The A350 journey

The plane in detail

Enhanced cabins

Head of A350 Project

tells the aircrafts story

What you need to know

about our A350

New seat designs for

all three classes

Page 4

June 2016

Page 5

Page 10

New entertainment
Upgraded hardware and
enhanced content
Page 12

A magazine for staff and friends of Cathay Pacific Airways

A350
The future of air travel

SPECIAL ISSUE

The beginning of
a new era
Ivan Chu, Chief Executive

It was a very proud moment for Cathay Pacific when our

first Airbus A350-900 landed at Hong Kong International
Airport on 29 May. This was the culmination of a sixyear journey from when we first placed an order for this
remarkable new aircraft.
While we have one of the most modern and efficient
wide-body fleets in the skies, it has been more than 20
years since we last introduced a totally new passenger
aircraft type. The A350 XWB family was the perfect fit for
the next stage of our fleet development a mid-size longhaul aircraft that will complement our existing passenger
fleet and give us the capacity, range and operating
economics to facilitate the ongoing enhancement of our
networks.
The A350 is a marvellous machine in many ways. The
combination of advanced aerodynamics, lightweight
composite materials and the latest Rolls-Royce Trent
XWB engines result in a significant reduction in fuel
burn compared to existing widebody types. As well as
reducing operating costs, the highly efficient A350 also
benefits the environment, with a corresponding cut in
C02 emissions and a reduced external noise footprint.

A350-900
in 20 seconds...

From a passenger perspective, the A350 will really

help us deliver on our promise of a Life Well Travelled.
The aircraft itself has a range of innovations from
larger windows to cabin mood lighting and fresher
air that combine with the quieter cabin and spacious
environment to really help our passengers travel well.
Add these to the brand-new suite of Cathay products
and what you have is unquestionably one of the best

40%
REDUCTION

Maintenance requirements
over the life of the aircraft

The wings can

change shape
during flight by small
movements of the
flaps to improve fuel
efficiency

COUNTRIES

Main sections built in France,

Spain, Germany, and the UK

Operates at a higher
cabin pressure,
hence a lower cabin
altitude, to reduce
passenger fatigue

travel experiences in the sky.

The A350 has been an amazing journey so far and I
would like to thank all those involved our own fantastic
teams, Airbus and various vendors and suppliers who
helped to get our new fleet into the air.

16

MILLION

Colours for cabin

mood lighting

Common pilot type

rating with the
A330 to improve
operational flexibility

Highly integrated avionics that

reduce the number of computers
used by 50%, saving weight and
increasing reliability

02 A350 Special Issue

0.85
MACH

Cruise speed

Advanced onboard
maintenance
diagnostics to improve
operational reliability

The wing surface is the largest

single piece of carbon fibre
structure ever produced for
civil aviation

Congratulations to
Cathay Pacific on
delivery of the first
Trent XWB powered
A350-900
Continuing our partnership of
over 40 years with the worlds
most efficient large aero engine

We deliver the best

jet engines in the world
The story continues...
Aeroplane image 2016 Cathay Pacific Airways

The A350: from

the beginning
Bob Taylor, Head of A350 Project

Our A350 journey began in 2009 with the launch of

an aircraft tendering exercise that culminated in the
selection of the A350 and the signing of an agreement
with Airbus for an initial order of 30 aircraft, which
subsequently increased to 48. The exercise was led
by the Procurement and Aircraft Trading teams, who
worked closely with key operational departments such
as Airline Planning, Flight Operations, Engineering,
Product, Inflight Services, Cargo and Catering to
develop our airlines requirements.
When a new aircraft model is undergoing selection,
a key consideration is the maintenance and overhaul
of the engines, as this represents around 50% of the
total aircraft maintenance costs. While the tendering
of the A350 took place, a parallel exercise was
therefore run for a long-term engine maintenance
agreement with the engine manufacturer.
Another key task was the selection of the cabin
product. In 2013, a tendering exercise was led by the
Procurement team working closely with the Product
Department, Cabin Engineering and Inflight Services
to select cabin seat suppliers.

