Airbus A350 weeks away from certification

The A350 departs Sydney for Auckland. (Lee Gatland)

After 20 days, 14 cities and 151,300 kilometres, Airbus A350XWB test aircraft MSN005 has returned to Toulouse from its world tour and is just weeks away from certification.

Airbus has completed a series of route-proving flights with its newest aircraft, the last series of trials to demonstrate the A350s readiness for airline operations.

“We are set for the type certification in the coming weeks, as planned”, Airbus senior vice president of flight and integration tests Fernando Alonso said in a statement.

“The aircraft has performed remarkably well confirming the high level of maturity that it has been demonstrating all the way during our development and certification tests.

Type certification of the aircraft was expected some time between now and the end of September, Airbus has said previously, with first delivery to launch customer Qatar Airways due by the end of 2014.

Among the highlights of the A350’s world tour, the aircraft visited Sydney, Perth and Auckland and the itinerary included two ultra long-haul legs – Johannesburg to Sydney and Auckland to Santiago de Chile.