Test Flight Lasts Over Four Hours
Aero-News has learned
the first A380 Airbus aircraft powered by Engine Alliance engines
successfully completed its maiden flight on Friday August 25th,
2006, touching down at Blagnac International Airport in Toulouse,
France at 14:10 local after a flight lasting 4 hours and 10
minutes. The flight took off from Blagnac at 10:00 am.
The A380 -- serial number 9, with registration number F-WWEA --
is powered by four Engine Alliance GP7200 engines capable of
delivering thrust up to 81,500 pounds each. The aircraft is
equipped with heavy flight test instrumentation and ballast to
produce a take off weight of 947,988 pounds.
The flight was captained by test pilot Guy Magrin, who flew with
Franck Chapman. The other crew members were Test Flight Engineer
Bruno Bigand, and Flight Engineers Patrick du Che and Jean-Philippe
Cottet.
At a postflight media briefing Claude Lelaie, Senior Vice
President and Head of Airbus' Flight Division, confirmed the new
aircraft handled as anticipated.
"The aircraft once again handled as expected and the GP7200
engines performed very well," said Lelaie. "There's still many
tests and optimisation ahead, but I expect the new Engine Alliance
engines to be a success."
During the flight around southwest France, the aircraft's flight
envelope, cruise speed and handling were tested. MSN9 becomes the
fifth and last developmental aircraft to join the fleet of A380
test aircraft. So far, with the other four test aircraft, which are
powered by Rolls Royce Trent 900 engines, over 1,800 flying hours
have been accumulated in over 575 flights.
Six A380 customers have
selected the Engine Alliance GP7200 engine for a total of 82 firm
aircraft orders. These include, in alphabetical order: Air France,
Emirates Airlines, FedEx, ILFC and Korean Air and UPS.
Designed to operate out of any airport where today's largest
aircraft can, using shorter runways and generating half the noise,
the A380 complies with some of the world's strictest noise
restrictions (QC1 for landing and QC2 for take off at London's
Heathrow), reinforcing the A380's growing recognition as the
quietest large aircraft in the world.
To date, the A380 has garnered 159 firm orders from a total of
16 customers. The airliner may also be powered by Rolls Royce Trent
900 turbofans.
Engine Alliance is a 50/50 joint venture between Pratt &
Whitney and GE Aircraft Engines.