A350-1000 “would be ideal for us”. Saudi Arabian discount carrier flynas in talks with Airbus.

Saudi Arabian discount carrier flynas has entered into negotiating talks with Airbus on a possible A350-1000 order linked to an upgrade of a deal for 20 A320s, its chief executive has said.

http://www.alfaristours.com/#!flynas/c15zd

Raja Azmi said he met with Airbus executives on the sidelines of the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai to swap the A320 order and discuss a possible A350 order. He also met with Boeing executives to discuss the Boeing Dreamliner 787.

“Yesterday we started discussions, so we are talking to both Boeing and Airbus during this time to look at all the possibilities. We’re still open in terms of the aircraft type for the long haul,” Azmi said. The airline currently leases aircraft for its long-haul routes.

http://gulfnews.com/business/aviation/saudi-s-flynas-starts-renegotiating-airbus-aircraft-order-1.1329397

Azmi said the A350-1000 “would be ideal for us because they have a bigger capacity than the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and they can go far so we can fly to Jakarta [Indonesia] and the United States.”

He ruled out looking at the Boeing 777 model, which “are a bit pricey,” but said he is open to the Dreamliner.

http://www.airplane-pictures.net/photo/345902/vp-cxj-flynas-airbus-a320/

Azmi said he will take his time to gauge which long haul aircraft he will order. However, he admits he cannot take too long with delivery dates on new aircraft ordered today not expected until the end of the decade.

Based on the article “Saudi’s flynas starts renegotiating Airbus aircraft order” published in Gulf News.

Production-representative engines installed in the A350 MSN5 flight test airframe.

The first set of “production-representative” Trent XWB engines for the A350 is being installed onto the final test aircraft MSN5 in Toulouse after it has left the paint-shop, while the first full production specification engine has been shipped to Airbus for installation on the initial customer airframe MSN6.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/industry/10835098/Rolls-Royces-newest-jet-engine-the-XWB.html

The MSN5 is the first batch-2 (B2) airframe built to full production specification and is the 2^ndA350 to be equipped with a furnished cabin.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/industry/10835098/Rolls-Royces-newest-jet-engine-the-XWB.html?frame=2912894

Airbus said that while MSN5´s Trents are not the first production-standard engines built, they are “production representative, as the aircraft will test the standard that will be delivered to customers”. This aircraft will participate in the A350´s route-proving program, which is due to be flown in conjunction with Qatar Airways in Doha.

Based on the article “Production-representative XWBs readied for A350” published in Flight International.

A350 Evacuation tests successfully performed.

Airbus has performed successfully the “partial” evacuation tests at Airbus´ Hamburg site. The tests were done on doors 1 and doors 3. The full test is not necessary in A350 XWB as some equipment is consistent with other models like A330.

http://www.airbus.com/fileadmin/media_gallery/files/tech_data/AC/AC_A350-900_20130601-June-2013.pdf

These tests are required for Certification and a representative passenger load of persons in normal health was used in the MSN2 cabin equipped flight test prototype; at least 40% of the passenger load was female, and at least 35% was over 50 years of age. Additionally, and as required by Appendix J to Part25 of the FAA requirements, 3 life-size dolls were carried by passengers to simulate live infants 2 years old or younger.

pic.twitter.com/sBoD3DeQR7

Based on the article “Airbus A350 : les essais d'évacuation passagers ont été faits” published in Air&Cosmos. 

5th flight test prototype will join the A350 Certification program in coming weeks.

Airbus is continuing the “no surprise” flight program for the A350 XWB, with more than 1.700 hours logged in preparation for certification later this year – clearing the way for deliveries to customer airlines.

One of the four A350 XWBs currently involved in the program took a brief time-out to join opening day ceremonies at ILA Berlin 2014 Air Show, and then departed for the continuation of its work.  A5th aircraft is being prepped to join the test and certification effort, with its maiden takeoff planned in the coming weeks.

The A350 XWB is living up to expectations as the developmental aircraft are being put through their paces, according to Wolfgang Absmeier, an Airbus experimental test pilot who has been fully involved in the A350’s flight test program.

“One of the surprises with this ‘carbon airplane’ is that we’ve had no surprises,” Absmeier explained.  As an example, he noted the critical flutter testing – to which every new aircraft is subjected, determining the dynamic aeroelasticity – was performed within 1 week for the A350 XWB, compared to 6 weeks for the A380.

In parallel to the flight tests, more than 13.200 cumulative hours have been logged on “zero test” means like “iron bird” and flying testbed.

Pictures: https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/sonic-photos/

Based on the press release “The A350 XWB is proving itself in flight evaluations leading to certification this year”

A350 XWB Program at Germany.

