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Airbus A350 versus Boeing 787: differences and many similarities

We have seen direct comparisons between the A350 and the 787, as well as between it and the 777. The fact is that both are valid, and both are slightly misleading.

The A350 is between the 787 and 777 in size, albeit closer to the 777 than the 787. The baseline A350-900 -- the first version that will enter service -- seats 315 passengers (3-class). This is almost exactly the number of seats as the smaller 777 variant; the 777-200. The 270 seat A350-800 or the 350 seat A350-1000 are simply cutdown and stretched versions of the A350-900. At 270 seats the A350-800 matches the larger 787 (787-9) seat for seat. At 350 seats the A350-1000 is close to, but not quite as big as the 380 seat 777-300. The cabin width, again, is between the 777 and the 787.

Airbus's strategy is to take on the 787 and the 777 with one aircraft. This is more economical from an investment and production standpoint than doing two separate aircrafts. However, the A350-800 compared to the 787 will be overweight and will not quite match the flexibility and economy of Boeing's smaller platform if the customer is looking for a smaller plane. On the other hand, the A350-1000 will not match the 777 in terms of range, passengers or payload even though it may be slightly more miserly on fuel. This is what happens when you try to lengthen or shorten an aircraft too much with the same wing.

The 787 makes sense for Boeing because it already has a 777 in the upper range of the discussed spectrum. It hence can concentrate on making the best possible 220~270 seater. The 777 will either get redesigned or replaced to improve its competitiveness against the A350-1000 -- replacing the GE90 engines and re-winging will pretty much match the -1000, a new aircraft optimized for the 380 seat size class will exceed it.

From a business standpoint, Boeing is in a slightly better situation. The 787 is sell very well and is already a profitable product, as is the 777. The 747-8 is not yet there, but it is very likely that it will at around 200~250 airframes and it is already half way there.

Airbus is in a worse position because of the number of duds they have in the portfolio. The A380 will not be profitable in the next decade if ever -- it is not selling at all in the past couple of years and they need about 450 to break even. The A340-500/600 really ought to be cancelled for being completely out competed by the 777 (10:1 win ratio is pretty bad). The A330 is basically a sun setting product like the 767 and will be taken over by the A350. It is also doubtful that the A350 will match the total sales volume of the 787 and the 777 (or its replacement) which is the A350's mission.

John Dodge is your stories a Boeing advertisements?
The first A350 is in production and the first parts and wing box is going thru the testing phase
Spirit Aero Systems in Kinston, North Carolina is build some of the parts for the A350
http://www.spiritaero.com/about_us.aspx?id=2933
The 787 has 876 orders from 53 customers and 114 cancellations
The 787-8 is 3.5 years late and 32 billion was spent on the first 40 aircrafts, and will not made any money for 10-20 years !
The 787-8 has a under design wing box and of the 70 787-8 build to date 55 of the 787-8 need to rework, 40 787-8 are still park at Paine field,
The first aircrafts are 9.8 tons over weight other later aircrafts are 6.8 tons over weight
The first 787-8 will not meet performance requirement per Boeing spokesman, Jim Proulx
The 787-9 has only release 50% of its drawing and the -10 is TBD
The A350 will be build using composite panels attach to a metal airframe that will save on weight,
and if a panel get damage its remove and replace, there is no pressurize repair for the 787-8 barrel sections
the 787 required bonding strap ect to have a ground path which add a lot of weight to the aircraft
Boeing has spent 2.2 billion on the 747-8 that two years late
747-8 has 111 confirmed orders including 75 of the freighter version, and 36 of the passenger version
Altus air cancels their first aircraft, Cargolux refuse delivery of their aircraft for the first months
Delta and other aircraft has no plan to replace their 747-400 with 747-8 !
Boeing biggest competition for the 747-8 is the number of older 747 still in service
Besides engine woes, the 747-8 are 8 to 11 tons overweight, according to industry reports. Boeing has not confirmed that estimate. Additional weight is common in new planes but can reduce the distance a plane can fly or the amount of cargo it can carry, Boeing spokesman Jim Proulx
The redesign wing for 747-8 has cause the wing to be 5000 to 6000 pound over wing this is causing the
wing-vibration problem, which is also causing the aircraft tail to have a flutter problems,
Boeing has discount the tail fuel tank which carry 3,300 gallon (at 6.84 pounds per gallons that 22,572 pounds of fuel in the tail time the arm and moment of aircraft center of gravity of the aircraft WEIGHT x ARM = MOMENT so 50 lbs could become 5000 lbs )

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/28/us-boeing-idUSTRE79R56W20111028
But the Headline news about Boeing speak for then self, cancelation, delay, production problems,
the lack of management alone with the airline comment and aviation consultant statement
Jim Proulx, a Boeing spokesman, said. There are ???no new issues??? with the aircraft, though the first ones to be delivered won???t meet performance guarantees,
The dispute was later blamed on a shortfall in the performance of General Electric Co engines.