With its flight test and certification campaign for its latest airliner family, the A350XWB, European commercial aircraft company Airbus (part of the Airbus group) is trying to reverse the trend that has developed over recent decades of ever-longer new aircraft flight test development and certification programmes. The programme for the company’s previous new design, the A380, took 20 months.

Airbus senior VP: flight and integration tests Fernando Alonso recently told aviation journalists in Toulouse, France, that the company could not afford such programmes lasting for two years. “Our objective was to certify the A350[-900] in 14 months.” They are now close to achieving this. “I think we’ll get there,” he said.

To make such an improvement possible in an era of greater regulation, the company reorganised its test structure seven years ago. Previously, there had been a ground test organisation, under the design office, responsible, for example, for systems testing and cabin testing and a flight test organisation, which handled development flight testing and production flight testing. In 2007, these were merged to form the Flight and Integration Test Centre (FITC), which is responsible for all ground and flight tests, “with a very customer-centred approach,” he explained.

The FITC currently has a staff of 43 pilots, 58 flight test engineers, 11 test flight engineers and 35 ground test engineers. “We want to stay small, we want to stay lean,” he affirmed. “We’re optimistic that we’re getting the results we expect.” This year, the centre will be executing two major programmes. The A350-900 flight test programme started with the aircraft’s maiden flight on June 14, 2013. In the near future, the flight test programme for the A320neo (neo standing for new engine option) will start. It will also be carrying out continuing development programmes for other Airbus aircraft, including the A400M military airlifter. “In all, our team will be handling 22 develop-ment aircraft this year. Next year, it will be 16. In 2016, we will come up to 19 development airplanes.”

Although important and challenging, reducing the lead time for development and certification of new airliners is only the third priority of the FITC. The number one priority is safety. “Safety in flight test, safety for the passengers,” assured Alonso. “Second is customer satisfaction. We want to make sure that we deliver to them an aircraft that meets their expectations.”

Head of development flight test Patrick du Ché reported that the A350-900 programme had now accumulated just under 2 000 flying hours. “We are flying a lot. We have flown a lot,” he stated. Four A350-900 aircraft are currently employed in flight test, development and certification flying. “Between them, they have achieved the highest- ever flying rate recorded by Airbus in flight tests: an average of 80 flying hours per month per aeroplane. A fifth aircraft is joining the flight test programme.

“We are customer-minded,” he averred. “We are so proud of the aircraft that we are happy to show it to customers as soon as possible. We have flown with customer pilots – [two from Qatar Airways, two from Singapore Airlines]. The feedback was really, really positive.”

The first two flights with passengers took place recently – these proving flights took off from Toulouse and landed back at Toulouse hours later. Cabin crews were provided by Air France (for the first flight) and Lufthansa (the second). The training syllabus for customer airlines’ flight crews has been developed, and airline pilots are now going through the prototype operational training course. “The A350-900, the first member of the A350XWB family, is scheduled to enter revenue service before the end of this year.

“We’re very happy with how things a going with the A350,” assured Alonso. “We’re prudently optimistic.”

Keith Campbell attended the 2014 Airbus Innovation Days as a guest of the company.