Fifth Airbus A350 XWB added to test fleet
1 min read
Many subcontractors in the UK are heavily involved with making parts for the A350 XWB.
No doubt they'll be pleased to see that the fifth aircraft has been added to the test fleet and it's this one which is in the configuration for Type Certification.
The flight test programme has now achieved more than 2,000 flight-test hours in 500 flights, something that Airbus says is the highest flying rate it has ever achieved – working out at around 80 flight-hours per aircraft per month.
It's also just over a year since the aircraft had its first flight.
This latest (and fifth) addition to the test fleet – designated MSN005 – is the second passenger cabin-equipped A350 and is going to be tasked with route proving and ETOPS (Extended range Twin OPerationS) validation.
It means the A350 is on track for certification in the third quarter of this year, and on track for delivery to its first customer, Qatar Airways, in the fourth quarter.
Earlier this month, test aircraft MSN003 completed hot weather testing in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates and MSN002 has flown two 'Early Long Flights' with cabin crew and 250 passengers onboard.
So far 800 A350s have been ordered.
Look out for more on how parts for the A350 XWB are being manufactured by UK firms in our Aerospace Supplement in the September issue of Machinery magazine.
