AIRBUS A330 Civil (Passagers & Fret)

Airbus juggles A330-300 weights to offer longer range

Airbus is to offer carriers a higher-weight A330-300 from the fourth quarter of this year, taking the maximum take-off weight (MTOW) to 235t.
Raising the MTOW would extend the range by 135nm (250km) with a typical 300-passenger load, or provide a 1.4t payload increase at a range above 4,200nm. TUI Group is ordering a pair of the jets, with 362 seats, for its French division Corsair.
Airbus has identified the new weight variant as WV54. It will offer a 2t increase in MTOW over its predecessor, the WV52, and 5t above the baseline WV50. The airframer says that design-load analysis indicates that the 2t increase is achievable if it is "compensated" by a 2t reduction in maximum zero-fuel weight, to 173t.
Maximum landing weight, 187t, will remain unchanged from the WV52. Local structural modifications will be required for the new airframe - including changes of rivets in the forward lower fuselage shell - but these will have "negligible impact" on aircraft empty weight. Part of the change has already been implemented as part of A330-200 production.
Airbus says it wants to increase the payload-range performance of the A330-300 while "taking full benefit of demonstrated wing structural capability".
Maximum aft position of the centre-of-gravity has been reduced at the higher weight, to keep vertical static load on the main landing-gear unchanged.
"These improvements have been achieved with little impact on the aircraft's operability, meaning that the aircraft will be able to use most of the existing runways and the airport take-off slots without penalty," says Airbus.
Take-off and go-around thrust are unchanged on the higher-weight variant, which will require a 70-90m (230-300ft) increase in take-off distance.
But while the Rolls-Royce Trent 772- and Pratt & Whitney PW4170-powered versions of the aircraft will meet QC2 take-off noise criteria, slight engine modification will be needed for certain airframes equipped with General Electric CF6-80E1s.
The A4 model of the GE powerplant will fall within the QC2 threshold, says Airbus, but not the A3 model.
In order to bring the latter into line, GE is developing a nacelle modification and noise tests are scheduled to take place in the first quarter of this year, with certification planned for the third quarter.
Although the engine modification will be available through retrofit, Airbus is not offering the higher-weight airframe as a retrofit package. But it says this possibility "will be investigated...depending on customer requests".
Airbus expects delivery slots for the new A330-300 variant to become available from the first quarter of 2012. Its A330-300 backlog at the end of 2010 stood at 141 aircraft

Airbus is to offer carriers a higher-weight A330-300 from the fourth quarter of this year, taking the maximum take-off weight (MTOW) to 235t.

Raising the MTOW would extend the range by 135nm (250km) with a typical 300-passenger load, or provide a 1.4t payload increase at a range above 4,200nm. TUI Group is ordering a pair of the jets, with 362 seats, for its French division Corsair.
Airbus has identified the new weight variant as WV54. It will offer a 2t increase in MTOW over its predecessor, the WV52, and 5t above the baseline WV50. The airframer says that design-load analysis indicates that the 2t increase is achievable if it is "compensated" by a 2t reduction in maximum zero-fuel weight, to 173t.

Maximum landing weight, 187t, will remain unchanged from the WV52. Local structural modifications will be required for the new airframe - including changes of rivets in the forward lower fuselage shell - but these will have "negligible impact" on aircraft empty weight. Part of the change has already been implemented as part of A330-200 production.
Airbus says it wants to increase the payload-range performance of the A330-300 while "taking full benefit of demonstrated wing structural capability".
Maximum aft position of the centre-of-gravity has been reduced at the higher weight, to keep vertical static load on the main landing-gear unchanged.
"These improvements have been achieved with little impact on the aircraft's operability, meaning that the aircraft will be able to use most of the existing runways and the airport take-off slots without penalty," says Airbus.
Take-off and go-around thrust are unchanged on the higher-weight variant, which will require a 70-90m (230-300ft) increase in take-off distance.

Le communiqué d' Airbus, qui ne mentionne pas de choix moteurs :...............

But while the Rolls-Royce Trent 772- and Pratt & Whitney PW4170-powered versions of the aircraft will meet QC2 take-off noise criteria, slight engine modification will be needed for certain airframes equipped with General Electric CF6-80E1s.

