Airbus has completed final assembly of the first ultra-long-range version of the A350 in Toulouse.

According to Airbus, this variant of the A350 Family will have a maximum take-off weight of 280 tonnes and will be capable of flying up to 9,700 nautical miles or over 20 hours non-stop.

The A350-900ULR is scheduled to enter service later this year with Singapore Airlines, which has seven on order. The airline intends to operate the aircraft on non-stop flights between Singapore and destinations in the US such as New York.

The first aircraft has now moved to an outdoor station where it will undergo extensive ground tests prior to installation of its Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. It will then carry out a short flight test programme to certify the changes over the standard A350-900 that enable the additional range capability. These include a modified fuel system that increases fuel capacity by 24,000 litres without the need for additional fuel tanks. The test phase will also measure enhanced performance derived from aerodynamic improvements, including enlarged winglets.

Singapore Airlines has ordered a total of 67 A350-900s, including the seven ultra-long-range models. The airline received its first A350-900 in March 2016 and currently has 21 in its fleet.

Airbus has received a total of 854 firm orders for the A350 Family from 45 customers to date.