Milestones through the years

2009

Commercial tendering exercise

for aircraft and engines begins.
The choice is between Boeings
787 and Airbuss A350

4 August 2010

Letter of intent signed with

Airbus for 30 A350 aircraft

04 A350 Special Issue

16 September 2010

2Q 2012

July 2013

25 July 2013

July 2014

Jan 2012

July 2012

14 June 2013

May 2014

7 July 2015

Chairman Chris Pratt and Chief

Executive Tony Tyler meet with
Airbus Chief Operating Officer
Customers John Leahy to
finalise the deal at a signing
ceremony in Hong Kong

Six more A350-900s ordered

Request for information begins

for cabin products. Shortlisted
products enter a request for
proposal process

Further agreement with Airbus

for the purchase of a total of 22
-900s and 26 -1000s, bringing
the A350 fleet to 48 aircraft

Contracts signed with cabin

product vendors, for items such
as seats

A350 maiden flight takes off

from Blagnac in Toulouse.
The Cathay Engineering team
is present

Virtual first flight takes place in a

full-scale cabin mock-up on the
ground at the A350 XWB Cabin
Integration & Test Centre on
the outskirts of Hamburg. 129
passengers were served by our
cabin crew on the ground

Entry Into Service (EIS) project

for the A350 launched to make
sure the airline, the maintenance
teams, and operators have all
the tools, equipment, resources
and training needed, in addition
to regulatory approvals to
operate the aircraft

A350 in Asia for route

proving. Staff from different
departments visit the aircraft
and take a flight to Singapore

The first in-house A350

engineer training course
commences. This course is the
worlds first for the new aircraft
type not to be conducted by
Airbus.
The course is designed by
Cathays own team under
Pascal De Ronne, and delivered
by Technical Training Specialists
to Cathay engineers

The purchase of a flight simulator was also another

key activity led by the procurement team that required
significant lead time.
In 2014, the Entry into Service (EIS) project was
launched with the objective of preparing the airline
to operate and maintain the A350 in service. The EIS
project established key work streams across various
operational departments including our Hong Kong
maintenance provider, HAECO. The work streams
included the training of flight crew, engineers and
inflight services, provision of technical spares, tooling
and ground support equipment, implementation
of IT infrastructure and system changes, technical
documentation, e-Operations and obtaining
regulatory approval.
Cathay also decided to place an experienced
Engineering manager full-time in Toulouse who was
embedded in the Airbus design team to ensure the
maintainability and operability of the A350 in service.
The delivery of our A350 was originally planned for
Feburary 2016 but was delayed by three months to May.
The delay was down to a number of challenges faced by
the Business Class seat supplier in meeting a stringent
set of seat certification requirements and overcoming
production issues. To minimise and reduce the risk of
further delay, Engineering placed full-time representatives
in the manufacturers production facilities in the US and
France to drive and oversee progress.

challenges that required close co-operation with

Airbus over a period of two years. The hard work paid
off, however, with the Cathay customised electronic
logbooks ready and approved by EIS. E-Operations
also drove the investment in a significant amount
of new IT infrastructure, as the A350s systems
are driven by large volumes of software and data
exchange that required worldwide connectivity and
management systems to be installed.
The many years of hard work and planning
culminated in a delivery team of 30 from Flight
Operations, Engineering and IT travelling to
Toulouse to deliver B-LRA. Over eight days, the team
conducted a series of intensive quality inspections,
system and compliance checks and a customer
acceptance test and proving flight to earn the
certificate of airworthiness and for the A350 to be
added to Cathays Air Operators Certificate.

Arrival of the first of two A350

flight simulators at Cathay
City. External walls at the Flight
Training Centre are removed to
fit the simulator in

The A350-900 has now transitioned from project to

operation. The next phase of the project has already
begun: EIS of the A350-1000 is planned for the
second quarter of 2018.

Simulator
instructors begin
training

Video here

38 Business Class seats, 28 in Premium Economy and 214 in

Economy; a total of 280 passengers
67 metres in length

Maximum fuel capacity of 138,000 litres

A350-1000

26 aircraft on order; delivery between 2018-2020

More than 300 seats

Has a longer range, more seats, and a higher payload than the
A350-900

15 March 2016

April 2016

22 May 2016

28 May 2016

24 March 2016

20 April 2016

30 May 2016

1 June 2016

4 November 2015

Pilot training begins

First aircraft B-LRA entered revenue service on 1 June 2016

Maximum fuel capacity of 156,000 litres

Winglet is fitted to the wing

21 December 2015

22 aircraft on order; delivery between 2016-2017

74 metres in length the longest in the Airbus XWB series

Cathay Jade being painted onto

the tail

November
2015

A350-900

Its hard to put a number on the total number of

man-hours spent by the Cathay teams over the past
years to get B-LRA into service, but its likely to be
well in excess of 100,000 hours!

