A350 Deliveries and Routes

[shikhargpt]

9V-SMA has emerged on the Flight Line today. Assuming that cabin fit is complete and there are no further delays, first flight will take place at the end of January with delivery in mid-February.

9V-SMB has also emerged from Station 20. Some parts are missing from the engine, though. Photo below.

Any pictures of SMA or SMB with the cowling on?

[yflyer]

A real beauty! I admit that my eye was first drawn to the spot where she was not fully covered...

[SQKevin]

Any pictures of SMA or SMB with the cowling on?

None at the moment. Will post them when they are available.

[leops1984]

First flight of SMA must be fairly close, as it looks like they've started running ground tests. Production lists have F-WZFU as its test registry.



Edit: I've seen it said elsewhere that first flight should be this week, with acceptance by SQ on February 24. SMB and SMC are scheduled for acceptance/delivery by end of April.

[SQ228]

I've seen it said elsewhere that first flight should be this week, with acceptance by SQ on the 24th. SMB and SMC are scheduled for acceptance/delivery by end of April.

That means AMS won't see daily A350 operations until at least May. Makes sense why they didn't want to begin selling PEY until June.

[kaiser]

That means AMS won't see daily A350 operations until at least May. Makes sense why they didn't want to begin selling PEY until June.

I'll remain hopelessly optimistic for my flight on 28th April...

[leops1984]

That means AMS won't see daily A350 operations until at least May. Makes sense why they didn't want to begin selling PEY until June.

Right now the queue for acceptance until the end of April looks something like this:

SMA -> 3 other A350s -> SMB -> 5 other A350s -> SMC -> 2 other A350s.

That's roughly one A350 a week. So SMB could be delivered by late February/early March, with SMC following just over a month later.

Of course, this assumes no more delays (lavatory-related or otherwise).

EDIT: This info is incorrect, see correction above.

[SQKevin]

Right now the queue for acceptance until the end of April looks something like this:

SMA -> 3 other A350s -> SMB -> 5 other A350s -> SMC -> 2 other A350s.

That's roughly one A350 a week. So SMB could be delivered by late February/early March, with SMC following just over a month later.

Of course, this assumes no more delays (lavatory-related or otherwise).

Is there an error in the acceptance queue you posted or are there major production issues with SMC? SMC (msn 31) is just next to SMB (msn 30) in the production line order. SMD is 6 aircraft after SMC (msn 37) in the production line order.

Should it not be like this?

SMA -> 3 other A350s -> SMB, SMC -> 5 other A350s -> SMD -> 2 other A350s.

Correct me if I am wrong.

[leops1984]

Is there an error in the acceptance queue you posted or are there major production issues with SMC? SMC (msn 31) is just next to SMB (msn 30) in the production line order. SMD is 6 aircraft after SMC (msn 37) in the production line order.

Should it not be like this?

SMA -> 3 other A350s -> SMB, SMC -> 5 other A350s -> SMD -> 2 other A350s.

Correct me if I am wrong.

There's very little correlation right now between MSN and acceptance order.

- The three A350s going after SMA are: 12 (QR), 27 (JJ), 22 (AY).
- The five after SMB are: 21 (QR), 23 (AY), 29 (CX), 28 (AY), 25 (QR)

Something like this is not particularly unusual in the early stages of a new model's production, so I wouldn't interpret it to mean there are delays with SMC.

Also, to correct my earlier post about SMA's acceptance: it will be on the 24th. But in February. I misread the source where I found the date.

[SQKevin]

There's very little correlation right now between MSN and acceptance order.

- The three A350s going after SMA are: 12 (QR), 27 (JJ), 22 (AY).
- The five after SMB are: 21 (QR), 23 (AY), 29 (CX), 28 (AY), 25 (QR)

Something like this is not particularly unusual in the early stages of a new model's production, so I wouldn't interpret it to mean there are delays with SMC.

Also, to correct my earlier post about SMA's acceptance: it will be on the 24th. But in February. I misread the source where I found the date.

Thanks for clarifying. Finnair does not appear to be in a hurry to receive their 4th and 5th A350s considering that both the aircraft are currently undergoing flight testing.

So SMA will be the first A350 to be delivered in 2016 and we can expect her first flight very soon.

[leops1984]

Thanks for clarifying. Finnair does not appear to be in a hurry to receive their 4th and 5th A350s considering that both the aircraft are currently undergoing flight testing.

So SMA will be the first A350 to be delivered in 2016 and we can expect her first flight very soon.

It seems to be that with the A350 Airbus likes to deliver an airline's first plane somewhat early, bypassing frames with earlier MSNs. VN got their first ahead of some of QR's A350s, even though QR had the earlier MSNs.

Something similar happened with AY's first, and same with JJ - MSN 24 (their first) was already delivered in mid-December, even though four earlier frames haven't even made their first flight yet.

Not sure why they'd do that - perhaps it's to get a wider variety of real-world performance data from the A350 across various routes and operating conditions.

[SQKevin]

Msn 37 (9V-SMD) and Msn 41 (9V-SME), both currently undergoing rework until it's time to enter the paint hanger.

9V-SMD


9V-SME

[shikhargpt]

9V-SMA undergoing her first engine test! What an absolute beauty!

[leops1984]

Here's another picture of the engine test:

First engine run msn26 F-WZFU 25/1/2016 by A380_TLS_A350, on Flickr

[SQKevin]

Here's another picture of the engine test:

First engine run msn26 F-WZFU 25/1/2016 by A380_TLS_A350, on Flickr

9V-SMA's first flight looks very likely to take place early next week