New Airbus A350-900s will be equipped with upgraded Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-84 engines
- Airbus A350-900s are getting new engines
- Rolls-Royce makes the engine
- It weighs 7,200+kg and produces 84,000lbf of thrust
Published on Jul 30, 2024 at 3:45 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Jul 30, 2024 at 6:18 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
Airbus is upgrading its A350-900 aircraft with new Rolls-Royce engines.
As usual, it’s a case of ‘meet the new boss same as the old boss’, but better.
The new engines are more powerful than the old ones and more efficient.
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The A350 has always been powered by the Rolls-Royce Trent engine, specifically the XWB engine.
It’s a big engine, too.
Each engine has a fan with a diameter of 300 centimeters, or 188 inches, and it weighs over 7,200kg.
How powerful is this new engine?
The XWB exists in several variants, and the number is always a reference to the amount of thrust it can generate.
This one can produce up to 84,000lb-ft (370kN) of thrust.
That’s where the ’84’ part of the name comes from.
This is the second most powerful XWB engine available, right after the XWB-97, with 97,000lbf (pound force) of take-off thrust, which is reserved for the bigger A350-1000.
Breaking down the Airbus A350-900
The A350 is a vast plane, designed for long-range flights.
It is so large it has secret compartments most people are probably not even aware of.
It’s also a modern plane, with a cockpit that’s so advanced it looks like it came from a spaceship.
It typically carries up to 350 passengers (at full capacity) and has a range of 15,000km – or 9,300 miles, enough to travel from New York City to Shanghai, or Dubai to Sydney.
As of 2024, most major airlines operate A350s, including Qatar Airways, Delta, Air France, Lufthansa, British Airways, Turkish Airlines and Etihad.
It’s a long list, and it includes several low cost carriers as well, including what is probably the airline with the funniest name ever, French Bee.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
