Airbus A330neo

A330neo
Computer rendered image of the upcoming Airbus A330-900neo
Role Wide-body jet airliner
National origin Multi-national
Manufacturer Airbus
First flight Expected mid-2016[1]
Introduction Expected Q4-2017[1]
Status Under Development
Produced 2015-present [2]
Unit cost
A330-800neo: US$252.3M (2016)[3]
A330-900neo: US$287.7M (2016)[3]
Developed from Airbus A330

The Airbus A330neo is a wide-body twin-engine jet airliner currently under development by Airbus to replace the Airbus A330 (now A330ceo ("Current Engine Option")). There will be two variants of the A330neo, the A330-800neo and the A330-900neo.[1] The letters "neo" in the name stand for "New Engine Option". The Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 will be the only engine to power the airliner.[1] The A330neo will also feature other enhancements such as winglets (inspired by the Airbus A350), a longer wingspan (64 meters) and new engine pylons. According to Airbus, these enhancements will reduce the fuel burn per seat by 14%, with additionally lower capital cost making the A330neo the most cost-efficient medium-range wide-body aircraft in the market.[4][5][6]

Development

Airbus's management had been studying whether to equip the A330, its bestselling wide-body airliner, with newer and more efficient engines: "New Engine Option", or "neo" to maintain sales. Airbus sales chief John Leahy felt it was competitive at mid-range routes with that of the Boeing 787, even without new engines.[7] It was also the most inexpensive widebody aircraft positioned to serve high-density routes shorter than 4,000 nautical miles (7,400 km) and had the potential to create a monopoly in that market segment.[8] Moreover, customers such as AirAsia X and Delta Air Lines were interested in a re-engined A330 and pushed Airbus to develop one.[7][9] However, an A330neo could have also caused problems for Airbus; being in the same twin-aisle market segment as the Airbus A350, the A330neo could have hampered its sales.[8]

On 14 July 2014, Airbus announced the A330neo programme at the Farnborough Airshow.[1] The A330neo will use the Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engine, which is an electronic controlled bleed air variant of the Trent 1000 used for the Boeing 787-10. It will have a 112 in (2,800 mm) diameter fan, with a 10:1 bypass ratio and delivering a thrust of 68,000 to 72,000 pounds-force (300 to 320 kN) of thrust.[10] The A330neo will also feature other enhancements such as winglets (inspired by the Airbus A350), a longer wingspan (by 3.7 meters) and new engine pylons. The enhancements together with seat increase will reduce the fuel burn per seat by 14% on a 4,000-nautical-mile (7,400 km) flight, and increase range by 400 nautical miles (740 km).[5][11] The A330neo would also have more seats than its predecessor.[10] According to Airbus, the A330neo will be the most cost efficient medium range wide body aircraft in the market.[5]

The decision to offer the aircraft with only one engine option is not unique to Airbus; the Boeing 777X will come equipped exclusively with General Electric GE9X engines. Airbus has pointed out that equipping a commercial aircraft to handle more than one type of engine increases development costs, however a similar engine also made by Rolls Royce, the Trent 1000 ALPS, is expected to be an available option as early as 2020. The head of Pratt and Whitney told the Wall Street Journal, "Engines are no longer commodities...the optimization of the engine and the aircraft becomes more relevant." Both GE and R-R wanted an exclusive deal on the neo, however GE dropped its bid to be the engine supplier of the neo after Boeing chose them to be the exclusive engine supplier for their upcoming Boeing 777X.[12]

On September 7, 2015, Airbus announced that it had began production of the first A330neo with the construction of its centre wing box and engine pylon. [13]

On November 7, 2015, Airbus announced that the A330neo will feature a distinctive cockpit windscreen design similar to the A350. [14]

Variants

Airbus will be offering two variants of the A330neo: the A330-800neo (which will directly replace the Airbus A330-200) and the A330-900neo (which will directly replace the Airbus A330-300).[1]

The A330-800neo can seat 257 people in a typical three-class layout and up to 406 in a high density configuration, while the A330-900neo can seat 287 people in three-classes of seating and up to 440 in high density. Both variants will also have a higher range than their predecessors.[15]