"The A4 model of the GE powerplant will fall within the QC2 threshold, says Airbus, but not the A3 model.
In order to bring the latter into line, GE is developing a nacelle modification and noise tests are scheduled to take place in the first quarter of this year, with certification planned for the third quarter.

Although the engine modification will be available through retrofit, Airbus is not offering the higher-weight airframe as a retrofit package. But it says this possibility "will be investigated...depending on customer requests".
Airbus expects delivery slots for the new A330-300 variant to become available from the first quarter of 2012. Its A330-300 backlog at the end of 2010 stood at 141 aircraft.

La vaste majorité de ce "backlog" est prévue "équipée de RR Trent 772B" !

India's Flyington Freighters has cancelled its order for 12 Airbus A330-200Fs, four years after becoming one of the type's initial customers.

Flyington had been intending to equip its A330 freighters with Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engines.

The start-up carrier had been the first cargo operator to sign up to the new type when it ordered six in 2007, before doubling its commitment later the same year.
Airbus' latest order and delivery figures, covering January 2011, confirm the cancellation of a dozen A330 freighters, and the airframer no longer lists Flyington as a customer.

Gross orders for 32 aircraft were recorded by Airbus in the first month of the year, including six A380s ordered by South Korea's Asiana Airlines on 6 January.
Other agreements covered 12 A330-300s for lessor GECAS, as well as a pair for tour operator TUI Travel which will be used by France's Corsair.
Holiday carrier Thomas Cook Airlines' Scandinavian division also signed for 12 A321s which will be fitted with 'sharklet' wingtips.

Flyington's cancellation brings Airbus' net order total this year to 20. The airframer also delivered 33 aircraft over the month, including two A380s to Qantas.

Airbus to increase A330 production rate to 10 a month

Airbus is to increase its A330 production rate to 10 aircraft a month from the second quarter of 2013.
The airframer, which currently produces eight A330-family aircraft a month, will increase the monthly rate to nine aircraft early next year and 10 by the second quarter of the following year.
Airbus says the production rate increase is a result of strong customer demand for A330-family aircraft.

Jeannot a écrit:Airbus va augmenter les cadences de production de l'A330 à 10 unités (8 aujourd'hui) par mois à partir du deuxième trimestre 2013.

Airbus to increase A330 production rate to 10 a month

Airbus is to increase its A330 production rate to 10 aircraft a month from the second quarter of 2013.
The airframer, which currently produces eight A330-family aircraft a month, will increase the monthly rate to nine aircraft early next year and 10 by the second quarter of the following year.
Airbus says the production rate increase is a result of strong customer demand for A330-family aircraft.

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Oui ! Et il va y avoir encore des commandes d'A330 !

Airbus confirmed plans on Thursday for a 25 percent increase in production of its A330 long-range aircraft as it cashes in on delays to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

The lightweight carbon-composite 787 aims to outclass the Airbus jet in both technology and fuel efficiency, but sales of the A330 have rebounded sharply while the 787 has fallen three years behind schedule.

Airbus said it would increase production of the twinjet A330 family, which also includes the the largely sidelined four-engined A340, from eight planes a month now to nine a month in early 2012 and 10 in second-quarter 2013.
Airbus officials had said they were considering the production increase at New Year press briefings in January.

It also sought to draw a line under a dispute with the first customer for a freighter version of the A330 by revoking an order for 12 planes from India's Flyington Freighters.
Airbus did not publicly give a reason, but people familiar with the dispute on both sides have said Flyington and Airbus have quarrelled over the payment of deposits against the USD$1.2 billion order and other matters.

Flyington was due to have taken the first delivery of an A330 last year but Airbus substituted Etihad Airways as the inaugural customer at the Farnborough air show last year.

Airbus said it had received 32 plane orders in January, or a net total of 12 orders after the Flyington cancellation. It delivered 33 planes in January.
Airbus plans to offer a military version of the A330 in a competition worth up to USD$50 billion to supply aerial refuelling tankers to the United States. If it wins, it will start assembling the freighter version alongside A330 tankers in Mobile, Alabama. Boeing is offering a version of its 767 airliner, which reached its 1,000th delivery this week.

