Airbus A350 update

Painting of the first A350 XWB ‘MSN001’ has been fully completed and shown to staff at the Airbus plant at Toulouse.

The aircraft painting was achieved in less than seven days and follows the recent completion of MSN001’s flight-test-instrumentation (FTI) verification.  Last month the aircraft underwent its engines' installation, and passed a subsequent intensive phase of ground vibration tests.  MSN001 will soon start the final tests before its maiden flight this summer.

Orders for the aircraft stand at 617 with Qatar eventually due 80, Emirates 70, Cathay 46 and Singapore 40.  The first flight is now said to be planned in June with airline deliveries set to commence hopefully late 2014 with Qatar Airlines the first customer. www.airbus.com

Index/Home page
 

OUR READERS' FINEST WORDS (All times and dates are GMT)

All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum