New or Improved?

With the newly launched A330neo widebody twinjet, Airbus may have found a sweet spot in the medium-long-haul, medium-capacity segment. Introduced as a complement to the A350 XWB family, the Rolls-Royce-powered A330-800neo and A330-900neo are targeted to compete with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. They will not have all the high-technology features of their Boeing competitor but may have an edge, notably in acquisition price, on those markets where ultra-long-range capability is not needed. Meanwhile, Airbus has dropped the slow-selling A350-800 XWB.

Thanks to a number of improvements, the A330neo reduces fuel consumption by a claimed 14 per cent per seat. The main factor is the Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 turbofan that replaces the Trent 700 (see box on p. 49). In fact, “The Trent 7000 is highly common with the Trent 1000-TEN, our latest engine for the Boeing 787,” a Rolls-Royce spokesman told Skies. 

The differences between the two engines are the integration of bleed air offtake for aircraft services (such as air conditioning) and a new accessory drive gearbox that accepts A330 accessories. Minor changes enable integration with the A330neo airframe, nacelle and pylon. 

“The A330neo will have essentially the same engines as the 787 and engine technology accounts for the overwhelming share of fuel burn reduction,” Teal Group analyst Richard Aboulafia told Skies.

The Trent 7000 will provide between 68,000 and 72,000 pounds of thrust. A major difference with the A330 classic, from the customer’s standpoint, is the absence of any other engine option than Rolls-Royce. The UK-based manufacturer is also the sole source on the A350 XWB.

Other modifications help fuel burn reduction. The A330neo will be at least 800 kilograms (1,750 pounds) lighter than its predecessor. This comes on top of aerodynamic enhancements such as new A350 XWB-inspired winglets, an increased wingspan and new engine pylons.

“The cost of fuel represents half of the total cost of operating an aircraft,” noted Kiran Rao, Airbus’ executive vice president, strategy and marketing. The composite winglets, optimized wing twist and wing span extension from 60.3 to 64 metres (198 to 208 feet) will together confer increased lift and reduced drag, he further explained. In other words, both increase the aspect ratio, and hence aerodynamic efficiency.

The cabin will undergo incremental change, too. It will be further optimized to offer up to 10 additional 18-inch-wide seats. Passengers will enjoy fourth-generation in-flight-entertainment—3D films, touchscreens and an Android environment. Airbus promises full connectivity.

Cabin lighting will be brought to the 787 and A350 XWB level, thanks to LEDs. They are expected to be lighter and cheaper to maintain than traditional illumination, while offering unlimited mood-lighting customization scenarios. For example, during a night flight, the wake-up scenario can intensify light progressively, as opposed to switching from off to on. Airlines may like the branding possibilities.

The overhead bins will be made larger. Passengers may notice them upon boarding and be really pleased about it. “A new shape will accommodate larger bags; on the A330, a roller bag does not fit in wheels-first: you have to turn it side-on, which means only one bag per row,” noted John Walton, an aviation journalist and columnist specializing in passenger experience.

In the cabin, flight attendants will be offered an improved working environment, according to Airbus. The cabin intercommunication data system will be upgraded, featuring a new control panel for mood lighting, water levels, temperatures and voice announcements. In addition, the galley insert developed for the A350 XWB will be available for the A330 and will include an espresso coffee maker, chillers and ovens with baking functions.

The A330neo will use the same cockpit as the A330. Pilots and cabin crew alike may also appreciate the new, segregated lower-deck crew-rest area, Airbus said. This also frees up more space on the main deck for extra passenger capacity. Thanks to features like the lower-deck crew rest and the more space-efficient galley, the A330-900neo will accommodate up to 10 additional seats, from 300 to 310. The A330-800neo will seat up to six additional passengers, from 246 to 252.

Combined with the more fuel-efficient engines and aerodynamic refinements, the increased seat count results in the promised 14 per cent lower fuel burn per seat. John Leahy, Airbus’ chief commercial officer, made it clear the larger engines over-compensate their additional weight and drag with improved fuel efficiency. The 14 per cent number is for the A330-900neo at maximum takeoff weight on a 4,000 nautical mile (nm) mission. The -800 and -900 have a maximum range of 7,450 nm and 6,200 nm, respectively (see chart on p. 48). Some 400 nm of these can be credited to the new turbofan.

Despite the aforementioned changes, the A330neo will retain 95 per cent airframe spares commonality with the A330. It will also offer five per cent lower airframe maintenance costs, thanks to fewer tasks in the program and longer intervals. For new parts such as the engine pylons and some sections of the improved wing, Airbus is planning on fewer man-hours over the typical 12-year maintenance cycle. Also helping to achieve the five per cent reduction in maintenance costs is the new electric bleed air system, which replaces pneumatic controls for bleed air. The technology is already proven on the A380 and is also flying on the A350 XWB. On the 787, Boeing has gone one step farther, getting rid of bleed air. This avoids the negative impact, on efficiency, of drawing air from the compressor.