(Reuters)

Boeing's McNerney: It's time to replace the A330

A [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]-10 Dreamliner could replace the Airbus A330, Boeing Chairman President and Chief Executive Officer Jim McNerney said Thursday.
"(T)hat's a very nice A330 replacement airplane -- more range, more (passengers) and much more efficient," McNerney said at the Cowen Aerospace/Defense Conference in New York. "The A330's a good airplane, it's done well, but it's about time we replaced it."
Boeing is starting the composite 787 line with the 787-8 and then moving on to the larger 787-9 while considering a potential 787-10, which would be the biggest version.
Interestingly, McNerney's comments came a week after [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] the millions of dollars the company just spent to move and upgrade the 767 line would help that older aircraft better compete against the A330.
McNerney's argument about the 787-10's replacing the A330 is somewhat the reverse of his stance on Airbus' planned [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]-1000, which aims to replace the Boeing 777.
"I personally think the 777 is going to be the unexpectedly strong story this decade," he said Thursday. "I think until there's better definition around what the A350-1000 is or isn't we're going to sell one heck of a lot of 777-300ERs. We're already seeing demand that is much stronger than we anticipated."
Boeing is studying potential replacement or major upgrades of the 777. That would happen after development of a [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], which would aim to enter service around 2020, McNerney said Thursday.
The 787-10, he said, "is something that can be done in the meantime."
For now, Boeing has to work toward making the 787 program profitable. McNerney reiterated Thursday that the first 787s delivered will have "something close to zero margins," but noted: "The most profitable plane in history, the (7)37, started with a forward loss" (meaning it was in position to make no profit).
The first step is to finish required reworking of already produced 787s so they can be delivered.
"Come to Everett if you want to see what inventory looks like," McNerney said. "The rework on the first 20 planes in particular is ongoing, but the number of jobs there to get done is coming down."
At the same time, the newer 787s have fewer issues that need fixing in Everett, McNerney said. "We have airplane number 32 in the shop now, and the condition of assembly that came in from our suppliers was very good on that airplane. We're still working with one of our suppliers on workmanship issues, but we have got capability in Everett to handle that."
That one supplier presumably is Alenia Aeronautica, which makes horizontal stabilizers for the 787.
[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] to issues with the stabilizers, Albaugh said: "We're taking a hard look at what we're going to do on the horizontal, and at some point we'll make a decision there."
While Boeing has orders for an impressive 847 787s, it had a net loss of orders for four of the aircraft last year (37 ordered but 41 canceled).
"I think once we start delivering, people will start ordering again," McNerney said.
And the company will charge more for those aircraft, he added. "We will not sell them at launch prices again."
A changing mix of orders for 787 models also will help profitability, McNerney said.
"The demand for the -9, which is a more profitable plane for us, is beginning to overtake demand for the -8," he said. "A number of our customers, more than we originally anticipated, are moving toward the -9."

Jeannot a écrit:Pour Boeing le 787-10 sera un A330 killer

J. McNERNEY doit délirer ! Mettre les deux ensemble ? Cela devrait être un accident ! Il oublie, sans doute, l'A350-XWB-900 ! :roll:
Et, pour le moment, ... il n'y a que le RR Trent 1000 qui puisse / pourrait propulser un éventuel B787-10 !

Boeing's McNerney: It's time to replace the A330

A [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]-10 Dreamliner could replace the Airbus A330, Boeing Chairman President and Chief Executive Officer Jim McNerney said Thursday.
"(T)hat's a very nice A330 replacement airplane -- more range, more (passengers) and much more efficient," McNerney said at the Cowen Aerospace/Defense Conference in New York. "The A330's a good airplane, it's done well, but it's about time we replaced it."
Boeing is starting the composite 787 line with the 787-8 and then moving on to the larger 787-9 while considering a potential 787-10, which would be the biggest version.

Interestingly, McNerney's comments came a week after [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] the millions of dollars the company just spent to move and upgrade the 767 line would help that older aircraft better compete against the A330.