Airbus has reported that the A350 XWB appearance at the 2014 ILA Berlin Air Show has had the dual role of spotlighting Airbus’ newest jetliner and underscoring the company’s important industrial, engineering and research ties to Germany.

http://www.airbus.com/galleries/photo-gallery/

With nearly 30.000 people working directly for Airbus and its owned subsidiaries in Germany – including some 4.000 specifically involved in the A350 XWB’s development – the country is continuing key contributions that trace their roots to Airbus’ cornerstone A300 jetliner, according to President and CEO Fabrice Brégier. Nearly 40% of the company’s engineering workforce of approximately 12.500 engineers is located in the country.

“Airbus recently was awarded the 2nd place ranking among top German companies, which is particularly impressive when you consider all of this country’s brand name car manufacturers,” Brégier told journalists at a show-opening ILA Berlin press briefing.  “It underscores the environment of Airbus as a good place to work, and reinforces Germany’s role in our success.”

http://www.thenational.ae/business/aviation/in-pictures-ila-berlin-air-show-opens#image-6

Among Airbus’ activities in northern Germany is the structural assembly and equipping of fuselage sections for the A350 XWB at the Hamburg-Finkenwerder plant.

Cabin outfitting is another specialty of Hamburg in its role as the center of competence for fuselage and cabins, and where a new Customer Definition Centre (CDC) dedicated to the A350 XWB recently was inaugurated. Hamburg is the location as well for a large spares facility and 24-hour call centre at the service of Airbus customers and operators.

https://www.facebook.com/PerpignanSpotting?fref=photo

In Bremen, Airbus has located the responsibility for design and manufacture of wing high-lift systems on the A350 XWB, where wings are fully outfitted.

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/landing-signal-officer-guides-airbus-a350-900-parked-photo-155833461.html

Stade is one of the world’s leading centres for the application of weight-saving composite CFRP (carbon fibre reinforced plastic) materials.  It produces the A350 XWB upper wing shell – the largest integrated carbon fibre component ever made by Airbus – along with the A350 XWB vertical tail plane.

http://www.thenational.ae/business/aviation/in-pictures-ila-berlin-air-show-opens#image-6

Research, technology and development work in Germany also has a key place in Airbus’ innovation and development.  Nearly 40% of the company’s engineering workforce of approximately 12.500 engineers is located in the country, with key capabilities in flight physics, fuselage structures, cabin and cargo systems, environmental control and industrial technology.  More than 1.000 patents have been created during the past five years by Airbus engineering teams in Germany.

Based on the press release “Airbus and Germany: A long, and important relationship”

A350 Indoor extreme temperature tests completed.

The MSN2 has left McKinley Climatic Lab at Eglin Air Force base in northwest Florida after completing the extreme hot and cold temperatures tests in 2 weeks.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BoJIluACYAA21XU.jpg:large

This flight test aircraft is cabin equipped and during the tests, different systems and cabin installations have been checked.

The plane has made a flyby over Airbus-Mobile FAL that is under construction in it's way back to Toulouse.

ETOPS certification. How many minutes is the A350 allowed to fly away from emergency landing strips?

While European and U.S. regulators most often work in tandem, safety officials say there will be a gap of several months between transatlantic approvals needed to allow the A350 to fly on routes involving long stretches over water.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/47086222@N03/14089803295/lightbox/

The Extended Operations or ETOPS rules determine the maximum amount of flying time planes can stray from the nearest airport. Airbus has asked for a margin of at least 3 hours, matching the current rule for the 787.

Sources say EASA's certification plan calls for 180 minutes ETOPS from the outset, but the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) may take a few months longer to consider the same level of clearance.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/47086222@N03/14071286211/lightbox/

Industry experts say this will not immediately disrupt deliveries since the first few A350s are earmarked for airlines that operate Airbus aircraft delivered under EASA certification.

But Airbus will need to meet the same rules for the FAA before delivering to airlines in parts of the world where the FAA takes the lead.

Airbus said it aimed for EASA and FAA approval for "beyond" 180 ETOPS from the outset. In January/2014 it was published that Airbus has the ambitious goal for A350: to be allowed to fly 420 minutes away from emergency landing strips.

http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/2014/05/airbus-shows-off-a3httpaviationblog-dallasnewsblogs-comp21964previewtrue50xwb-to-american-airlines.html/

ETOPS qualifications are central to the business plans for the rival carbon-fiber jets, both designed to fly efficiently and reliably on 2 engines where some older planes used 4.

Boeing said last week the FAA was considering an application to lift the 787's ETOPS margin to 330 minutes.

Based on the article “Airbus set for A350 safety approval in late summer: EASA” published in Reuters.