Airbus A350 MSN005 takes flight for the first time on June 20. (Airbus)
The fifth Airbus A350 development aircraft has joined the manufacturer’s test fleet as the aircraft accelerates towards certification and service entry later this year.
MSN005 made its first flight on June 20 from Toulouse, and will be tasked to conduct route proving and ETOPS validation for the test program. Airbus says the aircraft “embodies the operationally definitive configuration for Type Certification duties”, and as such is equipped with a passenger cabin.
The program recently reached its 2,000th flight test hour over about 500 flights, with each test aircraft averaging a flying rate of about 80 flights per month.
7 comments
I hope the airbus a350-800 is produced and get rid of the A330 range
What happens to test / development aircraft (such as these 5 A350’s) once their work is complete? Are they sold at a discount, sent to a museum or what?
So you want the A330 to be replaced by the A350-800. Why? The A330 is a very successful plane.
I place hope on the 350-1000. Better it keeps the performance promise and eating into 777 market. Emirate’s cancellation is a big warning. I know TIM was complaining it for years. Does anyone know what’s the whole story behind it?
Its a very good looking aircraft.
is the 350 an enlarged 330? or a 380 minus the top seats?
Neither. The original plan was to do an A330 update, but as the 787 grew in popularity the A350 Xtra Wide Body grew to become a whole new tube with new generation engines even more advanced than those on the A380.
Cheers
Andrew