McNerney's argument about the 787-10's replacing the A330 is somewhat the reverse of his stance on Airbus' planned [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]-1000, which aims to replace the Boeing 777.

"I personally think the 777 is going to be the unexpectedly strong story this decade," he said Thursday. "I think until there's better definition around what the A350-1000 is or isn't we're going to sell one heck of a lot of 777-300ERs. We're already seeing demand that is much stronger than we anticipated."

Non ! Ce sont principalement des B777-300ER, bradés, pour régler les compensations dues aux clients souffrant des retards sur le programme B787 ! Quelle plaisanterie !

Boeing is studying potential replacement or major upgrades of the 777. That would happen after development of a [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], which would aim to enter service around 2020, McNerney said Thursday.

The 787-10, he said, "is something that can be done in the meantime."

For now, Boeing has to work toward making the 787 program profitable. McNerney reiterated Thursday that the first 787s delivered will have "something close to zero margins," but noted: "The most profitable plane in history, the (7)37, started with a forward loss" (meaning it was in position to make no profit).
The first step is to finish required reworking of already produced 787s so they can be delivered.
"Come to Everett if you want to see what inventory looks like," McNerney said. "The rework on the first 20 planes in particular is ongoing, but the number of jobs there to get done is coming down."

At the same time, the newer 787s have fewer issues that need fixing in Everett, McNerney said. "We have airplane number 32 in the shop now, and the condition of assembly that came in from our suppliers was very good on that airplane. We're still working with one of our suppliers on workmanship issues, but we have got capability in Everett to handle that."

That one supplier presumably is Alenia Aeronautica, which makes horizontal stabilizers for the 787.
[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] to issues with the stabilizers, Albaugh said: "We're taking a hard look at what we're going to do on the horizontal, and at some point we'll make a decision there."

While Boeing has orders for an impressive 847 787s, it had a net loss of orders for four of the aircraft last year (37 ordered but 41 canceled).

"I think once we start delivering people, will start ordering again," McNerney said.
And the company will charge more for those aircraft, he added. "We will not sell them at launch prices again."

A changing mix of orders for 787 models also will help profitability, McNerney said.

"The demand for the -9, which is a more profitable plane for us, is beginning to overtake demand for the -8," he said. "A number of our customers, more than we originally anticipated, are moving toward the -9."

It's about time...

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Rolls-Royce wins $2.2bn TotalCare deal from Emirates

Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, has won a $2.2bn TotalCare long term services contract from Emirates, covering Trent engines for 70 Airbus A350XWB aircraft. The agreement will bring the airline’s Rolls-Royce powered fleet of 128 aircraft, in service and on order, under TotalCare arrangements.

Tim Clark, President - Emirates Airline, said: “Em (irates’ 70 A350XWB aircraft on order will play an important role in our growth when they come online in the next few years. This TotalCare contract with Rolls-Royce is an important step in ensuring our A350XWB engine life cycle costs are managed effectively and maintained to the highest standards. Already current users of TotalCare, we look forward to maintaining this relationship with Rolls-Royce to drive additional operational improvements.”

Mark King, Rolls-Royce, President – Civil Aerospace, said: “We are delighted to sign this contract with Emirates, a valued customer with three Trent engine family members already in service (******). With this contract all of Emirates’ Rolls-Royce powered fleet are, or will be, supported by TotalCare packages that add significant value and allow customers to optimise their operations.”

TotalCare long term service agreements, in place on 90 per cent of all Trent engines, are designed to minimise customer financial risk and enhance operational performance and reliability, allowing operators to concentrate on their core business.

The new TotalCare contract for Trent XWB engines comes two months after Rolls-Royce won a $1.2bn TotalCare contract for Trent 700 engines powering 27 Airbus A330s and Trent 800 engines powering 21 Boeing 777s.

On imagine bien que cette nouvelle affaire couvre, donc, les moteurs Trent XWB-1000 des 20 x A350-XWB-1000 ? Cela ne signiferait-il pas que, peut-être, "Entertainer" Tim est revenu à la réalité, en reconnaissant ses obligations contractuelles fermes vis-à-vis d'Airbus et de RR, et qu'il faudra bien distinguer entre la motorisation des A350-XWB-1000, et celle du remplaçant (éventuel, .... le cas échéant ..... ) du B777-300ER ?

