Airbus has completed installation of the first A350XWB Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engine on the A380 “flying-testbed” aircraft (MSN 001). The aircraft and engine will be prepared for flight-tests commencing in the coming weeks. The Airbus A380 test plane also wears a dedicated painting “…flying the A350 XWB engine”.

The Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engine is the largest Rolls-Royce turbofan with a 118-inch diameter fan. (The Trent 900 for the A380 has a fan-diameter of 116 inch.) The Trent XWB engine has been specially designed to power all members of the new Airbus A350 XWB Family with maximum efficiency. The all-new composite Airbus A350 XWB is scheduled for first delivery in late 2013.

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Note the special painting on the A380 “…flying the A350 XWB engine”.

Photos: Airbus