From one new plane to another as we keep a beady eye on Airbus and the work going on with the upcoming Airbus A350-900.
The good news is today that the first A350-900 – MSN1 has got a pair of flight ready engines, with the first one hung on it.
Pictures are always good so lets have some:
Ready to be hung
Being installed onto the aircraft
Slung onto the frame of MSN1 – Images Airbus SAS.
So what’s with the engines then? Well its not just the engines, but the Auxiliary Power Unit that have been installed in the first flight-possible Airbus A350. The engines are Rolls Royce – Trent XWB’s, whilst the APU is by Honeywell- a HGT1700.
The engines and APU have been integrated into the plane at Airbus’s base at Toulouse.
The aircraft – now functionally one unit – is continuing its ground tests.
The next steps for this aircraft are now becoming clear though – completion of ground tests, painting, handing over to ground running (including first APU and engine firings) and first flight.
First flight of the Airbus A350 is due for Summer 2013.