Airbus has successfully powered-up the flight-deck of the first Airbus A350 XWB (MSN1). This significant milestone was passed only two weeks after the front fuselage section was delivered to the Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Toulouse. Moreover, it gives a promising indication of the Airbus A350 XWB’s progress in pre-FAL and the readiness of the aircraft’s systems.

Flight-deck power-on is an important step on the route to complete aircraft power-on and first flight, because it enables most systems functional checking to be undertaken. Having achieved this nearly a year before first flight will allow early identification and resolution of potential issues and thus help to protect the aircraft’s development schedule. Testing of the front fuselage section will proceed during this summer. This will be followed by the power-on of the entire fuselage later this year.

Source: EADS

Photos: (c) Airbus S.A.S. 2012