Airbus says its new A330neo range which it launched at the Farnborough Airshow on July 14 will reduce fuel consumption by 14 per cent per seat over its current A330-200 and -300 models, and improve its range by up to 700km while carrying a bigger payload.
The company says the new Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines will have a fan diameter of 112 inches and a bypass ratio of 10:1, and that the majority of the fuel consumption improvement will come from the use of the new engines. The Trent 7000 brings together design elements from the current Trent 700 as well as architecture of the Trent 1000-TEN and the Trent XWB as used on the A350. It will be rated at between 68,000 and 72,000 lbs of thrust and will produce about half the noise of current A330 engines.
Other improvements include a 3.6 metres wider wingspan and A350-style swept winglets which will increase lift and reduce drag.
Inside the aircraft, cabin improvements will include six to 10 additional seats with the same 18 inch seat width as the current model through the more efficient use of the cabin space, HD in-flight entertainment systems, LED mood lighting, A350 galley inserts, and a master flight attendant control panels for lighting, water, climate control, and PA. The flight crew’s rest station will be relocated to the aircraft’s lower forward fuselage.
The A330neo will retain a high degree of operational commonality including a common pilot type rating with the current models, as well as 95 per cent common airframe spares.
