A350 first prototype MSN1 tests on Châteauroux-Déols. Video

The first A350 prototype MSN1 has been on the Châteauroux-Déols Airport last week performing different tests.

Click the picture to watch video1

The MSN1 has many Flight Test Instrumentation focused on the Natural Ice campaign installed as it can be seen in the pictures and in the video.

Click the picture to watch video2
Braking tests and several landings & take-offs were performed testing engines and different landing configurations.

Based on the article “L'Airbus A350 sur l'aéroport de Châteauroux” published in La nouvelle Republique.

Engineer of the year is... Didier Evrard, Head of A350 program in Airbus

Didier Evrard is Mr A350. And he received the award of “the engineer of the year” in December during the annual ceremony organized by Usine Nouvelle magazine.

He has managed an industrial development for last 7 years with more than 10,000 engineers and with a cost exceeding EUR 10 billion. This former student of the École Centrale de Lyon and Sup'Aero has celebrated in July his 60 years "with pride" one month later than the First Flight of the A350.

"Didier Evrard has big pressure on the shoulders, but works quietly, discreetly," reflects Françoise Vallin, CFE - CGC Airbus trade union delegate.

"At first, people were stunned that we did not choosen an airbusien”, said Louis Gallois former EADS CEO. "He had never worked on an aircraft during his career and we appointed him as the Head of the most difficult program never done”.

"Great skills, respect for the process, attention to detail and overall vision", described Bregier. To carry out the A350 XWB program, he has developed a battery of activities: technology demonstrators, shared and harmonized tools & schedule of Airbus and its subcontractors, proximity with airlines, better controlled communication...



Based on the article “L'ingénieur de l'année est... Didier Evrard, directeur du programme A350 “ published in Usine Nouvelle

FAA may impose “special conditions” for A350 Type Certification concerned about safety & maintenance protection: has the design of the A350-900 allow for too much connectivity between the aircraft control domain and other electronic systems onboard?

The Federal Aviation Administration is concerned that the design of the Airbus A350-900 airplane might allow for too much connectivity between the aircraft control domain and other electronic systems onboard the aircraft, which could result in the “intentional or unintentional destruction, disruption, degradation or exploitation of data, systems, and networks critical to the safety and maintenance of the airplane.”

Consequently, the FAA has announced that it may impose “special conditions” on that specific Airbus plane before issuing a “type certificate” that would allow the plane to fly commercially.
Those special conditions would require Airbus to “ensure airplane electronic system security protection from access to or by unauthorized sources external to the airplane,” that any threats are identified and assessed, that “electronic system security protection strategies are implemented,” and that procedures are put in place to ensure that continued airworthiness of the aircraft is maintained.

“These airplanes will have a novel or unusual design feature associated with electronic system security protection from unauthorized external access,” explains the FAA’s notice. “The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature.”

“Contemporary transport category airplanes have both safety-related and non-safety-related electronic system networks for many operational functions,” the FAA notice continues. “However, electronic system network security considerations and functions have played a relatively minor role in the certification of such systems because of the isolation, protection mechanisms, and limited connectivity between the different networks.”


Based on the article “FAA concerned about interconnectivity of electronic systems on Airbus A350-900 airplanes “ published in Government security news.

Airbus relies on the background of Saab to develop and manufacture the flap support structure for the A350-1000. SABCA from Belgium will continue manufacturing the same work-package for A350-900 model.

Saab has signed a contract with Airbus to become a supplier for the A350-1000. The agreement covers design, development and manufacturing of the flap support structures. Saab will be the single-source supplier for these components in the A350-1000.
This is Saab’s first system win on the new Airbus aircraft and gives Saab a key role on this fast-growing aviation program.

“This marks a break-through on yet another Airbus platform confirming our expertise and competitiveness as a global actor on the commercial aviation market. With this contract we further cement Saab as an important and long-term partner to Airbus and we look forward to working with Airbus on the game-changing A350-1000 program," says Lars Jensen, head of Saab’s business unit Aerostructures.

Pictures available at http://www.flickr.com/photos/aircrafts/

Flap support structures link the landing flaps to the wing trailing-edge structure and allow the deployment of the flaps during the take-off and landing phases.

Saab is responsible for the design, development, stress analysis and manufacture of the flap support structures as well as the development and procurement of production tools. The work package comprises both metallic and composites content with a high degree of complex assembly included. The development and production will take place at the Saab Aerostructures facility in Linköping, Sweden.

Based on the press release “SAAB SIGNS CONTRACT WITH AIRBUS FOR A350-1000 FLAP SUPPORT“

A350 XWB presentation from EADS Investor Forum held last week in London.

Presented by Fabrice Bregier, President and CEO of Airbus, these are some of the slides for a general overview of the A350 XWB Program.

Other presentations of the Investor Forum are available in this link:

http://www.eads.com/eads/int/en/investor-relations/key-financial-information/investor-forums/gif2013.html

Air Caraibes will buy 3 A350-1000 and lease another 3 A350-900.

French airline Air Caraibes announced plans for a $1,5 billion order for 3 A350-1000 aircraft and lease of further 3 smaller A350-900 in the largest order in it´s 10-year history.

High density lay-out.

The A350-900 will have a 380 seats configuration and the A350-1000 a 440 seat configuration, with 30% of seats more than its current A330, "finding a competitive advantage." The A350 has an exit limit of 440 passengers with the standard 4-door (per side) configuration. 

The airline is renewing the entire long-haul fleet between 2016 and 2020. Air Caraibes will be the first French company with a A350-900 starting from December/2016, as Air France´s first aircraft, from an order of 25, will be delivered 2 years later in 2018.

Air Caraibes appears only in the 9th rank of French companies, with 1.2 million passengers, but it has become the most profitable of French airlines, increasing in 10 years its turnover by 8 and its workforce by 4.

Based on the article “Air Caraïbes s'offre l'A350 pour ses dix ans de transatlantique” published in Les Echos.

Different colors for the new aircraft liveries have their meaning. A350 XWB will present a special black&white paint scheme for the cabin equipped A350 prototypes MSN2 and MSN5, while Boeing has presented the 777X in a dark red-burgundy.

Last month, during the 777X presentation in Dubai AirShow, marketing materials for the airplane, and the livery employed dark red -- burgundy -- as a color theme. It's a departure from Boeing's deep-blue brand, but they did something similar when it rebanded the 747-8 with orange livery.

The choice of burgundy for the 777X is no accident; “The choice of burgundy was not made overnight. Boeing had to complete quite a bit of research before deciding on their new color. Different colors can have different meanings, and Boeing did not want to end up insulting a particular culture or airline based on a wrong choice."

"Believe it or not, there has been quite a bit of work done on seeing what feelings and words that people relate with colors. Boeing found some key thoughts connected to the color burgundy, which they wanted passengers and airline customers to associate with the plane. Those words are vigor, elegance, refinement, high-end, richness, leadership, and maturity. Think of the color as a fine wine, in literal color and embodiment.” said Rob Pollack, vice president Advertising, Brand and Market Positioning with Boeing.

Airbus´ official color is blue as well as Boeing´s, but there have been many different liveries with some variation of their color roots.

The cabin equipped A350 prototypes MSN2 and MSN5 will have a special livery in black & white that will be officially shown in coming weeks by Airbus. The high % of caborn fiber used in the A350 XWB is what Airbus wants to highlight with these colors.

Based on the article “Boeing Goes Burgundy on the 777X – Why? “ published in AirlineReporter