Airbus A350 XWB and Customer Definition Centre Reveal
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On April 7th, Airbus hosted a large group of media for the inauguration of the A350 XWB aircraft and Customer Definition Centre (CDC). The new aircraft was designed to address market needs within long haul developing routes with a new wide-body product, while the CDC is positioned to offer customers a streamlined process for cabin configuration and design. It’s much like a one-stop-shop and resource centre, allowing customers to “customize” the cabin experience on the brand new Airbus A350 XWB.
The CDC provides a myriad of tools under one roof, bridging the gap between early design research, product demonstrations, and real-size mock ups of cabin interiors. The customer experience begins with virtual cabin design on a large 3×6 meter screen, using software equipped with all available configuration options – it’s like a 3D sketch brought to life.
There is also an opportunity for customers to touch, feel and experience the A350 XWB comfort and environment long before the normal mock up stage, when it’s often too late to make substantial changes. An in-house design team provides a selection of 7 themes with specific color palettes and materials, which can be tailored to the existing branding of an airline client.
Standout features of the A350 XWB interiors include a vertical sidewall and larger windows with electromechanical shades that have both translucent and opaque options, which is made sweeter by the fact that every window seat is actually aligned with a window. The width of the aircraft can accommodate 9 abreast standard economy seats at 18″ arm to arm, topped with large overhead bins that allow every passenger to vertically stow one carry-on up to 45 kilos. The high degree of lighting adjustability is an impressive factor with the potential for up to 16.7 million colors. Highly considered crew areas that are efficiently integrated into the cabin profile have also allowed for more space on the passenger floor.
4th generation IFE consoles have been built in using fibre-optic cables and high-definition displays, with smartly integrated connections that avoid bulky electronics boxes under the seat, essentially “future-proofing” that technology for the foreseeable future.
The tour of hangar 211 on the Airbus compound was truly impressive – it never ceases to amaze when you walk into a building and stand beneath the expansive wings of a brand new aircraft.