Second A350 XWB test aircraft successfully completes first flight
Airbus announced (14-Oct-2013) the second A350 XWB to fly, MSN3, successfully competed its first flight, lasting approximately five hours. MSN3 - similarly to the first test flight aircraft, MSN1 - has no cabin interior but is equipped with heavy flight test installation. MSN1 to date has flown 330 flight test hours in almost 70 flights. These flights have been devoted to the identification and freeze of all flap and slat configurations, loads and aeroelastic testing and evaluation of the aircraft's handling characteristics and systems' operation throughout the operational envelope. Three more A350 XWB test aircraft will join MSN 1 and MSN 3 to perform the planned 2500 hours up to type certification. Airbus has 725 firm orders from 37 customers for the A350. [more - original PR]