Airbus New twin-engine A350-900 XWB prototype, dubbed the MSN1 (manufacturers serial number) which made its maiden flight on June 14 then its Paris Air Show debut a few days later, logged 92 hours in its first month of flight testing during which the flight envelope was opened and key systems tests were successfully performed.

The test crews-both in the air and on the ground -are reported to be satisfied with the aircraft performance to date. The A350 XWB flight test campaign will total around 2500 flight hours with a fleet of five development aircraft.

During the first four weeks of the flight test campaign, ten Airbus experimental test pilots flew MSN1 and collectively put the aircraft through its paces to get to know its handling qualities and behavior.

This early phase of test flights has resulted in the clearance of the entire flight envelope and initial testing of all key systems. These includes: engines,electrics,ram air turbine (RAT) ,landing gear and braking, fuel and cabin pressurization, as well as a preliminary assessment of the autopilot and auto-land functions.

The A350 MSN1 then underwent routine maintenance and upgrades of its flight test installation to ready it for the second phase of the flight test campaign which was due to start early this month, while the design office spent the on-ground time analyzing the results of the initial flight tests.

The first A350 XWB development aircraft (MSN1) is fitted with heavy test instrumentation and will be used for handling qualities evaluation, the natural icing campaign, systems and power plant testing.

The second aircraft (MSN3) will also be equipped with heavy flight test instrumentation and will be used for performance measurement, high altitude, hot and cold weather testing, as well as systems and power plant tests.

The third and fifth aircraft (MSN2 and MSN5) will be equipped with a cabin and carry out the cabin and cabin systems tests, including the early long flights and route-proving.

The Fourth aircraft to fly (MSN4) will have a light flight test installation and will be focused on external noise tests, lightning tests and pilot training for first customer and maintenance teams.

According to the current programme, the second aircraft to fly will be MSN3 which is due to make its maiden flight early in October to be followed by MSN2 which will fly for the first time towards the end of January 2014. MSN4 will follow about a month later towards the end of February and the last test aircraft will get airborne in mid -April. All certification test flying should be complete by the last week in July next year with entry into service planned for early August.

But although the type still faces tough times ahead, it has already undergone extensive testing of its many systems. For example, before the maiden flight of MSN1 ,the first non-flying static airframe had already “flown” almost a full “excepected life time” and been subjected to more “in-flight” turbulence, heavy landings and simulated systems failures and general pounding and bashing than any of its siblings are ever likely to encounter in their lifetimes.

So it was little wonder that the flight test crew of MSN1 was totally confident that the first flight of the A350 XWB-900XWB would go off without a hitch-and they spent more than four hours in the air proving their point.

It is also obvious that the executives of the 34 airlines around the world, who, by the time of writing, had placed 678 confirmed orders for the type, felt the same way.

Next A350 model in the family to fly will be the A350-1000 in mid-2016, a longer version carrying more passengers which will be followed later by the smaller, but longer range A350-800.

The Route So Far

By May last year, the fuselage of the aircraft destined to make the first flight, had finished assembly and was rolled out of the final assembly line on its own wheels to be moved to what is called Station 40 to be mated to its wings, tailplane and engines and for further installation of the many other systems which still had to be installed.

Meanwhile, behind the scenes at the time, the static test aircraft in its massive test rig was well into the pounding it was to receive to prove its structural integrity, and the flying control systems, undercarriage et al were undergoing almost nonstop testing in what is called the “Iron Bird” -a complete test rig of the entire layout, but sans the aircraft structure itself.

Then, during the last quarter of 2012, the nose section had its power switched on prior to its marriage to the main fuselage.

Meanwhile, the wing assembly was undergoing its first testing prior to mating with the fuselage which occurred during the first quarter of this year followed by the “power on” in the complete aircraft and the full ground testing which was completed by the end of May-just a fortnight prior to the first flight. Immediately after the ground testing was completed, a start was made on the first flight campaign together with the first engine starts.

The load calibration was made, ground vibration tests were completed and the electro-magnetic hazard testing was finished, which was followed by some slow and then high-speed taxiing tests.

Then came June 14 and the moment when, thanks to complex inter-connecting of TV networks and social media around the world, millions of people were able to share the moments when Airbus A350-900XWB ,MSN1 left the ground for the first time and disappeared into an almost cloudless sky to return to its Toulouse home airport about four hours later to a tumultuous welcome from the crowd of onlookers,workers,engineers,company official ,VIPs ,reporters, photographers and, you name them ,they were there to watch the first landing.

Today, however, the takeoffs and landings of this new aircraft go almost unnoticed.

Anthony A Juma is the Editor and Director Commercial & Flights Operations at Wings Over Africa Aviation Limited. This is an Air Charter Company that specializes on Manufacturing of New Aircraft For Passenger and Cargo Flights Air News. The website has guided thousands of travelers to achieve their dream holiday. For more information and guidance, visit the site at http://www.wingsoverafrica-aviation.com/index.php/flight-news.html

Anthony A Juma is the Editor and Director Commercial & Flights Operations at Wings Over Africa Aviation Limited. This is an Air Charter Company that specializes on Manufacturing of New Aircraft For Passenger and Cargo Flights Air News. The website has guided thousands of travelers to achieve their dream holiday. For more information and guidance, visit the site at http://www.wingsoverafrica-aviation.com/index.php/flight-news.html

Author Bio: Anthony A Juma is the Editor and Director Commercial & Flights Operations at Wings Over Africa Aviation Limited. This is an Air Charter Company that specializes on Manufacturing of New Aircraft For Passenger and Cargo Flights Air News. The website has guided thousands of travelers to achieve their dream holiday. For more information and guidance, visit the site at http://www.wingsoverafrica-aviation.com/index.php/flight-news.html

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