Airbus successfully completes first flight of A350 XWB
Airbus completed (14-Jun-2013) the first test flight of an A350 XWB on 14-Jun-2013. The first flight, conducted from Toulouse-Blagnac Airport in France, lasted four hours and five minutes. For its first flight, the A350 XWB - carrying the registration F-WXWB - took off at around 221 tonnes take-off weight. The aircraft is an all-new mid-size long range product line comprising three versions and seating between 270 and 350 passengers in spacious three-class layouts. To date the A350 XWB has already won 613 firm orders from 33 customers worldwide. Airbus president and CEO Fabrice Bregier said the aircraft is now entering the final stage of its development and is "ready to head towards certification and entry-into-service in the second half of next year." The launch customer for the aircraft is Qatar Airways. [more - original PR]