The completed A350 XWB MSN001 is welcomed by Airbus employees in Toulouse. Photo from Airbus.
The painting of the first Airbus A350 XWB was completed today in Toulouse, France. The aircraft is sporting the typcial Airbus livery that took about seven days to complete.
The aircraft, MSN001, has also completed flight-test-instrumentation (FTI) verification, engine installation and a subsequent intensive phase of ground vibration tests. Airbus is expecting MSN001 to complete its maiden flight this summer.
First A350 XWB nose section being unloaded from the Beluga aircraft at St Nazaire. Photo by Airbus. Click for larger.
Now that the Boeing 787 Dreamliner has been delivered and will soon be entering service, I want to share some love with the Airbus A350 XWB.
The A350 line up currently planned will overall, be larger than the 787, even though there will be some overlap. The smaller A350-800 will compete with the larger 787-9 and 787-10. The A350 is slated to carry 250 to 400 passengers, where the 787 models will carry about 210-290 passengers.
Cut away of the Airbus A350 XWB from Flightglobal. Click for larger.
The A350 will be the first airliner manufactured by Airbus using 53% composite materials. We have previously seen the upper wing cover and landing gear, now something a bit more recognizable; the A350 XWB nose section. The A350 nose section comes in three different parts, which is different than the Boeing 787 coming in just one.
At this time, the A350 has 567 orders, where the first aircraft is expected to go to Qatar Airways sometime in later 2013.
The first landing gear for the Airbus A350 has been installed. Photo from Airbus. Click for larger.
Sorry time is making me go super lazy on this one and copy/paste the official Airbus press release with the photo:
The first A350 XWB nose landing gear produced by Liebherr Aerospace has been successfully installed in the A350 XWB landing gear systems test facility in Filton (UK).
In the coming weeks, the main landing gear supplied by Messier-Dowty will be installed and preliminary testing of all three landing gear legs will start. Full integration testing will begin with the entry into service of the facility towards the end of 2011. These tests are carried out to demonstrate reliability and maturity in addition to providing evidence for certification, especially with regards to the extension-retraction, braking and steering systems.
The test facility, called « landing gear zero », is part of a series of integration test benches specifically developed to test the A350 XWB systems in order to ensure that the aircraft meets the highest standards of in-service reliability from day one. Other A350 XWB system integration tests facilities such as this one are ’œcabin zero’ for testing the integration of cabin systems into the cabin structure and ’œaircraft zero’ known also as the ’œiron bird’ for testing the integration of the hydraulic, electric and flight control systems.
Boeing 787 Dreamliner ZA003 at Paine Field
Boeing tonight announced another delay in the 787 Dreamliner program. Normally this means comments on new sites will fill with frustration on Boeing inability to get this plane to market. I have some opinions of my own, but before I give them, here is the press release that Boeing released tonight:
The Boeing (NYSE: BA) Company said today that it now expects delivery of the first 787 in the middle of the first quarter 2011.
The delivery date revision follows an assessment of the availability of an engine needed for the final phases of flight test this fall.
While Boeing works closely with Rolls-Royce to expedite engine availability, flight testing across the test fleet continues as planned.
Boeing said last month that the cumulative impact of a series of issues, including supplier workmanship issues related to the horizontal stabilizer and instrumentation delays, could push first delivery of the 787 a few weeks into 2011. The delay in engine availability has extended that estimate to mid-first quarter 2011.
The schedule revision will not affect the company’s financial guidance.
Of course this is something that Boeing is not happy about. Heck it is something I am not happy about either. The 787 has already been plagued with delays. The first issue, in my opinion, was that Boeing made a timeline of completion that was too aggressive and unrealistic. Then we get the workmanship issue with the horizontal stabilizers that wasn’t good and also the more recent failure of a Rolls Royce Trent 1000 engine. However, I feel all these delays will easily be forgotten shortly after the Dreamliner makes it to the market. Remember, this is a very complex aircraft that represents the next generation of airliners.
When Boeing first introduced their first jetliner, the Boeing 707 it was easy to tell it was a totally new type of airplane. It looked unique sporting jet engines instead of props. I feel that the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, like the 707, is the next generation of airliner of its time. I think people have a hard time realizing that, since it doesn’t look all that different from current airlines. Boeing is not the only one experiencing delays building the airplanes of the future.
As Airbus continues to work on their next generation airplane, the Airbus A350, they are not immune to their own delays. Flight Blogger is reporting that the first delivery of the A350 will be delayed until at least 2014. It is still very early on in their process and even though they have learned a lot from Boeing’s delays, I assume this won’t be the last delay for the A350 we will hear about.
Creating the next generation of aircraft is not easy. It has taken some of the best minds in the world at Boeing and Airbus to move both of these programs forward. With with all the know-how, money and drive to succeed, there will be bumps in the road. Previous airliners have seen delays as well through out history and most of those delays are quickly forgotten.
This makes me very sad that I will have to wait a few more months to see the first Boeing 787 in ANA livery carrying passengers. But I tell you what… the first time I am able to fly in a Dreamliner, it will be totally worth the wait!
Shout out to Jon @ FlightBlogger for following this story.
Some of the Airbus A350 lavatory options. Click the link to RunwayGirl's blog for larger version.
Now that the Boeing 787 and Boeing 747-8 have taken their first flights, attention is starting to move towards watching the new Airbus A350. Mary Kirby, over on her blog RunwayGirl, is posting a glimpse of the interior of the new Airbus A350.
Airbus has been working on the Aircraft Description Document, defining what interior options will be available. With the A350, Airbus hopes to increase flexibility in cabin layout, without having to change the structure of the aircraft.
The Airbus A350 is Airbus’ answer to the Boeing 787 (and partially to the B777). Like the Boeing 787, it will be made primarily of carbon fiber and be more fuel efficient compared to previous aircraft types. Currently the A350-900XWB is expected to carry more passengers and fly farther than the Boeing 787-8. The first flight is currently scheduled for 2012, with delivery scheduled for 2013.
Check our RunwayGirl’s blog for more photos and information on the Airbus A350 interior.
And if you are on Twitter, we made #A350XWP the official hashtag for the Airbus A350 (if that makes no sense to you, don’t worry about it).
connect | web | twitter | facebook |
