A350’s maintenance program submitted for approval to authorities.

The A350’s maintenance program has been submitted for approval to the EASA, FAA and Transport Canada airworthiness authorities, representing a major milestone in preparations for the jetliner’s service introduction.  

http://www.langenfeld.fr

Definitive approval is expected during the summer, prior to the aircraft’s type certification and first customer delivery. 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bycac/14304587176/in/photostream/

The early involvement of Airbus’ maintenance and engineering teams – and discussions with authorities and customers – contributed to the development of an efficient A350 XWB maintenance program. 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/46799619@N04/14324396971/lightbox/

In particular, it will feature fewer and simpler maintenance visits, and flexible packaging of tasks, resulting in reduced scheduled maintenance workload compared with earlier generation aircraft.



Based on the press release "Maintenance programme submitted in preparation for the A350 XWB’s certification and service entry"

Spirit plans workforce adjustments in the transition to A350 series production.

Some salaried workers at Spirit AeroSystems’ Kinston, N.C. plant may be laid off as one of its major programs there continues to transition from development to production.

Officials from the Wichita-based company said that as the work in Kinston on the Airbus A350 commercial jetliner transitions, there will be a “small number” of salaried employees who will be reassigned to other work at Spirit or laid off, without specifying the number of people affected.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/49477547@N04/14343364991/lightbox/

“We did have some changes in our work statement” Spirit spokesman Ken Evans said. “It’s all on the salaried side of business. At the same time we are realigning and reducing some of our salaried workforce, we continue to expect measured hiring for hourly positions to support production rates.”

https://www.flickr.com/photos/49477547@N04/14330416325/lightbox/

Spirit has about 440 employees in it´s 500.000-square-foot facility at N.C. Global TransPark in Kinston where the composite A350 center fuselage upper & lower shells and wing spar are manufactured.

These parts are sent by plane to Spirit´s European facilities in  Saint-Nazaire (France) and Prestwick (Scotland) to complete the installation prior to deliver them to Airbus pre-FALs.

Based on the article “Spirit AeroSystems reducing N.C. workforce by a ‘small number’” published in the The Wichita Eagle

A350 crosswind landing video.

Great video of the tests done last week -Thursday and Friday- at Keflavik airport in Iceland.
A350 first flight-test aircraft MSN1 F-WXWB used the runway 11/29 about 90° to the northerly winds blowing.

Click on the picture to watch the video

https://www.flickr.com/photos/35133216@N05/14382814048/lightbox/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/35133216@N05/14382837149/in/photostream/

A350 will debut at Farnborough Airshow

Airbus has confirmed that the A350 will be making its first airshow appearance at the 2014 Farnborough International Airshow taking place between 14-20th July. 

The A350 XWB will take part in the flying and static display for the first part of the week. The MSN4 flight-test prototype will be probably the aircraft attending the airshow as it has an hybrid livery with Airbus and Qatar colours. 

http://www.flugrevue.de/zivilluftfahrt/ila-berlin-air-show-2014/ila-2014-airbus-a350/572510?special_id=547156&skip=13#13-572478

This prototype has been in Berlin ILA and Singapore Airshows before. After one month on ground performing different tests, the MSN4 is flying again since last Thursday 4/July.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mav31/14286767632/

Based on the press release “Airbus’ leading wide-body aircraft Family on show at Farnborough”

Angela Merkel visits China this weekend. Airbus Group CEO Tom Enders joins the commercial mission.

German Chancellor Dr Angela Merkel has flown to China this weekend for her 7th visit, eager to deepen trade and investment ties between the export powerhouses of Europe and Asia.

http://www.airbus.com/galleries/photo-gallery/?p=5#open=galleries/photo-gallery/dg/idp/38901-ila-berlin-2014-merkel-and-bregier-visit-a350-xwb/

Despite the abundance of meetings, Angela Merkel has embarked on a 3-day state visit to China. No other European leader has met with the Chinese leadership as much as Merkel.

Angela Merkel visited China and the A320-FAL in Tianjin in August/2012 and during that visit China announced the agreement for 50 A320 family aircraft.

http://northamerica.airbus-group.com/north-america/usa/en/news/press.20140520_airbus_group_ila_merkel.html

She tries to improve relations and drum up business for European companies. She is being accompanied by several top German executives including Tom Enders, Airbus Group CEO who was also in the mission of 2012. Two weeks ago he welcomed French & German Economy-Ministers at the A350 FAL in Toulouse.

Based on the article “Angela Merkel en visite de trois jours en Chine avec le gratin du DAX” published in LesEchos.

Emirates “virtually cancelled” the A350 order in May

Airbus knew of the cancellation of a 70 aircraft order from Emirates well in advance of their disclosure during Innovation Days. This is the suggestion of an article published in Challenges  (here) by Vincent Lamigeon -that AirInsight translates into English.-

http://arabianindustry.com/aviation/interviews/2013/nov/20/we-could-have-bought-more-a380s-if-there-was-airport-space-says-emirates-boss-tim-clark-4514939/#.U7HTdScayK0

On 8/May, Emirates’ annual report included the A380 and 777X orders but did not include the A350 order. So the cancellation had already officially anticipated or almost recorded but not populated.

Video capture: Source Airbus

Fabrice Bregier, Airbus CEO wanted to cut short any discussion that evening at a dinner in front of 200 journalists gathered for the airframer’s Innovation Days: “There will be zero negative impact”, he said.”I’m not saying there will be a positive impact, but there will be no negative impact.”

http://worldairlinenews.com/tag/a380/

Did Airbus tell all their secrets? the timing of the announcement remains under question.

Does this have a connection with the order for 50 A380s, announced at the Dubai Airshow in November/2013?  In that case, why Airbus didn´t release the information before?

http://www.hindustantimes.com/photos-news/photos-world/dubaiairshow/Article4-1152815.aspx

Questioned at the Airbus Innovation Days on 11/June, John Leahy answered clearly: “If the cancellation was decided last year, it was reported last year. The order was recently canceled.” A few minutes later, Airbus Customer COO was even more specific. “I discovered it when we publicly disclosed. You ask if I knew that Tim Clark was reviewing its fleet? Tim is constantly reviewing his fleet.”

Based on the article “Annulation des A350 d’Emirates : un document troublant” published in Challenges

A350 MSN1 doing Certification Crosswind tests at Iceland

MSN1 prototype is at Keflavik airport in Iceland for some days doing crosswind test within the Type Certification campaign. This kind of test were also done in Clemont-Ferrand/Auvergne airport in France 2 months ago.

Based on https://www.flickr.com/photos/35133216@N05/14382832589/in/photostream/

The A350 team has flown to Keflavik airport after weather forecasts indicated conditions most pilots try to avoid — wind across the runway.

Why Iceland?

Because of the airports notoriously high winds and long perpendicular runways, the Icelandic airport is ideal for testing the crosswind handling capabilities of commercial aircraft.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/46799619@N04/14477808183/lightbox/

Keflavik hosted the 787 and the A380, which conducted its own crosswind trials there in 2007.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/35133216@N05/14567750444/lightbox/

Airbus pilots will make several takeoffs and landings on Runway 02 with winds of 30 knots, gusting to 39 from a heading of 120 degrees. The target is testing nearly perpendicular winds at or exceeding speeds most airlines consider the limit for landing.