Airbus has completed hot-weather testing of its A350-900 following several days of flights at Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates.
The Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-powered airframe, MSN3, had headed out to Al Ain late on 11 June, and subsequently carried out a number of test flights over the Persian Gulf.
Airbus says the operation focused on engine behaviour and performance in high-temperature conditions, and checks on systems such as the cooling equipment. The tests included heat-soak, in which the A350 was parked in the sun for several hours.
Meteorological data for Al Ain shows temperatures reached 48C while MSN3 was positioned at the airport.
Middle Eastern carrier Qatar Airways is the launch customer for the type, which also has orders in the region from Etihad Airways, Kuwait Airways and Yemenia.
Airbus is intending to secure certification for the A350 in the third quarter. The test fleet has accumulated more than 2,000h in over 460 flights, with the final aircraft, MSN5, yet to fly.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
