Airbus A350 XWB Flight test campaign
 

We are approaching A350XWB First flight.

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z...ps21be14ea.jpg
http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/3...aintshotwi.jpg

Now systems and engine tests, taxiing, high speed runs and RTO at MTOW?

There is a german site that claims Airbus confirmed it had started A350 taxi tests on tuesday.

Airbus A350 Prototyp beginnt Rolltests in Toulouse - FLUG REVUE

I saw it taxiing this afternoon!

good luck Airbus. I'm sure this will be another mighty fine product which Boeing will be monitoring closely.

http://www.airbus.com/typo3temp/pics/91809a22be.jpg

Two test pilots and the project test flight engineer will be located in the cockpit:
· Peter Chandler, an Experimental Flight Test Pilot with Airbus since 2000 and Chief Test Pilot since 2011;

· Guy Magrin, an Experimental Flight Test Pilot with Airbus since 2003 and Project Pilot for the A350 XWB;

· Pascal Verneau, who has held various positions in Airbus’ flight test division since 1999 and is the A350 XWB Project Test Flight Engineer.

Our A350 XWB Project pilots have been heavily involved in cockpit and systems design and integrations from the operational perspective.
The three remaining first flight test crew members, all of them Experimental Flight Test Engineers, will be working at dedicated flight test stations and managing the progress of the flight profile:

· Fernando Alonso, Flight Test Engineer with Airbus since 1982 and Head of Airbus Flight & Integration Test Centre since 2007;

· Patrick du Ché, Flight Test Engineer with Airbus since 2001 and currently Head of Development Flight Tests since 2012;

· Emanuele Constanzo, Flight Test Engineer with Airbus since 2004 and lead Flight Test Engineer for the Trent XWB engine.

http://www.airlinereporter.com/wp-co...engine_run.jpg

Whilst I admire the project and am deeply envious of the test crew...



.... just how exactly did the first prototype get designated "-900" ?

They'd better adjust the idle mixture; it's running a bit rich at the moment judging by that photo...

how exactly did the first prototype get designated "-900" ?
 

My guess is that they initially copied the 787-8 (-800) then realised this is too small (correct) and decided the first to fly would be the -900.

But then the A380 is a -800 also ...

Some more close-ups.

http://www.aviationweek.com/Portals/...6-13.50.03.jpg

Think-Dash: Latest A350 Photos: MSN001 Almost Ready To Fly

taxi tests
 

The A350 XWB prototype is performing braking tests at increasing speeds.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3817/8...5f353c1e_c.jpg

This was sunday's 80 knots RTO test. Today they seem to plan another one at 140 kts but ATC is on strike. Until this afternoon only limited services available.

Airbus confirmed she'll go up for the first time on Friday (14 June) - Airbus says new A350 flies for 1st time on Friday | Business & Technology | The Seattle Times

rto
 

Nice looking airplane.

What's the saying? "If it looks right, it'll fly right". To me, that looks very "right" - bit like the 757-200 did/does.

Do we know cruise Mach yet - the sweep on the wings looks huge.

Live webcast of first flight here: A350 XWB First Flight.

Starts 09:00 UK time, aircraft due to be airborne at 10:00.

But it says starts 0700 UTC and airborne 0800 UTC.
I thought UK was UTC plus 1 in the summer?

I am on the project and can confirm T/O time is planned for 10:00 BST friday 14th. It is starting at the earlier time so all systems checks are done, when I was doing test flights it was not unusual to be on the aircraft 5 hours before planned T/O time.

FWIW local news sources all saying 1000 French time:

e.g. A350 : décollage demain - 13/06/2013