VIDEO – Relive the first test flight of the A350-1000, the longest of Airbus – France Blue

Airbus has launched this Thursday, the A350-1000, its new long-haul. An extended version compared to the first model of the A350 in service for two years. It has successfully completed its first test flight this Thursday in Toulouse, in a context a little bit gloomy with the threat of job cuts in the group.

The Airbus A350-1000 has made its first test flight this Thursday, starting at Toulouse. This is a extended version of the A350, long-haul largely composed of composite materials, lighter than its predecessors and consume less fuel. The version 1000 is 74 m long, is seven metres higher than its little brother-the A350-900 is placed in service by the end of 2014 (it is 130 cm long as the A380 !). With its 366 seats, the A350-1000 is the largest jet ever built by Airbus, and it should compete with the Boeing 777 aircraft truste the market for long-haul.

“He has exactly the same capacity, it has a slightly better radius of action and, above all, to consume 25% less fuel. It has thus killed the 777-300 ER” — the CEO of Airbus, Fabrice Brégier

The A350-1000 has successfully completed its first test flight this Thursday in front of a crowd of employees, elected officials and journalists, but it has now still a lot of tests to perform. The first model that is marketable must be delivered in less than a year to Qatar Airways. To date, there are 195 orders placed for this new aircraft.

there was still a shadow at the table of the first flight with the ongoing restructuring at Airbus Group. The unions have announced in recent days as fear of a thousand job cuts. We should know more next Tuesday when a european committee. In the meantime, the CEO of Airbus, Fabrice Brégier was intended to be reassuring, and he explained :’”Airbus has a tradition of social dialogue that has always enabled us to find the best solutions to be“.

For more info on the manufacturing of the A350, and their characteristics, you can review this web-documentary posted online two years ago at the time of the delivery of the first A350-900.