Airbus A350-XWB

Airbus' next-generation long-haul plane, the A350 XWB series, is scheduled to begin carrying passengers sometime in 2013. Airbus has received orders for 583 of the planes.

The A350 series is thought to offer 25 percent cost savings over its closest long-haul competitor, thanks to, among other things, composite structures combined with titanium and aluminum alloys.

The plane will come in three configurations, the A350-800, -900, and -1000. It will offer ranges from 8,000 to 8,500 nautical miles, and carry between 270 and 375 passengers in 3-class configuration. Each model will feature two Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. The planes' lengths vary from 199 feet to 242 feet, and each has a 56-foot-high tail, and a wingspan of 212 feet. The planes will carry as much as 41,211 gallons of fuel.