Slipping production schedule means that route-proving will now not be conducted using second aircraft off line
The ongoing production delays with the A380 have forced Airbus to make a major last-minute revamp of the flight-test programme to prevent certification slipping into next year.
In a major U-turn, the manufacturer has dropped plans to run its route-proving programme in conjunction with A380 customers. It will now use the A380 that flew this month's early long flight (ELF) programme (MSN002) for the trials, as completion of the intended aircraft (MSN007) has been further delayed.
MSN007 - the second test A380 to feature a complete cabin - was due to fly the 300h of function and reliability (F&R) or "route-proving" tests required for certification during the fourth quarter in conjunction with customers Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines (SIA). "Because of the production delays, we realised that if we waited for MSN007 to be ready, it would be very difficult to keep certification on schedule for this year," says vice president flight tests Fernando Alonso. "So we've decided to use MSN002."
Alonso explains that a "significant proportion" of the 300h required for the F&R tests must be accumulated on one aircraft, so Airbus will operate a 150h F&R test in November using MSN002, and credit the other 150h from flights made during the ELF programme and other tests.
Airbus has accumulated over 2,000h of A380 flight testing and Alonso says around 80% of certification flying has been completed. He expects to complete the remainder of the flying - other than the F&R tests - for certification by the end of next month. "We will then present the paperwork to the authorities for certification approval," he says. "This data analysis process is expected to take around six weeks," he adds, which would see certification in place by December.
Meanwhile, Airbus will confirm before the end of the month details of the revised production plan for the A380, which is likely to see a further delay to the delivery schedule. Airbus needs to certificate certain elements of SIA's specification using either MSN007 or the first customer aircraft, so the airline's schedule is likely to be affected by the revamped flight-test plan. SIA says that it is "working with Airbus towards delivery of the first A380 in December, but Airbus can only confirm the date after they have completed their technical review at the end of September".
Source: Flight International