Jeannot a écrit:AirAsia négocie "activement" avec Airbus sur des NEO s et des longs courriers.

AirAsia négocie "activement" avec Airbus

.....S'agissant de nouvelles commandes long-courriers, M. Fernandes a affirmé: "une annonce sera faite prochainement, dans les deux semaines", laissant entendre qu'il s'agirait d'A330. "Nous croyons beaucoup en l'A330. C'est un des meilleurs avions jamais construits", a-t-il estimé.

Tony Fernandes est en déplacement à Paris à l'occasion du lancement de la ligne Paris-Kuala Lumpur opérée par la filiale d'AirAsia, AirAsia X. Le premier vol a atterri lundi à Paris-Orly.

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vonrichthoffen a écrit:Bonne nouvelle pour Airbus, Monsieur Sevrien, l'avion sensé tuer l'A-330 n'est pas encore né.

vonrichthoffen a écrit:Ca sent tout de même un peu la com type bourrage de mou, ce qui pourrait vouloir dire que les réels problèmes sont encore plus gros que la couleuvre que l'on voudrait nous faire avaler.

SEVRIEN a écrit: ............
Il est intéressant de lire cet extrait, d'un document que j'ai rédigé en mai, 2007, traitant du besoin de Boeing de réduire officiellement le rayon d'action des B787-3 / -8 & -9, et même du B787-10, avion papier qui ne verra peut-être jamais le jour.

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..............Le problème est sérieux ! Tous les vrais professionnels sont au courant, et commencent à être plus que mobilisés pour le résoudre ! .......

Lire les mots de Randy BASELER : 'the 787-10 studies continue to be a centre around a 310-seat “simple stretch” of the 787-9, with the same weights and engines and would be available for delivery “not before 2012”, says Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice-president marketing Randy Baseler'.

“We’ve traded payload for range which falls off from around 8,300nm [15,400km] to 7,200-7,500nm,” he adds

Kms 15,300 ramenés à une fourchette de kms. 13,360 à 13,910, soit une réduction de distance franchissable pour ce modèle "papier" de kms. 1,500 à 2000 ! J'ai été vraiment gentil, car j'avais fixé une fourchette moyenne pour toute la famile B787 de kms 750 à 1,500 !
.................
boeing revise le rayon d'action du 787

787-8.. 8,000 a 8,500 NM.... 7,650 a 8,200 NM

787-9 8,600 a 8,800 NM ... 8,000 a 8,500 NM

787-3 3,500 NM a 3,200 NM
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En fait, il faut tenir compte d'un point médian entre les valeurs d'origine, et le paramètre bas de chiffres révisés (c'est la règle, car Boeing ne donne comme promesse -- nouvelle -- que cette valeur basse) ; en outre, par là,
-- nous sommes honnêtes et équitables, ce qui est loin d'être le cas des BCL, ........;
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Ainsi, les réductions de distance franchissable, en Kms sont, respectivement :
--B787-8: 8250-7650 NM = 600 x 1.86 = 1,120 kms.;
--B787-9: 8700-8000 NM = 700 x 1.86 = 1,300 kms.;
--B787-3: 3500-3200 NM = 300 x 1.86 = 560 kms.:
--B787-10: comme indiqué ci-dessus, ....kms. 1,750 à 2000 !

Ce sont des valeurs considérables, et qui risquent, à coup sûr, d'être durables, en attendant que le problème du surpoids soit résolu !

Autrement, Boeing n'en aurait pas parlé ! Ce sont les Dirigeants de Boeing, notamment le CEO J. McNERNEY, conseillés par leurs Conseils Juridiques Externes (Avocats) et Dick DALTON, leur "In-House Attorney" (de l'époque), qui ont pris la position ferme et honnête, de publier ces réductions dans les promesses & garanties déjà données à tous les clients réels et potentiels (les 'prospects'), et fournies dans les documents maintenant dans le domaine public, à travers le monde. C'est une décision grave que Boeing a prise, et pour laquelle il convient de féliciter ce Groupe, ainsi que ses dirigeants !

Voilà !