Orders

Following the A330neo programme launch at Farnborough in July 2014, Airbus signed memorandums of understanding for 121 aircraft.[16] The 121 total commitments were from three airlines, and three leasing companies. AirAsia X committed to 50 A330-900neos,[17][18] Transaero Airlines committed to 12,[19] and an unnammed Asian customer committed to four aircraft. Air Lease Corporation announced their commitment for 25 A330neos,[20] the CIT Group committed to 15 aircraft,[21] and Avolon committed to 15 aircraft.[22]

Following the Farnborough Airshow, Hawaiian Airlines announced they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Airbus for six Airbus A330-800neos, with additional purchase rights for six more A330-800neos.[23] This new A330neo order replaces the airline's previous order for 12 (six firm, six purchase rights) Airbus A350-800 aircraft.[24]

On 19 November 2014, Delta Air Lines became the first airline to announce a firm order for the Airbus A330neo by ordering 25 A330-900neo aircraft.[25][26][27][28]
The airline is also the official launch customer for the Airbus A330-900neo.[29]

On 3 December 2014, CIT Group firmed up their order for 15 A330-900neo aircraft.[30] On 15 December 2014, AirAsia X announced a firm order for 55 Airbus A330-900neo aircraft, five more than the original 50 aircraft the airline signed a Memorandum of Understanding for at the Farnborough Air Show in July 2014. This is the largest single order to date for the A330 Family.[31] On 18 December 2014, Hawaiian Airlines finalized their order for 6 A330-800neo aircraft, replacing the airline's previous order for the Airbus A350-800 aircraft.[32] On 23 December 2014 Avolon firmed its order for 15 A330neo aircraft.[33] On 24 December 2014, Taiwanese carrier Transasia Airways revealed themselves as the unknown customer at the Farnborough Airshow for their commitment to purchase four Airbus A330neo aircraft. The airline announced a firm order for four Airbus A330-800neos.[34]

On 18 February 2015, Israeli airline Arkia Israel Airlines committed to the purchase of four Airbus A330-900neo aircraft.[35]

On 9 March 2015, Air Lease Corporation firmed up its order from the Farnborough Airshow for 25 Airbus A330-900neo jets.[36]

Firm Orders

Airbus A330neo Firm Orders
Date of
Firm Order		 Country Customer Aircraft Type Combined
800neo 900neo
23 Dec 2015 Malaysia AirAsia X 0 11 11[37]
13 Nov 2015 Portugal TAP Portugal 0 14 14[38]
9 Mar 2015 United States Air Lease Corporation 0 25 25[36]
24 Dec 2014 Taiwan Transasia Airways 4 0 4[34]
23 Dec 2014 Ireland Avolon 0 15 15[33]
18 Dec 2014 United States Hawaiian Airlines 6 0 6[39]
15 Dec 2014 Malaysia AirAsia X 0 55 55[31]
3 Dec 2014 United States CIT Group 0 15 15[30]
19 Nov 2014 United States Delta Air Lines[n 1] 0 25 25[28]
Totals 10 160 170

As of 31 December 2015[37]

Notes
  1. ↑ Launch customer of A330-900neo variant.

Specifications

Preliminary specifications by model[1][5][10][11][40][15]
A330-800neo A330-900neo
Cockpit crew Two
Seating capacity,
typical		 257 (3-class)
406 (maximum) 		287 (3-class)
440 (maximum)
Length 58.82 m (193 ft 0 in) 63.69 m (208 ft 11 in)
Wingspan 64 m (210 ft 0 in)
Seat width 18 in (45.7 cm) in typical economy (eight abreast) or 16.5 in (41.9 cm) in high density economy (nine abreast)
Maximum takeoff weight
(MTOW)		 242 t (238 long tons; 267 short tons)
Maximum landing weight 186 t (205 short tons) 191 t (211 short tons)
Maximum fuel capacity 139,090 L (36,740 US gal) 139,090 L (36,740 US gal)
Maximum range (with reserves) 7,500 nmi (13,900 km) 6,550 nmi (12,130 km)
Engine (×2) Rolls-Royce Trent 7000
Thrust (×2)

Trent 7000
68,000 lbf (300,000 N) to 72,000 lbf (320,000 N)

