Tag Archives: Airbus A350

Airbus A350-941 F-WWYB embarks on the first round-the-world certification trip

Airbus A350-941 F-WWYB (msn 005) took off this morning from Toulouse for the final stage of certification.

According to Airbus, “these Route Proving tests are designed to demonstrate readiness for airline operations and will include high airfield performance, auto-landing trials, and airport turnaround and handling services. Some flights will have passengers on board. The A350 world tour itinerary includes 14 major airports worldwide and one route via the North Pole.”

The world tour using A350 msn 005 test aircraft forms part of the route proving for certification campaign. The aircraft is one of the fleet of five test aircraft and one of two with a fully functional cabin (42 business class and 223 economy class seats). The A350 flights will be operated by Airbus flight crews with the participation of Airworthiness Authority pilots from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

The tests form part of the last trials required for aircraft Type Certification scheduled for Q3 this year.

The first airline delivery, to Qatar Airways, will follow towards the end of the year.

The three week trial (four trips) starts in Toulouse, France.

Trip one, includes destinations such as Canada via the north-pole and Frankfurt.

Trip two to Asia, the world’s fastest growing aviation market, includes visits to Hong Kong and Singapore.

The third trip brings the aircraft to Johannesburg and to Sydney. From Sydney it will fly to Auckland, followed by Santiago de Chile and Sao Paulo before returning to Toulouse.

On the fourth and final trip, the A350 will depart from Toulouse to Doha, then onto Perth and back to Doha. From Doha it will fly to Moscow, then to Helsinki from where it will fly back to Toulouse.

Today five development A350s are flying and are actively involved in the intensive flight test program, which has already reached over 540 flights and 2,250 flight hours.

At the end of June 2014, the A350 XWB had won 742 orders from 38 customers worldwide.

The tour:

Trip one: Toulouse-Iqaluit-Frankfurt-Toulouse
Trip two: Toulouse-Hong-Kong-Singapore-Hong-Kong-Toulouse (Hong Kong to Singapore several times)
Trip three: Toulouse-Johannesburg-Sydney-Auckland-Santiago de Chile-Sao Paulo-Toulouse
Trip four: Toulouse-Doha-Perth-Doha-Moscow-Helsinki-Toulouse

Map:

Air Mauritius signs a MOU for four Airbus A350-900s, will lease two more

Air Mauritius (Port Louis, Mauritius), the flag carrier of Mauritius has decided to expand and modernize its long-haul fleet with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for four Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The agreement was announced during the Farnborough International Airshow 2014. The airline has also announced that it is leasing two more A350-900s. The 6 A350 XWB will be operated on European, Asian and Australian routes.

Air Mauritius currently operates ten Airbus aircraft including two A330-200s and two A319s.

The A350 XWB is Airbus’ all-new mid-size long-range product line comprising three versions offering from 276 to 369 seats.

Image: Airbus.

Air Mauritius:

An update report on the testing program of the new Airbus A350

Airbus’ (Toulouse) flight test department is moving at full-speed with all five A350-900 developmental aircraft now flying – a fleet that has accumulated more than 2,100 total hours in over 500 flights. Among the key recent achievements of the program are crosswind tests with msn 001 in Keflavik, Iceland (above); msn 003’s hot-weather test campaign in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates; the first flight of msn 005 and two Early Long Flights (ELFs) performed by msn 002. Remaining certification tests include route-proving and “maximum energy” rejected takeoff evaluations, which will help pave the way for the A350 XWB’s planned certification in the third quarter of 2014 and the subsequent delivery of the first customer aircraft to Qatar Airways before year-end.

Videos:

Emirates cancels its Airbus A350 order, upgrades the Boston route and introduces a Boeing 777-300 World Cup logo jet

