On 23rd July the first A350-1000ULR flight test aircraft MSN707 embarked on its longest point-to-point flight from Toulouse direct to Melbourne, Australia. Then a few days later it flew all the way back with two Qantas guest pilots on board, landing in Toulouse on the morning of July 28th. To find out more about this impressive undertaking, we sat down with Airbus Test Pilot, Xavier Pepin, who captained the aircraft on its longest ever flight - covering a distance of 12,460nm in a flight time of 24 hours and 24 minutes!
Aims of the long range flights with MSN707
This flight-test aircraft, MSN707, which first flew on the 2nd June is equipped with specialised instrumentation and is now really ‘stretching its legs’ for the first time. Its two-part voyage is technically classified as a ‘development’ flight test (as distinct from a ‘certification’ flight test).
The goal is to demonstrate that the aircraft, powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, can perform a 23-hour ‘block time’ flight. This is the duration from releasing the parking brake at departure to setting it at the arrival stand – to ensure coverage for the customer’s intended 21 hours 40 minutes flight time (plus holding, diversion and taxi times at departure and arrival), for its forthcoming “Project Sunrise” routes. (....)