Airbus maker European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. or EADS NV (EADSF.PK,EADSY.PK) Friday said the first A350 XWB had its maiden flight this morning, taking off from Blagnac in Toulouse, France.
According to EADS, A350 XWB is the world's most efficient large twin-engined commercial aircraft. The plane is equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent XWB turbofans.
The A350 XWB is Airbus' all-new mid-size long range product line comprising three versions. It has a capacity of 270 to 350 passengers in three-class layouts.
It is expected to use 25 percent less fuel and provide an equivalent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. The plane has so far won 613 firm orders from 33 customers.
The first flight was over south western France with an international crew of six on board, including two flight test pilots, one test flight engineer and three flight test engineers. It took four hours.
Peter Chandler, Airbus' Chief Test Pilot, and Guy Magrin, Project Pilot for the A350 XWB, are at the controls of this first flight. Pascal Verneau, the A350 XWB project test flight engineer, is accompanying them in the cockpit.
This is the beginning of a test campaign totaling around 2,500 flight hours with a fleet of five development aircraft.
The flight testing will lead to the certification of the A350-900 variant by the European EASA and US FAA airworthiness authorities, before it enters into service in the second half of 2014 with first operator Qatar Airways.
EADS shares are marginally higher in Paris at 43.04 euros.
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