Airbus A350-1000 Enters Flight Test and Certification Campaign

The Airbus A350-1000 took to the sky for the first time on Thursday.

Performing the initial in-flight evaluation from Toulouse-Blagnac Airport in southwestern France was the aircraft bearing the Manufacturing Serial Number 59 (MSN059) – one of three jetliners that will participate in the A350-1000 flight test and certification campaign.

Measuring nearly 74 metres from nose to tail, the A350-1000 has a maximum range of 7,950 nautical miles.

The A350-1000’s longer fuselage translates to greater capacity, seating 366 passengers (+40 seats compared to the A350-900) in a typical three-class configuration.

Further enhancing the A350-1000’s efficiency are its latest-generation Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 turbofan jet powerplants.

Eleven airline and aircraft leasing customers have already ordered 195 A350-1000s.

Deliveries of the A350-1000 are planned to begin in the second half of 2017 with launch customer Qatar Airways (which has ordered 37 aircraft). Other carriers that have booked A350-1000s are United Airlines (with 35 on order), Cathay Pacific (26), Etihad (22) British Airways (18), LATAM (14), Japan Airlines (13), Asiana Airlines (10), Air Lease Corporation (9), Virgin Atlantic (8), and Air Caraïbes (3).

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