Airbus A350 XWB news

[cnc]

the A340-500 and A330-300 remain my fav. airbus types if its about the looks
face down, ass up!

[Boeing767copilot]

Airbus confirms that the A350 XWB first flight is planned for this Friday, 14th June, based on current visibility of the programme and the flight test status. Weather conditions permitting, the A350 XWB “MSN1” will take off from Toulouse-Blagnac airport at around 10:00 am local time. Below the satellite transmission parameters to broadcast the signal.


http://www.airbus.com/presscentre/event-information/

[Passenger]

Live coverage today, as from 09h BRU-time (0700 UTC):

http://www.a350xwbfirstflight.com

[luchtzak]

Live coverage today, as from 09h BRU-time (0700 UTC):

http://www.a350xwbfirstflight.com

On youtube:

[Zorba]

You can follow the flight on Flightradar24 as well:

http://fr24.com/AIB350

[BrightCedars]

Can anybody tell me if the gear remaining down above the clouds is a standard procedure for a first flight?

Will they test it later in this flight or in another?

[BrightCedars]

Seems like the gear has since been raised!

[Zorba]

Can anybody tell me if the gear remaining down above the clouds is a standard procedure for a first flight?

Will they test it later in this flight or in another?

It is indeed standard procedure. They first test the aircraft like this before moving to a full 'clean' config (gear up - flaps up).

A350 looks much nicer without the gear, imo

[travellover]

Very nice and classy bird !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... Ql55BiUp4Y#!

[sn26567]

The first flight seems limited to some 14000 ft. MSN001 will be on the ground for a few days after this flight, then tackle initial high-speed, high-altitude testing during its second flight.

[sn26567]

The first flight seems limited to some 14000 ft.

After 3 hours at FL140, MSN001 has climbed to FL250 and accelerated to 490 knots.

[Streetstream]

She's approaching the runway and will land shorly.

[KriVa]

They'll be doing a low pass first, though

[galaxy]

Beautiful video of first flight :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7U6IJ-LS3Xs

[sn26567]

They'll be doing a low pass first)

On the way to TLS for the low pass



... and the low pass at 1500 ft over the runway


Pictures Airbus

[sn26567]

MSN001 will be on the ground for a few days after this flight, then tackle initial high-speed, high-altitude testing during its second flight.

This second flight is necessary before the Airbus people can think at a fly over the Paris Air Show. Airbus will do everything it can to have the third A350 flight at Le Bourget on Friday, June 21st, when President Hollande will visit the show.

On another topic, is there any specialist in our audience who could tell me which type of plastic is used in the carbon-fibre composites that make the structure of the A350 (or in the 787 for that matter) ?

I asked the question when I visited Airbus in Hamburg with the AvGeeks, but the guide refused to answer that question. The types that come to mind are epoxy or polyester, but that's only a guess...

[Bralo20]

On another topic, is there any specialist in our audience who could tell me which type of plastic is used in the carbon-fibre composites that make the structure of the A350 (or in the 787 for that matter) ?

I asked the question when I visited Airbus in Hamburg with the AvGeeks, but the guide refused to answer that question. The types that come to mind are epoxy or polyester, but that's only a guess...

It's a CFRP, Carbon-Fibre Reinforced Polymer. More specificly it's HexPly M21 made by Hexcel.

It's an sort of epoxy reinforced with carbon fibers.

The datasheet: http://www.hexcel.com/Resources/DataShe ... global.pdf

[sn-remember]

I've just looked through this video from airbus marketing team.. Tremendous pictures of the A350XWB !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7U6IJ-LS3Xs
I wish them great success ..
Oddly this plane reminds me of the DC8.. Don't know why

[sn-remember]

This link is better:
: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DC9qmo7roWc

[Passenger]

video of 4 minutes "Best of 14th June":