A350 XWB (MSN1) First Engine Run, Toulouse, France. Photo by Airbus.
On Sunday, The first Airbus A350-900 (MSN1) successfully completed starting up its engines, making it one step close to flight. Although Airbus is not stating when the A350 will have its first flight, many are hoping it will be in time for the Paris Air Show, which will run from June 17-23.
MORE: Photos + Video: First Airbus A350 Comes Out of Paint
When the first flight occurs there will be six crew members on-board: two flight test pilots, one test flight engineer and three flight test engineers. The two test pilots will be Peter Chandler, an Experimental Flight Test Pilot with Airbus since 2000 and Chief Test Pilot since 2011 and Guy Magrin, an Experimental Flight Test Pilot with Airbus since 2003 and Project Pilot for the A350 XWB.
Airbus plans to deliver the first A350-900 XWB in the second half of 2014 to its launch customer: Qatar Airways.
Check out the A380 in the background. Image from Airbus.
What is the difference between a ‘test light engineer’ and a ‘flight test engineer?’
They need people to check out all those LEDs and such inside the aircraft.
Or really an “f” was missing and now has been updated :).
Thanks
David
Test Flight Engineer is the Mechanic that is in the cockpit with the Pilot and Co-Pilot. On prototype aircraft the 3rd man is necessary because the Embedded Warning system is under test.
Flight Test Engineer is the guy in charge of the test : usually in the cabin zone with lots of parameter reading , synoptics, etc.