Emirates (Dubai) in a stunning development has cancelled its order for 70 new Airbus A350s (50 A350-900s and 20 A350-1000s) (above). Airbus issued this statement: “Airbus confirms that Emirates Airline has decided to cancel its order of 70 A350 XWB aircraft. The decision follows on-going discussions with the airline in light of their fleet requirement review, as demonstrated by their order of 50 additional A380 at the last Dubai Airshow and their continuous interest in the program. Airbus and Emirates Airline benefit from a long-standing relationship and the airline recently reiterated its confidence in Airbus products particularly by praising the A380 and the benefits the aircraft brings to their operations. The order of 50 A350-900 and 20 A350-1000 was originally placed by Emirates Airline in 2007 with first delivery slots scheduled from 2019. Airbus is very confident in its A350 XWB programme. Half a year before entry into service, the A350 XWB order book stands at a healthy 742 firm orders. The A350 flight test campaign is progressing well and is on track for Type Certification in the coming months. Interest in the game changing A350 has always been very high with customers. Airbus expects the A350 order book to continue growing in 2014.” In other news, Emirates from August 1, will switch from its Boeing 777-200 LR currently operating the route to Boston to a larger Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft, adding passenger and cargo capacity. Emirates launched its Boston service – its eighth US gateway – on March 10, 2014. The Boeing 777-300 ER will offer 88 additional Economy Class seats, representing a 40% increase in seating. This is in addition to offering customers a choice of eight First Class Suites and 42 Business Class seats. In additional other news, Emirates has decorated a Boeing 777-300 ER to feature the distinguishable signature of Emirates’ Global Ambassador and three times World Cup winner, Pelé. The airline issued this statement and photo: Just hours before the first World Cup match kicks off in Brazil, Emirates, an Official FIFA Worldwide Partner, is pleased to unveil the first Boeing 777-300 ER to feature the distinguishable signature of Emirates’ Global Ambassador and three times World Cup winner, Pelé (above). The first Emirates Pelé-ane will be connecting football fans with the action this summer on the Dubai to São Paulo route. Identifiable from the ground or the air, the 350 seater aircraft now has a creative design, specific to the FIFA World Cup™, emblazoned on the fuselage along with the recognisable signature of the legendary Brazilian football great. Two further Boeing 777 Pelé-ane’s will be unveiled on the day of the opening match and one Airbus A380 will launch shortly afterwards. 115 Boeing 777 from the Emirates fleet, which will fly football fans to Brazil, will also carry a large 2014 FIFA World Cup™ logo. Those passengers lucky enough to be travelling to Brazil, or any of the other 142 destinations served by Emirates, can also experience different facets of the tournament in a number of ways: At the airport: The world Cup buzz begins at the airport, especially at the airline’s hub in Dubai, where check-in desks now prominently feature the hero image from the Emirates #AllTimeGreats commercial featuring Pele and Cristiano Ronaldo. In the award-winning lounges both in Dubai and the many other locations around the world, passengers can relax with a bite to eat in front of the live streamed games. Ice TV Live will be featured on 16 Emirates Boeing 777 aircraft: From June 12 to July 13, passengers on board one of these 16 Emirates aircraft can watch all 64 matches ‘as live’ on the Sport 24 channel. This capability means not even a flight can get in the way of a football fan’s passions. Or if watching the whole match is too much, one of the seven rolling news channels can keep everyone up to date with the goals. If the flight doesn’t have ice TV Live: Passengers can still get goal-by-goal text updates on the ice Airshow moving map channels. On ice Digital Widescreen, the scores are shown in the news headlines under a dedicated FIFA Update section. Fun for young fliers: To keep the children on board entertained, Emirates will be providing colourful snack boxes with cardboard cut-outs and stylish wrist bands in support of participating teams. The Emirates World Cup initiatives will be on flights for the duration of the tournament starting from 10 June. The airline expects to fly over 18,000 passengers on its daily flights to Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo over the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ period. Emirates: Bottom Copyright Photo: Rodrigo Cozzato. Boeing 777-31H ER A6-ECV (msn 35594) arrives on June 10 in an overcast Sao Paulo (Guarulhos) with the special Pelé signature and 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil markings.

Airbus today begins passenger testing of the A350 with the help of Air France

Airbus (Toulouse) today (June 2) began actual passenger flight testing on its test Airbus A350-941 F-WWCF (msn 002). The manufacturer issued this statement:

As preparations continue for the A350 XWB’s first delivery later in 2014, Airbus is ensuring this next-generation widebody jetliner provides an unmatched cabin experience with the initial flight test carrying a full passenger load – which commenced today from Toulouse-Blagnac Airport in France.

While it is not part of the technical certification campaign, this evaluation – called an Early Long Flight (ELF) – marks an important step toward the A350 XWB’s commercial service entry, allowing Airbus to assess the cabin environment and related systems in a typical operating scenario.

Today’s ELF is being performed by the second of five A350 XWB test aircraft, designated msn 002. Airbus experimental test pilots are at the flight controls, while a crew from Air France tends to the passengers – made up of Airbus employees selected in recognition of strong work performance. The Air France crew was trained to operate the A350 XWB’s cabin – including public address systems, galleys and safety equipment – prior to this test activity.

Depending on weather conditions, the scheduled ELF flight path will take the aircraft over the Atlantic Ocean, as well as much of western and central Europe, before returning to Toulouse. This test aims to replicate a normal commercial flight according to ELF test director Christophe Bertrand, with confirming A350 XWB airport compatibility as one key objective.

