The A350-1000 makes a big splash during water trough testing
Performed this month at the Istres Air Force Base in southern France, the A350-1000 was purposely run along an inundated surface to demonstrate the robustness of the aircraft and to secure its maturity from entry-into-service.
For these tests, crewmembers progressively accelerated the aircraft through the standing water five times at speeds from 80 to 140 knots, with the A350-1000 performing as expected.
The trials were documented with video and photo coverage, as well as the first use of a camera-equipped drone to provide airborne views of the test runs.
As the latest member of Airbus’ leading widebody family, the A350-1000 is scheduled to enter airline operation before year-end. In addition to having a longer fuselage accommodating 40 more passengers than the A350-900 version currently in service, the A350-1000 also features more powerful Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, a modified wing trailing-edge and new six-wheel main landing gears.
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This overhead view, taken by a camera drone, captures one of the A350-1000’s test runs through a purposely-inundated surface at France’s Istres Air Force Base, performed to demonstrate the aircraft’s robustness and secure its maturity from entry-into-service
The A350-1000 performs one of five water trough test runs at Istres Air Force Base in France, conducted to demonstrate the robustness of the aircraft and to secure its maturity from entry-into-service
Airbus’ stretched-fuselage A350-1000 version of Airbus’ A350 XWB family – which features more powerful Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines and new six-wheel main landing gears – is put through its paces during water trough testing at the Istres Air Force Base in France
Five test runs were performed by one of Airbus’ three A350-1000 flight test aircraft during water trough trials at the Istres Air Force Base in southern France
Water trough testing for the stretched-fuselage A350-1000 version of Airbus’ A350 XWB jetliner were carried out in southern France at the Istres Air Force Base
