Airbus A350 performs first flight

A350-941 (c/n 001) F-WXWB

(Photo by Airbus)

 

The first Airbus A350 XWB flight test aircraft, MSN1, completed its maiden flight from Toulouse Blagnac airport.

The aircraft took to the air with ease at 10am local time. It headed toward southwest France for an approximate four-hour long test-flight before landing back at Toulouse.

“It is just fantastic,” Airbus CEO Fabrice Brégier said in a first reaction shortly after the aircraft left the ground.

“An impressive day. Did you hear what you didn’t hear? People around the airport didn’t know that the aircraft took off. It is so quiet,” Airbus COO customers John Leahy said.

Airbus said it started a new chapter in its 43-year history with the A350 XWB maiden flight.

MSN1, one of five aircraft that will ultimately be part of the flight test program, is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines.

The crew of the first flight comprised flight test pilots Peter Chandler and Guy Magrin, test flight engineer Pascal Verneau, and flight test engineers Fernando Alonso, Patrick du Ché and Emanuele Constanzo.

The maiden-flight is the start of an intensive flight test program of about 2,500 flying hours with to get certification for the A350-900. Two aircraft, MSN2 and MSN5, will be configured with cabin layouts.

The second flight of MSN1 is expected within two or three days thorough analysis of data from the maiden flight.

Entry into service is planned for the second part of 2014 to launch customer Qatar Airways.

Airbus has 613 firm orders from 33 customers for the A350 to date.

CLICK HERE to watch a video of the flight. Courtesy, Airbus.

(Kurt Hofmann - ATWOnline News)