A key challenge was e-Operations. Cathay was

the first airline to install their own version of the
e-technical and cabin logbook onto the A350, and
this led to a number of significant IT integration

July 2015

A350s on order

Cathays first A350 completes

its six-hour maiden flight over
land and sea by the Airbus flight
test team

The first time that Cathay

chooses an aircraft
manufacturer (Airbus) for
guaranteeing aircraft technical
spare parts availability,
maintenance and inventory
technical management

A350 support corner opens.

Seats, galley and equipment are
displayed. Support Facilitators
onsite to provide walk-through

Cathay Airbus test pilots

Captains Simon Scanlon and
Ian McClelland undertake the
Acceptance Test Flight of
B-LRA in Toulouse

Welcome party for nearly

500 VIPs, Marco Polo Club
members, staff and media at
the HAECO hangar

Delivery flight of B-LRA to Hong

Kong. Flies out from Toulouse
as CX3350. This is also a
proving flight with the Hong
Kong Civil Aviation Department
onboard

B-LRA enters service as CX907

to Manila

A350 Special Issue 05

A detailed look at the A350-900

Flight deck
Familiar Airbus
look and feel

The flight deck is

designed to have a
common look and
feel to existing Airbus
aircraft types. Common
pilot type rating with
the A330 reduces crew
training requirements
and improves crew
flexibility to fly both
types

Common pilot
type rating

Artwork credit: Tim Leung

Pilots qualified on
A330 can undergo
differences training to
operate the A350, thus
increasing operational
flexibility

06 A350 Special Issue

Cabin
E-enabled

The flight deck is

fully e-enabled with
advanced functionality
to optimise flight
profiles. The flight deck
is fitted with latest
technology Head-Up
Displays to improve
crew situational
awareness

Fly-by-Wire

Advanced avionics
take fly-by-wire to the
next level, increasing
safety by providing
flight envelope
protection and
improving system
redundancy
Fly-by-wire also
provides a weight
advantage over
conventional control
systems

HD Personal
TV

Panasonic eX3 inflight

entertainment system
with HD monitors in
all classes. Capacity
touch screens replace
pressure-sensitive
ones; improved
interface enhances
navigation

Extended IFE

Entertainment is
available immediately
upon boarding

Cabin pressure

A higher cabin pressure

results in lower cabin
altitude to reduce
passenger fatigue and
improve well-being

Inflight
connectivity

Wi-Fi connectivity is
available for the first
time on a Cathay
aircraft

Aircraft design
Quiet cabin

The draft-free air

circulation system
combined with airframe,
engine and cabin
design results in a low
ambient cabin noise
level for a peaceful
journey

Temperature

Seven independent
temperature zones for
precise adjustment

Air
conditioning

Total cabin air changed

every three minutes,
with recirculated air
filtered through high
efficiency filters

Lighting

LED mood lighting

throughout the cabin,
changing colour
according to the flight
phase to help reduce
jetlag

Advanced
aerodynamics

Inspired by birds, the

wings adapt their shape
throughout the flight by
modulating the flaps
Watch an animation
about the wings:

http://bit.ly/1sOY9kG

Fuselage

The A350 is an extra

wide body aircraft,
amongst the widest
in its class, enabling
flatter cabin side
walls with larger
windows that gives
the cabin a roomier
feeling

Fuel

Simplified three-tank
design with fewer
pumps and valves that
reduce maintenance
effort and increase
reliability

Hydraulic
systems

Reduced complexity to
improve reliability. The
hydraulics operate at
higher pressure than
traditional hydraulic
systems to power
landing gear and flight
controls ,resulting in a
reduction in weight due
to smaller pipes and
hoses

Simpler avionics

Highly integrated
avionics systems are
connected through an
advanced ethernet data
network, using half the
number of computers
traditionally required

Hows that for flying?

