text: From labyrinthine security checkpoints to cramped seats and scant overhead storage space, air travel ranks among the most grueling experiences out there (unless you're one of the rarefied few who spring for first class). With its A350 XWB jet, Airbus integrates the latest design and engineering tricks to quell many of the headaches for flyers, carriers, and pilots. Chief among them? Jet lag. 
   
   "The design process was about optimization, pushing the constraints, and opening up the box of solutions," Alain De Zotti, chief engineer of the A350 XWB program at Airbus, says. The manufacturer debuted the design in early 2015, but the first aircraft to land in the United States arrived courtesy of Qatar Airways last week. With the A350, De Zotti's team devised ways that they hope make flying more energy-efficient, aerodynamic, and comfortable. On top of that, they had to ensure that the plane could be just as technologically sound today as at the end of its projected 30-year lifespan. With $15 billion worth of research and development under its belt, Airbus is hoping that its no-nonsense approach to design and engineering will help it best the competition—namely the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and 777 long-distance planes. 
   
   A Lighter Ride 
   
   One of the biggest differences in the Airbus A350 compared to older models is its composition. Over 50% of the structure is made from carbon fiber-reinforced plastic for lightweight strength and durability. (The composite is less susceptible to corrosion than traditional aluminum planes.) The material has been deployed in aircrafts in the past, but not in such large proportions. The lighter the plane, the less energy you need to propel it. To help with aerodynamics, the engineers designed the wings to be much larger in size (about 20% bigger than previous generations of planes) and span (about 10% wider) and to have a shape that was inspired by birds' wings. This reduces drag and noise and improves performance at low speeds. The engineers also improved the flap system—typically the flaps follow wind direction but the A350's flaps follow the flight path direction— which makes the ride smoother. These measures—plus ultra-efficient Rolls Royce engines—result in fuel economy that Airbus claims is 25% better than similarly sized planes from competitors. 
   
   Eliminating Jet Lag 
   
   Qatar Airways currently flies its fleet of A350s to Europe, the United States and Asia—journeys that traverse many time zones. To alleviate the physical toll and stress of screwing with a body's internal clock, the plane is fitted with LED lights that change their color temperature to mimic the sun's natural glow and are timed with natural circadian rhythms. To keep air from feeling stale, the plane's filtering system changes over the air in the plane every two to three minutes. The cabin is pressurized to 6,000 feet, which Airbus claims makes it more comfortable for passengers. 
   
   More Room (Thank God) 
   
   The fuselage is wider to accommodate larger passenger seats in economy class—just an extra inch over the standard width—and easier movement down the aisles. Because the seat configuration varies from carrier to carrier and the competition for the best business and first class cabins is so fierce—"Business class is now like first class was and first class is like little apartments," De Zotti says—Airbus designed the interior to be adaptable so that carriers can swap out seats and tweak configuration much more easily than in the past. This philosophy extends to the way computer hardware integrates with the design, making avionics and software upgrades are less cumbersome. 
   
   "We're trying to make the jet relevant for the future," De Zotti says. "There's an open architecture that can evolve to welcome new functions and can cope with the evolution of technology." 
   
   Qatar Airways is one of the first carriers to introduce the A350 to its fleet. Its trip to New York was the first time the plane landed stateside. Heading back to Doha, the plane abruptly aborted takeoff due to a short runway. Though no problems—other than lengthy delivery times—have been reported with the new A350 design, much can go wrong with planes. For example, Boeing's 787 Dreamliner has suffered from technical and mechanical problems since its launch. After the 787's launch and popularity with carriers, Airbus retooled its approach with the A350. Let's hope that any kinks in the design were ironed out during its 2,600 hours of test flights. ||||| One of the biggest downsides to a long-haul flight - aside from being cooped up in a metal box for hours - is waiting for your body to readjust to the new time zone once you touch down. But commercial aircraft companies Airbus and Qatar Airways think they might have found a solution to the perennial jetlag problem with their latest aeroplane. 
   
   The A350 XWB comes with a variety of improvements designed to minimise that groggy feeling you get from flying halfway around the world. One of the main innovations is a system of LED lights inside the cabin that are designed to change colour to mimic the Sun's natural glow - and they're programmed to fit in with our bodies' natural circadian rhythms no matter what the actual time is. 
   
   What's more, the plane's filtering system refreshes the air inside the cabin every 2 or 3 minutes, and keeps it pressurised at the equivalent of an altitude of 1,828.8 metres (6,000 feet). Again, Airbus says this should improve comfort for passengers and minimise the effects of jetlag once they step back onto the ground. 
   
   There's much more to this plane besides anti-jetlag measures. Over 50 percent of the frame is made from carbon fibre-reinforced plastic, reducing the weight of the aircraft and of course the amount of fuel required for long-haul flights. Larger and wider wings, together with flaps that follow the flight path direction rather than the wind, combine to create a 25 percent improvement in the plane's fuel economy over comparable models currently in the sky, according to Airbus. 
   
   In terms of passenger comfort, the economy seats are a little wider and a little further apart, and it's easier to get down the aisles. The interior design of the cabin can be adapted by individual airlines, depending on how they want to make use of the space (and how many business class passengers they're expecting). 
   
   "The design process was about optimisation, pushing the constraints, and opening up the box of solutions," Alain De Zotti, chief engineer of the A350 XWB program, told Fast Company. "We're trying to make the jet relevant for the future. There's an open architecture that can evolve to welcome new functions and can cope with the evolution of technology." 
   
   Qatar Airways is one of the first airlines to introduce an A350 model to its fleet, but other companies have already placed further orders for the aircraft. If you find jetlag a particular problem when flying between countries, you might want to look out for the new plane in the airport schedules. With US$15 billion in funding and 2,600 hours of test flights behind it, the plane is expected to be in service for the next 30 years.
target: – If it works, it could be an air-traveling perk to trump all others: no more jet lag. Airbus is making the bold claim that it can at least reduce the malady for those aboard its new A350 XWB line of jets. The main tool is a set of LED lights within the cabin that mimics natural shifts in sunlight and theoretically keeps people's natural circadian rhythms in sync, reports Fast Company. Another factor: Because of the planes' relatively light frames, they can be pressurized to 6,000 feet, which the airline says allows for more humidity and makes the air pressure inside the aircraft closer to the pressure on the ground than is the case with most jets, per Quartz. A third factor is the jet's filtration system, which replaces the air in the cabin in its entirety every two to three minutes. The idea there is that, if nothing else, the improved air quality should help people sleep better on long flights. And the big question: Has it worked? It's a little too early to tell. The first such jet landed in the US only earlier this month via Qatar Airways, though other airlines plan to add the jet to their fleets, notes a post at Science Alert. (This protein might provide another way to fight jet lag.)