The second A350 to fly, MSN3, has completed its first flight, in a sortie that lasted around five hours.
Like MSN1, which flew for the first time in June and has since accumulated 330 flight test hours over 70 flights, the second A350 has no cabin fitout, but is equipped with heavy flight test installation.
Flights thus far have been devoted to the identification and freeze of all flap and slat configurations, loads and aeroelastic testing and evaluation of the aircraft’s handling characteristics and systems’ operation throughout the operational envelope.
Three more A350 test aircraft will join MSN 1 and 3 to perform the planned 2,500 hours up to Type Certification.
The A350 has gained 725 firm orders from 37 customers. First delivery is planned for the second half of 2014 to Qatar Airways.