Captain Peter Lees, A350 Entry Into Service Manager

The A350 feels very much like the A330 and, indeed,
part of the reason that the aircraft has been awarded
a Common Type Rating is that it does handle in such a
similar way. The A350 is very much a third generation
Airbus fly-by-wire aircraft and many of the systems have
been enhanced to provide exceptional redundancy in
case of system failures. One of the benefits of fly-bywire is that aircraft of differing sizes and aerodynamic
features can be made to handle alike, regardless of
weight, speed and configuration. If anything, the A350
feels like a big A330, stable but with precise reaction to
control inputs.

Materials

The flight control system on the A350 is similar to all flyby-wire Airbus aircraft; the flight control computers prevent
excessive manoeuvres and maintain the aircraft within
the safe flight envelope. Unlike the A330, the A350 has a
number of backup control actuators to provide redundancy
following certain system failures. The head-up display is
a completely new feature for Cathay Pacific and provides
flight crew with enhanced situational awareness.

More than
70% of
the airframe
is made of
advanced
materials that are strong,
lightweight, and
highly resistant to
corrosion and fatigue
Blue Titanium

Strong, lightweight

High load areas such as

landing gear, door frames
and engine pylons

Grey Aluminium lithium

Lightweight; stronger than

traditional aluminium
Construction of the nose
of the aircraft and various
locations

Green Composite
carbon fibre reinforced
plastic
Exceptionally strong

Fuselage and wings; strong

enough to construct a
more complex shape to
enhance aerodynamic
efficiencies

Completion of the A330 to A350 Differences Course

allows pilots to fly both aircraft on a single licence
endorsement. To be eligible to undertake the this course,
pilots must be qualified and current on the A330. This
brings greater flexibility to Cathay Pacific from a manning
perspective, and from the pilots point of view this means
a greater variety of flying including regional, medium and
long-haul.

Maintenance
Reduced heavy
checks
A heavy maintenance
check required only
once every 12 years,
compared to six for
the A330, thanks to
the A350s carbon
fibre construction that
is highly resistant to
corrosion and fatigue.
This reduces lifetime
maintenance costs by
up to 40%

Easier system
modifications

System upgrades
can be done through
software instead of
hardware upgrades
in the workshop
quicker to perform and
requiring no spare parts

But it is the e-Enabled flight deck where the A350

differs most from the A330. The Onboard Information
System (OIS) comprises the Electronic Flight Bag, the
on-board performance application (FlySmart), eTechLog,
eCharts and the Operations Library Browser, all of which
combine to make the aircraft virtually paperless. Brake to
Vacate is an innovative feature of the aircrafts autobrake
system that both improves passenger comfort as well as
optimising brake use and runway occupancy time.

High system
redundancy

The A350 has highly

reliable systems that
have benefited from
maturity and lessons
learned from similar
systems on the A380.
It also has high system
redundancy by design
so a defect can be
safely tolerated for
fixing at main base
thanks to back up
systems available to
take over

Less inventory
investment

Advanced avionics
means that fewer spare
parts are needed in
stock

Diagnostics

Improved maintenance
diagnostics for faster
troubleshooting, which
results in improved
operational reliability

Jargon busters
Fly-by-wire replaces
mechanical systems by
converting control inputs
into electrical signals
that are sent to flightcontrol computers, which
reconvert the impulses
into instructions for control
surfaces such as ailerons
or elevators.

Head-up display provides

the pilot with essential flight
information and guidance in
the forward field of view for all
flight phases. It is a see-through
device that helps pilots fly more
accurately, displaying flying
symbols overlaying the real
outside world view to improve
situational awareness.

Common type rating

Two aircraft types can differ
from a manufacturing and
systems point of view, but
they can be of common type
certification provided certain
criteria such as handling are
sufficiently similar.

Brake to Vacate is an
innovative feature of the
aircrafts autobrake system
whereby a pilot can nominate
their chosen runway exit
on an airport map on the
navigation display, which
optimises brake use and
expedites vacation of the
runway.

