Fri, Feb 12, 2016
Largest Member Of A350 XWB Family Becomes Reality
Airbus has started final assembly of the first A350-1000 on schedule at the A350 XWB Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Toulouse, France. This A350-1000, one of three flight test aircraft to be built, will take to the skies for its maiden flight before the end of 2016. A350-1000 deliveries will start in mid-2017.
To ensure the smooth integration of the A350-1000 into the FAL while A350-900 production is ramping-up, Airbus has added three additional final assembly stations. For maximum flexibility, all stations in the A350 XWB FAL can be used for both models.
Currently in “Station 50” for fuselage join-up and nose landing gear installation, the first A350-1000 will next move to “Station 40” where the wings, main landing gear, pylons and tail planes will be installed.
To save time and optimize the A350 assembly process, Airbus starts the cabin furnishing and first electrical power-on in parallel to the structural assembly work. After this stage is completed, the aircraft continues through the FAL process, with final structural activities, ground tests, painting, cabin & cockpit completion and engines installation before being transferred to the flight test center.
While having a very high degree of commonality with the A350-900, the A350-1000, measuring nearly 74 meters from nose to tail, is the longest fuselage version of Airbus’ all-new family of wide body jetliners. The A350-1000 will be powered by Rolls Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, the most powerful engine developed for an Airbus aircraft. The A350-1000 comfortably seats 366 passengers in a typical 3-class configuration and flies on routes of up to almost 8,000 nautical miles which represents a significant revenue-generating advantage for operators.
(Image provided with Airbus news release)
More News
Aero Linx: Model Aeronautical Association of Australia MAAA clubs are about fun flying, camaraderie and community. For over 75 years, the MAAA has been Australia’s largest fl>[...]
Touchdown Zone Lighting Two rows of transverse light bars located symmetrically about the runway centerline normally at 100 foot intervals. The basic system extends 3,000 feet alon>[...]
“Discovery and innovation are central to our mission at Virgin Galactic. We’re excited to build on our successful record of facilitating scientific experiments in subor>[...]
How To Get A Story On Aero-TV News/Feature Programming How do I submit a story idea or lead to Aero-TV? If you would like to submit a story idea or lead, please contact Jim Campbel>[...]
Student Pilot Reported That During Rotation, “All Of A Sudden The Back Of The Plane Kicked To The Right..." Analysis: The student pilot reported that during rotation, “>[...]