Airbus Reveals Hybrid Airbus/Qatar Livery as A350 XWB Testing Progresses

Launch customer Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer, Akbar Al Baker (far left), is welcomed by Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Fabrice Bregier (centre), and staff at the A350 hangar in Toulouse, France – Image Credit: Airbus

By Jason Rabinowitz / Published February 4, 2014

On Tuesday morning, Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker visited Airbus headquarters in Toulouse, France for an update on the A350 XWB testing program and revealed a special Airbus and Qatar Airways hybrid livery for MSN4. The aircraft is branded with “launch customer” titles and sports a modified Onyx Qatar Logo.

MSN4 joins the A350 flight test fleet for external noise and lightning tests, avionics development & certification and training for first customer pilots & maintenance teams. It was rolled out soon after MSN3 had completed cold weather testing in Iqaluit, Canada. Since A350 flight testing began last June, more than 900 flight test hours have been performed across 200 test flights. The introduction of MSN4 will speed the testing process up ever further.

Senior management from Airbus and Qatar Airways pose in front of MSN4 – Image Credit: Airbus

Qatar Airways is the launch customer of the A350 XWB, with entry into service (EIS) scheduled for later in 2014. The newly minted oneworld has 80 A350 family aircraft on order, including 43 smaller A350-900s and 37 larger A350-1000s. These aircraft, along with outstanding orders for 10 Airbus A380s, 26 Boeing 777-300ERs, 36 Airbus A320neos, 14 Airbus A321neos, and 21 Boeing 787-8s, will be used to fuel Qatar Airways’ massive growth ambitions. The Qatari national carrier has a massive new home airport in Doha, and is launching new routes around the globe, including service to this publication’s home base of Miami, as well as Dallas Fort Worth and Philadelphia over the course of 2014.

Extra: Qatar Airways Officially Joins oneworld

Extra: In-Flight Review: Qatar Airways New York to Doha and Back

“I am pleased with what I have seen during my visit. It gives me every confidence that the programme is well on track for our first delivery in 2014,” said Al Baker. ”At Qatar Airways, we are eager to open a new chapter of efficient and comfortable air travel and the A350 XWB will do this for us.  The aircraft will give us that extra edge in economics and comfort to further boost our route expansion.”

The Qatar Airways livery adornes the side of the airline’s first A350, which will join its fleet later this year. – Image Credit: Airbus

Extra: Countdown to Launch: The Airbus A350 XWB
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To contact the reporter responsible for this story – Jason Rabinowitz in New York: jason@airlineflyer.net
to contact the editor responsible for this story – Vinay Bhaskara in Chicago: vinay.bhaskara@airchive.com

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