Airbus’s A350-1000 test aircraft MSN071 has completed fuel system and engine tests in Cardiff, Wales, in the UK, between May 3 and May 4 as part of its type certification flight test campaign.
Fuel test engineers from Airbus’s site at Filton in Bristol, in England, were on hand to support testing of the fuel systems that were designed in the UK. The site at Filton is the company’s worldwide center of expertise for fuel systems design and testing, which is why these fuel tests were carried out in the UK.
The objective of the test is to simulate operational conditions in hot countries and check how the global fuel management system and engines behave with hot fuel (over 43°C).
The early results demonstrate that the fuel management system efficiently handles various fuel densities and temperatures, as well as fuel flow to engines and between tanks while airborne, thus offering the best operational performance. The A350-1000 is ready for hot conditions operations from Entry Into Service later this year.
The A350-1000, just as the -900, has a simplified fuel system with only three tanks and fewer pumps and valves. This contributes to a 25% advantage in operating costs.
Fuel systems tests are standard tests for all new aircraft and major modifications such as new engines. The aircraft was fueled twice a day and then the flight test team performed several required engine and systems flight tests with hot fuel.
May 10, 2017
