NEO: New Engine Option
Airbus is set to introduce a new airliner to the aircraft market very soon. The airliner known as the Airbus A330-900neo would come with more modern and improved features including redesigned wing, new engines, and an updated model cabin. The “neo” in the name of the airliner is short for new engine option.
Sometime last week, the airliner flew from Chicago to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta. Delta Airlines which is deemed the second largest passenger carrier globally has reportedly ordered 25 of Airbus’ new airliners and would hopefully get them on its fleet by 2019.
Improved Features of A33-900neo
A330-900neo, the newest addition to the Airbus A330 class of long-haul twin-engine jets, has a seating capacity of 287 in the standard three-class configuration which implies that it has ten seats more than old. The airliner has a noticeable LED mood lighting with dynamic interior colors. It also has new designs for seats and overhead luggage bins which are glaringly bigger, and according to Airbus, the new airliner possesses a less noisy cabin as compared to other A330s.
According to Roser Roca-Toha, the Marketing Director of Airbus Interiors, the airliners cabin designs display the use of straight lines. Roca-Toha stated that the straight lined were used to maximize the cabin’s feeling of space and volume as they decided to make use of straight lines because cabins look nicer and tidier when the lines are visible.
Each airline typically gets to choose the options for its seating designs, however, this new A330 airliner has seats made by Recaro and so has different appealing functionality elements. It has tiny set-up holes situated on the base of the seats which allows passengers to climb higher whenever they need to get something from the overhead bins. There is also more distance between the hideaway tray-tables when they are pulled out from seat backs, and they are adjustable. Also adjustable are the headrests which can be adjusted in 6 different ways to make them suitable for taller passengers.
For the first class section, the seats are 78-inch lie-flats with 20 inches width and are arranged in a 1-2-1 layout. The economy class has seats that are 18-inch wide and have a 2-4-2 arrangement configuration. Noticeably, the bathrooms have antibacterial surfaces, air freshening scents, calmer lighting, and music.
The A330-900neo also has new Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines that are specially designed to consume less fuel. According to Peter Finn who is in charge of the A330 product marketing, it has a brand new wing that is four meter longer than existing aircraft and enjoys full optimization from the root to the tip.
Uniquely curved sharklets also called winglets have also been added to its wingtips to save fuel, just as the planemaker used for the A350 jet. With the inclusion of the new engines, the new wing design, and the additional seats, Finn stated that the plane saves 14% on fuel for each seat compared to the current A330 model.
It is stated on Airbus’ website that it has 224 orders for the new airliner, including Delta’s orders and the airliners are expected to substitute Delta’s Boeing 747s and Boeing 767s that are used for medium-haul across trans-Atlantic routes as well as some routes that connect the US West Coast and Asia.
However, the implementation and kick-start of the A33neo program have experienced a few setbacks. For instance, sometime in March, the Hawaiian Airlines canceled its order to purchase six of A330-800neos and changed to Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.
Similarly, the American Airlines also selected the Boeing Dreamliners for its future fleet program instead of ordering the A33neo. However, sources claimed that United Airlines, the US-based Airlines was still considering ordering using the new airliner for its long-haul fleet.
Cabin Philosophy Implemented
Airbus claimed that the launch of the A330neo is the fulfillment of the plane maker’s new cabin philosophy that its passengers would enjoy a more beautiful, relaxing and inspiring space. Thus, the A33neo cabin offers passengers more space with its wider seats, the latest in-flight entertainment, well-lit cabin, email and Wi-Fi accessibilities.
It is expressed on Airbus’ website that the A330neo was designed to give all passengers for short, medium and long-haul a comfortable experience similar to what they are used to while on the ground.