A350 Special Issue 07

Enhancing customer well-being and

the overall experience
David Howgego, Head of Cabin Engineering

The A350 provides passengers with a fresh new cabin

experience that begins the moment they step on board.
The cabin is more spacious and there is more overhead
stowage space thats a stress buster right there! Adding
to the feeling of well-being is the LED mood lighting, which
changes colour according to the flight phase and helps
combat jetlag. The acoustics of the cabin let passengers
whisper and still be understood by their travelling
companions, and, of course, our cabin crew.
One of the most significant changes is the lower cabin altitude.
Traditionally, aircraft cabins are pressurised to a cabin altitude of
8,000ft. But in the A350, the cabin is pressurised to 6,000ft and
this means there is more oxygen in the air, and that can make a
big difference to reducing passenger fatigue.
Maximising passenger living space is another fundamental
element of passenger well-being, and with the A350 we have
introduced a series of thoughtful updates all designed to raise
levels of comfort.
The Business Class seat retains the best features of the
current product, but with a bigger sleeping surface and additional
stowage space. Technically, the introduction of a fully flat floor
was challenging but has made a real difference to the passenger
experience and available space. We have also worked hard to
remove seatbelt-mounted airbags from nearly all seats another
significant improvement from the current design.
The amazing new inflight entertainment (IFE) system will be
popular with a modern interface as well as inflight connectivity
for the first time in our fleet. Another one of the details that will be
appreciated by our customers is the Do Not Disturb and Wakeup
Call feature operable via their personal TV.
Working with Studio F.A. Porsche, we have created a new
Premium Economy seat among the highlights are the personal
reading light, dedicated personal storage space and an eye-level
tablet dock. The major new initiative for the Economy Seat is a
redesigned headrest that hugs the head, which brings benefits
in terms of sleep and relaxation.
Hand-in-hand with the seat redesign comes not just a new
look, but a new feel for soft products. More on p11.

Catching the A350:

Deployment plan
June 2016

Manila, Ho Chi Minh City, Taipei

July 2016

Bangkok, Singapore

Sept 2016

London Gatwick, Dsseldorf

Nov 2016

Paris, Auckland, Rome

LONDON
GATWICK

DSSELDORF

PARIS

ROME

HONG
KONG

TAIPEI

MANILA

BANGKOK
HO CHI
MINH CITY
SINGAPORE

AUCKLAND

08 A350 Special Issue

The seats

passenger makes a difference to their comfort.

Rachel Khong,

Manager Product Premium Cabin & Ground

The first step on the journey to provide our passengers with
comfort while onboard the A350 began with selecting the most
appropriate seat concept.
We then worked on optimising the seat concept spatially,
keeping in mind that every inch that is given back to the

We also know that passengers value ample storage space, and

we have to ensure that moveable parts are arranged coherently
and function intuitively and seamlessly. We wanted to create a
comfortable and seamless sleeping experience for passengers,
to ensure that they travel well with us and arrive fully rested.
Throughout the development process, three rounds of
passenger testing were organised; passengers feedback had
been instrumental in shaping the final product design.
While I had overall responsibility for the Business Class seats,
my colleague Cindy Lam (see 12), oversaw the development of
the Premium Economy and Economy seats. More details about
them on the opposite page.

Business Class

Designed by Studio F.A. Porsche, the new Business Class seat builds on its award-winning long-haul predecessor with numerous enhancements.
The flexible sleeping surface caters to different passengers sleeping positions, the fully flat floor enhances accessibility and there is more storage space.

1. Improved amenity box with power socket and USB

port. Concealed vanity mirror and headset
2. Fully flat bed our most generous bed surface yet
3. Dimmable reading light, video handset, seat
controller
4. Do Not Disturb and Wakeup Call lights

10 A350 Special Issue

5. Fully flat floor enables additional storage space

6. Water bottle stowage under retractable armrest

Premium Economy Class

The A350 sees the launch of the new B/E Aerospace Premium Economy seat. Designed by Studio F.A. Porsche, each seat features
a larger recline angle, enlarged amenities storage and a personal reading light features that set a new standard for the class.

New soft products

Pillows

Business new smooth cotton blend for the pillow case

Premium Economy newly designed pillow case with a faux
linen front and poly cotton at the back
Economy newly designed pillow case of linen, cotton & polyester

1. Personal reading light

introduced for the first time in
Premium Economy

2. Amenity storage box ideal

for holding small items.
Translucent material for easy
checking

3. Cocktail table slides out as an

additional surface
4. In-seat power and USB port
5. Retractable armrest enhances
personal space

6. Full legrest with leatherpadded footrest

Blankets

Business quality improved with new linen-textured material

Premium Economy comforter with much enhanced
comfort, instead of lightweight blanket
Economy blanket made from recycled plastic bottles

Economy Class

The Economy Class cabin is rejuvenated with a new green fabric, bringing a fresh look consistent with our branding ethos.
Thoughtful new features such as the Cathay Pacific proprietary six-way headrest enhance the overall travel experience.