Another focus will be observing the behavior of cabin systems. “We’ll be looking at everything from the in-flight entertainment system and overhead storage bins to the air conditioning and lavatories,” explained Bertrand ahead of today’s ELF take-off. “We also want the crew to experiment with their systems and see how they like the crew rest areas.”

Questionnaires to be filled out by passengers and crew will provide valuable feedback on such qualities as noise, air flow, comfort and ergonomics, as well as the A350 XWB’s many new cabin features – including its LED lighting system and in-flight entertainment.

The A350 XWB’s wide fuselage cross-section was designed for an optimum travel experience in all classes of service. Passengers will enjoy more headroom, wider panoramic windows and larger overhead storage space. With a cross-section of 220 inches from armrest to armrest, the jetliner’s cabin provides the widest seats in its category, being five inches larger than the nearest competitor.

In addition to providing the space for unmatched premium first class and business solutions, the A350 XWB allows for high-comfort economy seating in a nine-abreast arrangement, with Airbus’ standard 18-inch seat width.

Top Copyright Photo: Olivier Gregoire/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A350-941 F-WWCF (msn 002) in the special “Carbon Fiber” livery arrives back at Toulouse on a previous test flight.

Middle Copyright Photo: Airbus. Air France flight attendants serve the volunteer passengers on board F-WWCF.

Bottom Copyright Photo: Airbus. Volunteer passengers are issued boarding passes and flight simulates a long-range airline flight.

How to test an airliner to -40 degrees (C and F) in Florida

Airbus (Toulouse) has completed hot and cold testing of its new Airbus A350-941 F-WWCF (msn 002) in Florida. The new airliner has completed this extreme weather testing at the McKinley Climatic Laboratory at Eglin Air Force Base in northwest Florida (Florida Panhandle). Airbus issued this statement and photo:

The first-ever testing of an Airbus aircraft at the U.S. Air Force’s McKinley Climatic Laboratory subjected the A350 XWB and its various systems and cabin installations to a full range of conditions for further maturity and operability verifications prior to this new jetliner’s delivery start-up later this year.

Airbus brought A350 XWB msn 2 to the facility at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida for more than two weeks of evaluations this month, during which this developmental aircraft was subjected to multiple climatic and humidity settings from a high of 45 degrees C (113 degrees F) to as low as -40 degrees C (-40 degrees F).

Flight test director Philippe Foucault said the A350 XWB’s various systems – from in-flight entertainment and air conditioning to its galleys, water and waste systems – were validated while the A350 XWB was enclosed in the laboratory’s large hangar. Testing included operations with the engines running, which required the A350 XWB to be securely chained in place.

The A350 XWB is one the largest aircraft ever tested at the McKinley Climatic Laboratory, requiring the teams to start their preparations six months prior to arrival. “This is a one-of-a-kind tool, and the laboratory’s operators are masters of it,” Foucault said. “They made everything seem possible.”

David Neeleman to bring Azul to the United States with Airbus A330-200s and new A350-900s

Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras S. A. (Azul Brazilian Airlines) (Sao Paulo), founded by David Neeleman of JetBlue Airways (New York) and Morris Air (Salt Lake City), is coming back to the United States (in a way).

The fast growing airline has ordered a new fleet of Airbus A330-200 and A350-900 aircraft for daily service
to and from United States gateways.

Azul expects to debut its first international flights by early 2015. The U.S. flights will be served from Azul’s brand new $1.5 billion terminal at Sao Paulo (Campinas), strategically located 50 minutes from downtown Sao Paulo.

Campinas is Brazil’s largest airline hub offering connections to 104 domestic cities. Azul’s U.S. gateways will be announced later this year.

Routes from Campinas Airport:

Azul will operate the new international routes with a fleet of 11 wide-body Airbus aircraft. The airline has ordered five Airbus A350-900 with deliveries beginning in early 2017. In addition, six Airbus A330-200 will be used to launch service in early 2015. The new aircraft will be leased from ILFC and will be equipped with Rolls-Royce engines. Azul’s fleet currently comprises of 80 Embraer and 56 ATR aircraft.

With less than six years of operations, Azul already has flown more than 85 million customers and changed the face of air travel in the Brazilian market since its first flight, on December 15, 2008.

The foundation of the airline was built around the Brazilian made Embraer E-jet. From that foundation, Azul has expanded to 880 daily flights, which represents one-third of Brazil’s daily departures. The airline currently operates a fleet of 136 aircraft and employs more than 10.000 people.