See also

Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Living up to its billing: Airbus officially launches the A330neo programme". Airbus.com.
  2. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYUvmM0T-us
  3. 1 2 "New Airbus aircraft list prices for 2016". Airbus.com. 12 January 2015. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  4. ↑ Leahy Sees Ten Per Month Airbus A330neo Rate Aviationweek
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Airbus launches the A330neo". Airbus.com.
  6. ↑ UPDATED ANALYSIS: Delta Order for A350; A330neo Hinged on Pricing, Availability Airwaysnews
  7. 1 2 Jens Flottau (11 March 2014). "Delta To Issue Major Widebody RFP For 747/767 Replacements". Aviation week.
  8. 1 2 Flottau, Jens, "Defining priorities", Aviation Week and Space Technology, 14 July 2014, p. 70.
  9. ↑ Weber, Tim (10 January 2014). "Airbus studies engine revamp of A330 jet: sources". Reuters.
  10. 1 2 3 "A330neo: Powering into the next decade". Airbus.com.
  11. 1 2 Kaminski-Morrow, David (14 July 2014). "Farnborough: Airbus lays out A330neo specifications". flightglobal.com.
  12. ↑ Wall, Robert, Jon Ostrower and Rory Jones, "Aircraft makers curb engine choices", Wall Street Journal, July 16, 2014, p.B3
  13. ↑ "Airbus starts production of the first A330neo". airbus. Retrieved 2015-12-18.
  14. ↑ "“Shades” livery now also on new A330neo". Airbus.com.
  15. 1 2 "Spotlight on...A330neo". airbus.com. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  16. ↑ Reinforcing Airbus' widebody leadership: A330neo is a winner at the Farnborough Airshow
  17. ↑ "AirAsia X to order 50 A330neo". Airbus. 15 July 2014.
  18. ↑ Tim Hepher (15 July 2014). "AirAsia to order 50 Airbus A330neo: sources". Reuters.
  19. ↑ "Transaero Airlines commits to 20 A330s". Airbus.com. 17 July 2014.
  20. ↑ "Air Lease Corporation signs for 25 A330neo and 60 A321neo". Airbus.com.
  21. ↑ "CIT commits to order 15 A330neo and 5 A321ceo aircraft". Airbus.com.
  22. ↑ "Avolon announces commitment to purchase 15 Airbus A330neo aircraft valued at US$4.1 billion at current list prices". avolon.aero. Avolon. 15 July 2014.
  23. ↑ "Hawaiian Airlines to order six A330-800neo aircraft". Airbus. 23 July 2014.
  24. ↑ "Odds and Ends: Hawaiian orders A330-800, drops A350-800; A330neo market potential; Engines and Airbus". Leeham News. 22 July 2014.
  25. ↑ Delphine Touitou (21 November 2014). "Airbus signs mega-deal with Delta for 50 planes". news.yahoo.com. Yahoo.
  26. ↑ Dominic Gates (19 November 2014). "Boeing loses $6B Delta order; gives a big boost to Airbus". The Seattle Times.
  27. ↑ "Airbus wins Delta wide-body order". Leeham. 19 November 2014.
  28. 1 2 "Delta orders 50 Airbus widebody aircraft". Airbus. 20 November 2014.
  29. ↑ "First 242 tonne take-off weight A330 successfully completes first flight". Airbus.com. 12 January 2015.
  30. 1 2 "CIT firms up order for 15 A330neo and five A321ceo aircraft". Airbus.com. 3 December 2014.
  31. 1 2 "AirAsia X places firm order for 55 A330neo". Airbus.com. 15 December 2014.
  32. ↑ "Hawaiian Airlines finalizes A330-800neo order". airbus.com. Airbus. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  33. 1 2 "Avolon firms up order for 15 A330neo aircraft". Airbus. 23 December 2014.
  34. 1 2 "TransAsia to take four A330-800neo jets". Flight Global. Flight Global. 24 December 2014.
  35. ↑ "ARKIA goes long-haul and commits to Airbus A330-900neo". Airbus. Airbus. 18 February 2015.
  36. 1 2 "ALC firms up order for 55 Airbus aircraft". Airbus.com. 9 March 2015.
  37. 1 2 "Airbus O&D". Airbus S.A.S. 31 December 2015. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  38. ↑ "TAP Portugal orders 14 A330-900neo and 39 A320neo Family aircraft". Airbus. 13 November 2015.
  39. ↑ "Hawaiian Airlines finalizes A330-800neo order". Airbus. 18 December 2014.
  40. ↑ A330neo Launch Presentation

External links

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