The A330neo also retains the A330’s economy seat width and this is a major source of debate between the two manufacturers. Most A330 operators use an eight-abreast configuration. This translates into 18 inches per seat. A few low-cost airlines have installed nine seats per row but, at 16.5 inches, this is quite a bad experience for the passenger, Walton noted, so that configuration is not very common.

Ironically, one of the A330neo’s first customers, AirAsia X, is famous for its A330s’ nine-abreast layout. Nevertheless, it is fair to say that the majority of A330s flying today have an eight-abreast layout.

This is not the case with the 787. As its fuselage is a bit wider, many operators have devised a nine-abreast configuration, translating into a 16.9-inch seat width. “Most 787 operators have installed a 3-3-3 seat configuration, which makes the seat narrower than an A330 seat,” Walton emphasized. A Boeing executive would not discuss seat width. “Seats and the way seating is laid out are decisions made strictly by the airline,” Randy Tinseth, Boeing’s marketing vice president, answered Skies when asked about the sensitive issue.

But maybe it should be seen in perspective. “There is an irony in the debate about seat width in economy class—this is not the class you are supposed to focus on if you want to generate revenues,” Aboulafia pointed out. Comfort is not only about seating. The 787’s composite structure enables it to simulate a lower cabin altitude and provide more humidity. Also, the airflow is greater, Walton said. This makes a difference in how tired the passenger feels at the end of a flight. On the 787, the larger windows admit more natural light, especially at dusk and dawn. But Aboulafia is a skeptic about the merits of better passenger comfort. “There is no way to prove it brings anything to the airline,” he said.

In just a few days in July, Airbus announced 121 orders and commitments for the A330neo. “Our aim is to allow Asians to fly point-to-point and this new aircraft becomes a critical piece of our strategy,” AirAsia X director and co-founder Tony Fernandes said. John Higgins, president and chief commercial officer of global aircraft leasing firm Avolon, supported Airbus’ views on the range target. “We see an evolution as the average range flown by twin-aisle aircraft in the A330neo category eventually comes down,” he said.

Steven Udvar-Házy, chairman and CEO of Air Lease Corp., agreed. “The world’s fastest-growing marketplace continues to be Asia-Pacific; with its largest growth in sub-eight-hour flight durations. The A330neo is optimized for this, so when we look at where the largest area for growth is for expansion in the next 10 to 20 years, the A330neo’s range hits the sweet spot,” he said. Udvar-Házy, however, told the Seattle Times that for long-range routes the 787-9 is obviously superior to the A330neo and will be preferred by ultra-long-haul carriers. He said the two jets will also compete head-to-head in medium-long-haul markets such as transatlantic, from Europe to the Middle East and intra-Asia.

Boeing’s Tinseth is adamant the A330neo, deemed “out-of-date technology,” can’t compete with the Dreamliner. “It’s impossible to make the A330 as efficient as the 787—even with new engines,” he told Skies. He emphasized the Airbus strategy of having the A350 XWB as a single family to cover the widebody market “has failed.”

Aboulafia is more bullish. In addition to praising the new engines, he anticipated a lower unit price. “The A330neo will have a lower capital cost than the 787—a fair estimate is about 15 per cent less,” he said.

“With the 787, you are paying for the additional range,” he explained. With the A330neo, “you won’t have the same range, the same prestige and the same technology features you have on a 787; but the A330 is a popular plane and you can get it quickly at a good price,” he went on.

Time to market may be an important factor, too, in the business case. “If you order a 787 now, the delivery will happen toward the end of the decade,” an executive at a major Airbus supplier told Skies. Therefore, he said keeping the A330neo program on time is critical for its manufacturer, as the first delivery is planned by the end of 2017. Airlines may also appreciate the total cockpit commonality with in-service A330s, which will save a lot of pilot training time.

When combined, these factors may ensure Airbus a production rate of 50 to 60 A330neo aircraft per year for another 10 years. Airbus is more optimistic, forecasting 1,000 to 1,100 sales between now and the end of the next decade.

Deliveries of the A330neo are scheduled to start in the fourth quarter of 2017. As for the engine, the first test run is planned for 2015, with certification expected in 2017. “We have learned a lot of lessons in building the A320neo, which is why we are able to do the A330neo in a shorter period of time,” said Rao. The entire development program is planned to last 42 months.