Azul:

Airbus tests and unveils A350 cabin concepts

Airbus (Toulouse) has unveiled the A350 XWB’s development cabin interior installed on board flight-test aircraft msn 002 at the Airbus site in Hamburg. Airbus A350-941 F-WWCF (msn 002), which made its first flight on February 26, 2014, is the first of two test aircraft fitted with a passenger interior and is part of the growing A350 XWB development fleet. Intensive cabin flight and ground tests have already been performed during a two-week stay of the aircraft in Hamburg in mid-March 2014. The cabins of all Airbus aircraft are developed by the engineering and research teams based there. The new interior demonstrates how the aircraft’s “eXtra-wide” fuselage will soon offer passengers even more personal space, flexibility and comfort in business and economy classes, and especially, a wide 18” seat in 9-abreast economy.

A350 XWB msn 002 will be tasked with conducting a series of “Early Long Flights” with its cabin accommodating real passengers. ‘Hot and cold’ cabin trials will also feature in its busy test programme, which also includes validation of the advanced fourth-generation in-flight-entertainment (IFE). F-WWCF (msn 002) will soon be joined by the second cabin-equipped A350 msn 005, which will be tasked with route-proving flights around the world to the major destinations it will serve.

Together with the unveiling of the first A350 XWB test cabin, Airbus also inaugurated its dedicated A350 XWB Customer Definition Centre (CDC) where airline customers and operators will follow an efficient cabin design and definition process allowing shorter lead times. The CDC, which features individually tailored zones, enables the customers to see, feel and test the real catalogue solutions presented in a showroom environment, and in close cooperation with the risk-sharing partners. The centre also incorporates the innovative electronic “A350 XWB Configurator” – a virtual environment and modelling tool for accelerated cabin specification and visualisation. In short, the CDC is a “one-stop-shop” for airlines to establish their own A350 XWB cabin definition efficiently in one place.

Notable passenger-pleasing features of the A350 XWB cabin which customers can evaluate for real in the CDC include the full cabin LED lighting with 16.7 million possible colors for customized ambiances and scenarios, or the various galley options. They will also be able to experience the wide array of fourth-generation IFE consoles and high-definition display options – for which the associated electronics boxes and connections are smartly integrated and combined with the aircraft’s unique flat floor architecture, thus freeing-up even more personal space, under the seat.

Visitors to the CDC’s full-scale mock-ups will also appreciate the aircraft’s near-vertical sidewalls, adding eXtra spaciousness to the cabin and the large overhead stowage bins to match growing hand-luggage volume requirements.

The A350 XWB is Airbus’ all-new mid-size long range product line comprising three versions covering a wide range of capacities from 276 to 369 seats. This family, whose 221-inch wide internal cabin cross-section is optimized for full long-range passenger comfort in all classes, brings a 25 percent step change in efficiency compared with existing aircraft in this size category. At the end of March 2014, the A350 XWB had won 812 orders from 39 customers worldwide.

Top Copyright Photo: Olivier Gregoire/AirlinersGallery.com. Test aircraft Airbus A350-941 F-WWCF (msn 002) in the “Carbon Fiber” livery arrives back at Toulouse.

Kuwait Airways firms up its order for 10 Airbus A350-900s and 15 A320neo aircraft

Kuwait Airways (Kuwait City), the National airline of Kuwait, has ordered 25 aircraft including ten A350-900 and 15 A320neo Family aircraft as part of the airlines’ fleet renewal strategy. Kuwait Airways already operates three A320s, three A310s, five A300s and four A340 Family aircraft.

Image: Airbus.

Kuwait Airways:

Airbus brings the A350 to Doha on the way to Singapore

Airbus (Toulouse) has brought one of its new Airbus A350 to Doha’s new Hamad International Airport in Doha on its way to the Singapore Airshow. Airbus issued this stated:

An A350 XWB flight test aircraft (msn 3) has made its premiere appearance at Doha’s new Hamad International Airport, on its way to the Singapore Airshow. The visit is part of the Entry-into-Service preparations between Airbus and Qatar Airways, the A350 XWB launch customer, who will take delivery of its first A350 XWB in the fourth quarter of this year.

During the visit, the aircraft was welcomed by Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker as well as government officials, eager to see the aircraft performing in Qatar’s skies.

The A350 XWB (Xtra Wide-Body) is an all-new mid-size long range product line comprising three versions. The new Family, whose fuselage cross-section is optimized for full long-range passenger comfort in all classes, will bring a 25 percent step change in efficiency compared with existing aircraft in this size category. To date, the A350 XWB has won 812 orders from 39 customers worldwide.

Qatar Airways: