The first model in the series, the A350-900, entered service in 2015 with Qatar Airways as its launch customer. More than 560 units have been built so far for airlines worldwide. The -900 variant seats up to 440 passengers (typical three-class capacity: 332-352) and has a range of 8,500 nautical miles (15,750 km). Its maximum take-off weight is 283 tons.
Singapore Airlines ordered a specialized version of this aircraft—the A350-900ULR—with increased fuel capacity for nonstop flights between Singapore Changi International Airport (SIN) and New York John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK), covering almost 19 hours of flight time.
The larger A350-1000 followed three years later, also debuting with Qatar Airways. It offers more seating—up to 480 passengers—and a slightly longer range at 9,000 nautical miles (16,700 km). Its maximum take-off weight reaches 322 tons. Powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines but sharing wing design elements with the -900 variant, it has become popular among major carriers such as Emirates, Japan Airlines (JAL), British Airways, and Air France.
A key factor behind these capabilities is Airbus’s extensive use of carbon-fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites throughout much of the airframe—including fuselage structures and wing covers—which results in significant weight savings over traditional alloys. According to Airbus claims cited in industry reports, this approach reduced total aircraft weight by about 1.2 metric tons compared to conventional construction methods.
In addition to improving fuel efficiency and operating economics through lower weight—benefiting both passenger comfort via quieter cabins and structural strength—these materials have demonstrated safety advantages as well. During a crash last year involving a JAL A350-900 at Tokyo Haneda Airport that resulted from a collision with another plane on the runway, all occupants aboard the Airbus survived—a result attributed partly to fire-resistant qualities inherent in composite construction materials.
Aerodynamic advances also play an important role: Each A350 variant features wings capable of flexing during flight due to their composite makeup. Devices such as leading edge Droop Nose Devices (DNDs), Adaptive Drooped Hinge Flaps (ADHF), slats that extend before landing for extra lift generation—all work together with multiple spoilers on each wing—to ensure predictable low-speed handling when approaching runways.
An analysis from the International Council of Aeronautical Sciences praised these engineering choices: “‘Shaping Efficiency’ was the directive for the design of the aircraft... That means for the high-lift system to deliver maximum aerodynamic efficiency for low approach speeds and low take off drag while keeping overall system small and simple.”
With over six hundred deliveries since its introduction—including both passenger (-900/-1000) variants—the Airbus A350 continues production at Toulouse, France facilities as one of Airbus’s flagship long-haul offerings.
“‘Shaping Efficiency’ was the directive for the design of the aircraft, which was valid for all involved disciplines but of special motivation for aerodynamics. That means for the high-lift system to deliver maximum aerodynamic efficiency for low approach speeds and low take off drag while keeping overall system small and simple,” according to ICAS reporting.
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