BLAGNAC, France, 5 Jan. 2012. CIT Group Inc. (NYSE CIT), a global leader in transportation finance has placed a firm order for 10 A350-900s. This is the second time CIT has ordered A350 XWBs and brings the lessor’s total backlog for the type to 15.
Including this latest announcement, CIT has ordered a total of 253 Airbus aircraft comprising 187 A320 Family, 51 A330 Family and 15 A350 XWB Family.
The A350 XWB (eXtra Wide-Body) is a mid-size, long range product line comprising three versions and seating between 270 and 350 passengers in typical three-class layouts. Airbus officials say the family will bring a step change in efficiency compared with existing aircraft in this size category, by using 25 percent less fuel and providing an equivalent reduction in CO2 emissions. The family comes equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. Scheduled for entry-into-service in 2014, with CIT’s order included, the A350 XWB has already received 572 firm orders from 34 different customers worldwide.
More than 70 percent of the A350 XWB’s airframe is made from advanced materials, combining 53 percent of composite structures with titanium and advanced aluminum alloys. The aircraft’s carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) fuselage results in lower fuel consumption, as well as easier maintenance.
