A350-1000 and other Fleet News
 

Lots of good info on the recent townhall.

Stated Delta will eventually be an all Airbus WB fleet

New routes to be announced within next week and new WB order by end of year. Doesnt take much imagination from the hints that it'll likely be the A350-1000. A350-900ULR could also be a darkhorse candidate.

717s will return to Prepandemic fleet size. 757s being moved to routes less than 2100. 321NEO replacing it on longer routes.

All 50 seaters retired in 2023. Two class setup up on every Delta flight.



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What exactly is the 350ULR? The only ULR variant I know of is being operated by Singapore Airlines (Air Lines? 😁) and I just don't see Delta operating a 309 seat airplane in a 161 seat configuration (as well as deactivating the forward cargo compartment which Singapore also did in order to fly direct to/from the US). The -1000 would be nice and gets us a bit of a range bump.

It could also be that delta is converting orders to the new A350-900NPS

Correct me if I’m wrong, but NPS is just the standard config from 2024 onwards. Not a specific variant, but rather an overall production change. It’s not like a basic v ER model thing.

For those unaware, 350 NPS:
https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2022/0...-variant-mtow/

It could also be Delta buying A330-800’s as a 7ER replacement. With current poor A330 sales Airbus would probably just about pay us to take them.

I wonder if the move for additional 350s (including 1000s) is anything to do with Qatars order being cancelled. I thing there’s half a dozen -1000s built for them with no home now. Would be a classic Delta buy! Sign me up.

Does the nps stand for net promoter score?

Ah. I guess so. I thought it was gonna be an option. My bad.

Very interesting even for Boeing drivers not inclined to open the link. Never seen a variant that gets wider (inside) and longer, but lighter than previous variants.

(from the article)

"Airbus is planning to transition the A350-900 and -1000 to what it calls a “new production standard” (NPS) between now and 2024, reducing airframe weight, improving performance and making the cabin longer — and wider.

After developing this story in 2019 and confirming it last year, Runway Girl Network spoke in depth with Airbus’ vice president of cabin marketing Ingo Wuggetzer and head of aircraft interiors marketing Anaïs Marzo, diving into substantial detail about the plans.

At the airframe level, the NPS A350s bring a significant weight reduction of up to 1.2t, a 3t maximum takeoff weight increase, and enhanced performance. In the cabin, they offer an extra 35” of cabin length from moving the rear bulkhead and adjusting the arrangement of the flight deck, forward crew rest and forward monuments — and, most controversially, expect to add up to thirty extra seats gained from a four-inch wider cabin, secured by changing the way the airframe itself is constructed and connected.

The NPS’ weight reduction comes, Anaïs Marzo says, “because we’ve been optimising structures and systems: for example, brackets, electrical systems, and wiring, and also increasing the use of advanced materials. This means basically more carbon fibre use, mainly in the fuselage, as well as the wings.”

In terms of performance, Marzo emphasises, “there is no physical change to the aeroplane. In fact, there is a software change in order to improve the way in which you can control flaps during takeoff, and increasing the number of positions, in order to improve performance at challenging airports or in difficult conditions.”

A system enabling faster landing gear retraction also increases performance, and overall the maximum takeoff weight increases from 280–283t on the A350-900 and 316–319t on the A350-1000."

Have to think that shaving 1t off the jet might help here and there! Would 283t help us with Sydney?