Headrest and covers

Premium Economy Synthetic leather headrest, replacing

non-woven cover
Economy synthetic leather headrest for better comfort,
easier cleaning and more environmentally friendly as it can
be reused

Trays and service ware

1. Power socket under every seat

2. Six-way headrest hugs the

head to enhance comfort
3. Enhanced tray table
4. USB port under personal TV
5. Tablet holder at eye level
6. Cup holder

7. Additional stowage for small

items

The new Economy tray design is inspired by Asian bento boxes.

Everything fits more snugly on the tray and theres an emphasis
on reducing material usage without compromising on look and
quality

Addition of long condiment bowl

Aluminium napkin ring
Thicker top edges give a premium look
Matte finish aluminium lid
Tray mat replaced with non-skid coating

A350 Special Issue 11

Inflight
entertainment

we continue to invest in our inflight entertainment (IFE) offering,

taking every opportunity to upgrade and set new benchmarks.
But passengers expectations have evolved. Now, people
expect a greater variety and choice of films, and, most
importantly, they want to stay connected while in the air.
We took all these into consideration when we created an
enhanced IFE experience. First of all, the A350 uses the stateof-the art Panasonic eX3 platform with HD personal TVs in all
classes.

Cindy Lam,

Manager Product Economy Cabin & Inflight Entertainment

By leveraging higher capacity servers, the A350 has a larger

library of movies and TV series. We have also introduced a new
interactive 3D map, more games, and a wide collection of digital
magazines.

Cathay Pacific was one of the first airlines to introduce personal

TVs on every seat with audio video on demand capability. Today,

The A350 is our first aircraft type equipped with satellite

connectivity. You will find out more on p13.

Welcome Screen

Features slideshows of content available,

and provides information such as flight
and seat number.
The main menu on the left makes content
navigation easier, while the settings menu
on the top right allows quick access to
brightness, volume and language control.
Seven languages are supported, which
include: English, Traditional Chinese,
Simplified Chinese, Japanese, Korean,
French and German.

Watch & Listen

Read & Play

Air show

View from the flight deck

Magazines

City guides

Satellite TV

Albums

Live text news

Play games

Interactive 3D maps allow passengers to

browse the globe up to street-level detail

Three available live television channels: BBC,

CNN and Euronews
12 A350 Special Issue

Real-time visual from the head-up display

A repertoire of international music

A wide choice of popular international and

Hong Kong magazine titles

Passengers can browse Hong Kong and Greater

China news, updated throughout the flight

Information for most Cathay destinations and

points of interest in Hong Kong

Large selection of games, including new ones

such as Angry Birds World Tour and 2048

Exclusive features for

Business Class

Connectivity

Do Not Disturb

Passengers can advise cabin crew if they do not wish

to be disturbed during the flight by selecting the Do
Not Disturb feature on either the video handset or
personal TV.

Wake-up Call

On long-haul flights, passengers can advise cabin

crew of the time they wish to be awoken, by selecting
the wake-up function.

With the launch of the A350, passengers have the opportunity to stay connected on board using their own mobile devices for the first time.

Cathay Pacific Wi-Fi portal

Internet via personal devices

Cathaypacific.com and Cathay Pacific partner websites

such as Net-a-porter.com
3D moving map
The Cathay Pacific duty free shopping catalogue
Destination city guides

Access is free for the following content:

Service availability

Interact

Gate to gate from departure to arrival. Access to websites

available from 10,000 feet after takeoff to 10,000 feet
before landing.

For a fee, access the following content via Wi-Fi capable devices*:
Send or receive email
Browse the web
Shop online
Instant messaging
Social media

Prices for onboard internet

Flights of six hours and less

US$12.95

One hour continuous usage on all flights

US$9.95

Flights above six hours

US$19.95

*Multiple devices can share a Wi-Fi pass but only one device can be
connected at a time. Payment can only be made onboard.

