good thing).

As far as I was aware, the fuselage issue was an age old problem, and it should be sorted by now.

It was probably something like too widely spaced fuselage ribs, thats all.

Sorry for sounding like a doofus, but wasn't the A-350 cancelled ~three weeks ago? With this project getting bandied about like a tether ball at an angry goat convention I can't see this choice by Singapore as leading to anything more than broken promises and dreamliner orders.

-EE

fake edit: I am asking this question after ATS and Google both yielding conflicting results

The A350 was redesigned. They made it a wider fuselage and some other changes to it. The airlines weren't happy with the current design, so Airbus went back and redesigned it.

Thanks, so are they still going with the 100% composite wing and all those other features they promised? I had heard the airlines were unhappy, but can you be more specific as to why Airbus had to spend yet more time and money to saciate their customers?

Because if they don't, it doesn't sell, and they lose out on billions in devleopment costs, etc.

The code name XWB stands for extra-wide body and underlines the jet's wider cabin. Other modifications include the use of the A380 superjumbo's cockpit, a new engine, a revamped cabin with the largest-ever windows and increased use of composite materials in the wings and fuselage.
In answer to higher fuel costs, Airbus also said the XWB would be 30% more fuel efficient than current aircraft and 6% more efficient than its initial model.

www.marketwatch.com...

The new engine bit is intersting. Ge did mention that it may not be interested in competing for an all new A350 engine. Its bleedless design for the 787 was easily adapted for the A350 but if they want to go a different route, you may see a sole source engine (I will eat my mouse if its not the Trent) like Boeing went with the 777-200LR and 300-ER.

I tried to get a figure on engine choices for the 787 but can't seem to locate them. One factor peopel often forget is the engines and the MRO stuff which can often more than the intial purchase price of the a/c over its life.

Looks like you're in luck Fred. You don't have to start eating.

British engine maker Rolls-Royce (RR.L: Quote, Profile, Research) said it had reached a preliminary agreement with Airbus (EAD.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) to build a new variant in its Trent engine series for the A350 XWB, a long-range set of three planes announced on Monday.

"As a result of positive discussions with Airbus, we have concluded a preliminary framework agreement to make a new member of the Trent family available on the A350 XWB," Mike Terrett, president of civil aerospace at Rolls, said in a statement.

today.reuters.com...

Looks like it's going to be the Trent 1700. It looks like GE won't spend the money for it, and P&W doesn't want to offer an engine for it either. P&W is already pretty busy with new engines, and thinks that the GP7000 would be a good engine for the XWB, but it's not in the weight class Airbus wants for it. Airbus is looking for a 95,000lb engine, and the GP7000 is in the 74-84,000lb range.

"The problem has been fixed. It was one of those problem that pop up during construction of a new aircraft." That's what an Airbus spokesman said, in the follow up article in Der Spiegel, the paper that first published about the "new problems".
Click HERE to read the article. (in German only!)

The article starts with the news that construction of the A380 and other Airbus aircraft requires 700 new engineers, for at least three or four years.
The fuselage problems will not cause any delivery problems, or cost increases, according to the article.

Originally posted by Zaphod58
Looks like you're in luck Fred. You don't have to start eating.

Mmmmmmm Mouse...

This weeks AWST, a GE offical pointed out that they were not as excited about the engine for the new A350 is that Airbus wants 3 distinct thrust variants from the same engine and GE feels it is not able to meet fuel burn req. across that range.

GE and Rolls are basically technical equals so if true, once variant of the plane may not be as efficient. My guess is it will be the lower thrust version as fuel burn differneces would not stand out as much.

Zion: Fixing structural integrity issues often involve alot of weigh. Anyidea how extensive the problem was or how it was fixed? I do not read German

From what I've read around the net P&W is concentrating more on the new engine contract for the E-8, and some CFM-56 work, rather than try to develop an entirely new engine.

Originally posted by Nacnud
I thought Finair was the first to commit to the A350 XWB and that Emerates had converted their options for A380F into A380 passenger versions instead, as well as ordering extra B747-8F.

You thought right dunc. I posted this news on a separate thread a couple of days before this one, but everyone ignored it, which makes me feel like a leper (double standards Fred? You closed a thread of shots' for repeating this one, which is a repeat of mine, oops! )

Like Finnair, US Airways is also happy to stick with the A350 but SIA is the first new buyer for the XWB. The 747-8F has won over Emirates (as expected) by dint of its nose loading design. Emirates has not cancelled any A380's, it has converted its orders to the passenger model instead.

If I was to be mischeivous and try to urinate on shots' bonfire I might suggest that this illustrates how the big Boeing was deemed OK for ferrying parcels but only the A380 is good enough for passengers, but of course I would never stoop so low

I've been away folks but don't worry, I'm back now.