Service availability

From 10,000 feet after takeoff to 10,000 feet before landing

Provide feedback

Passengers can provide feedback to Cathay Pacific

directly from their personal TV

Satellite TV

Access is free for the following channels:

BBC
CNN
Euronews

Shop

Place orders directly from the personal TV. Browsing

partners sites, such as Net-a-Porter.com, is free

Service availability

Gate to gate from departure to arrival

Mobile roaming (mid-2016)

Send and receive mobile messages. Use data roaming from a

mobile phone (voice calls are not permitted onboard)

A350 Special Issue 13

Higher payload:
good news
for Cargo
Mark Sutch,

General Manager Cargo Sales & Marketing

As the largest air cargo carrier in Asia, and indeed one of the largest
worldwide, the opportunity to offer new capacity, greater frequency
and new destinations is key for the long-term development of our
cargo business. The A350 brings this to the table.
The increased efficiencies that have been developed with
this new generation of aircraft allow for significantly improved
cargo capability over the existing Airbus fleet. Where the A350
is deployed on routes currently being operated by the A330
and A340, there will be a big boost to the airlines cargo payload
capability and thus revenue.
The deployment of the A350, as with our existing non-freighter

fleet, will be determined by passenger demand and the economic

case, and will be strongly augmented by cargo revenue. As
is often the reality, cargo contribution to a flight can be the
determining factor with regards to the financial success of new
routes. This will certainly remain true with the A350.
Will we use the aircraft differently? Essentially no the
characteristics of containerised or palletised cargo do not

change. The real benefits lie in the increased payload the aircraft
brings as well a greater range of destinations and frequency that
we envisage in the years to come.
Cathay Pacific is a combination carrier; we have a large fleet of
dedicated freighters and heavily leverage the passenger bellies to
feed and de-feed the network. The A350 supports this strategy
and is an exciting new prospect.

Greener in all flight phases

Better air quality

Governments worldwide are introducing more stringent

regulations, while NGOs, consumers and investors are also
expecting airlines to do more to reduce their environmental impact.

Designed for
greener flying
Evelyn Chan,

Head of Environmental Affairs

Today, there is increasing pressure on the aviation sector to tackle

the environmental issues of air, emissions, and noise pollution.
In 2013, the global aviation industry produced 705 million
tonnes of CO2. In addition, jet engines generate a large amount of
noise, which can affect communities adjacent to busy airports.

14 A350 Special Issue

Todays aircraft are already 70% more fuel efficient and more
than 75% quieter than those at the beginning of the jet age. And
with each new generation of aircraft design, a step change is made
towards better fuel efficiency and noise reduction and the A350 is
no exception.
All A350 deliveries from Toulouse will use fuel that contains a
10% blend of biofuel. The biofuel is made from sustainable sugars,
using a process of fermentation whereby modified yeast produces
hydrocarbons that can be processed into jet fuel. Not only does
this fuel have lower life cycle CO2 than fossil fuel, biofuel also burns
cleaner. The intent of using biofuel on these flights is for Cathay to
become accustomed to flying on renewable fuel as we move closer to
larger volumes becoming available over the next three to five years.

NOx emissions 35% below international

standard requirements

Departure

Noise Abatement Departure Procedures

optimises thrust and flight path to reduce noise

Lower carbon emissions

25% less CO2 burn per passenger kilometre

Fly the shortest distance

Extended range-ETOPS capable of flying

Cruise

In terms of aircraft construction, the prevalent use of carbon

fibre in the airframe further reduces its weight, leading to higher
fuel efficiency and hence lower emissions. Furthermore, the A350
makes use of the latest technologies in aerodynamics and design
to enhance operational efficiency.
Even the way the new aircraft is painted is environmentally
friendlier: the paint used in the A350 contains fewer chemicals, and is
applied using thermal spray rather than the standard chrome-plating
process, leading to less paint and solvent being used overall.

Quieter take-off

extended routes by the shortest distance

Improved aerodynamics

Wings are quieter and are able to adapt while

airborne to maximise aerodynamic efficiency

Efficient descent approach

Latest technology optimises flight path to

reduce emissions and noise

Low exterior noise

Arrival

Well below ICAOs international standard

requirements

Efficient airport operations

Automated Brake to Vacate technology to

expedite vacation of runways after landing

A350 Special Issue 15

A350

takes to the skies

Its our people who
made this happen

Publisher Tom Owen | Managing Editor Mark Tindall | Editor Kawai Wong | Designer Ray Lo | Photographer Karen Yung, Kingsley Birkett, Eric Leung, Ryan Yeung, Victor Gomes | Writer Ann Williams | Graphics & Publication Specialist Katy Lam
Special thanks Bob Taylor