Nice to Know my catch of the A351 cockpit photo details and Zeke's analysis is now being used by FlightGlobal ..... I am not complaining since the photo is open material but a free subscription to the their dashboard as way of saying thanks would be nice.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articl ... -t-437487/

MSN 83 (QR) and MSN 113 (AY #10) did their RTOs as well. THREE RTOs in totall today.

Looks like the GKN labor issue is resolved...
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articl ... rs-438024/

Bricktop wrote:

gatibosgru wrote:

Glad to see Finnair is happy with their A350s! Their livery actually looks stunning on the A359.

I'm actually hard pressed to think of a bad looking one. The Air Caraibes A350 is my current "best looking plane" of any type.

I was surprised how well Finnair's "challenging" livery fits on A350, way better than any other aircraft they use. Air Caraibes looks too messy for me, charter-like.

MSN 123 TG #5 made it to the flight line.

MSN 120 ET #5 has been named "Gheralta Mountains".


RTO msn120 F-WZFD 7/6/2017 by A380_TLS_A350, on Flickr

KarelXWB wrote:

MSN 120 ET #5 has been named "Gheralta Mountains".

And now set to depart on its first flight #AIB01FD

MSN 83 QR is preparing for its first flight: https://fr24.com/AIB01NM/da935c8

MSN 116 (Singapore #15) is on its third test flight #AIB03GR. Should transfer to delivery centre shortly.
MSN 111 (Thai #4) departing on its first CAF #AIB05GA.

MSN 109 (CX #16) out on its second CAF #AIB08GF
MSN 122 (SQ #16) first engine run this morning (unpainted)

Also Fabrice Bregier said today at Airbus Media Day that he expects to deliver close to 100 A350s this year. I calculate 92 include all ones due to Qatar as well as the Chinese ones through Aercap so 100 is quite a promise! Great show of confidence from the leader in the program. Especially since we sit at 24 so far this year.

Other relevant comments by Bregier this morning:
> 2017 objective hasn't changed. Ramp-up of the A350 with rate 10 at the end of 2018
> The A350-1000 test program is expected to end at the end of summer
> Fastest achievement of maturity of A350 ever vs competition and own aircraft

MSN 113 (AY#10) departing on its first flight #AIB01GL

According to Fabrice Bregier, A350 reliability improvements are slightly ahead of plan.


https://twitter.com/R_Wall/status/873100499095920641/

99% means it has in 2.5yrs of service hit the reliability that the 787 reached in close to 6.

ap305 wrote:

99% means it has in 2.5yrs of service hit the reliability that the 787 reached in close to 6.

I'm not a A/B fight fan, nor do I prefer either. This is just my personal perception.

The 787 gives me the perception of a young, sick, patched up horse. While the A350 gives me the impression of a strong, bulletproof bull. Again personal perception, but the smoothness with which the A350 has entered service makes me confident that the one day I do end up stepping on it, I will feel much better than when I board a 787.

You can tell by my user name that I am clearly not sided towards either A/B, and give respect where respect is due to reliable aircraft.

hkcanadaexpat wrote:

Also Fabrice Bregier said today at Airbus Media Day that he expects to deliver close to 100 A350s this year. I calculate 92 include all ones due to Qatar as well as the Chinese ones through Aercap so 100 is quite a promise! Great show of confidence from the leader in the program. Especially since we sit at 24 so far this year.

I look forward to the A.net "angels on the head of a pin" debates later in the year as to the definition of "close to".

BG777300ER wrote:

ap305 wrote:

99% means it has in 2.5yrs of service hit the reliability that the 787 reached in close to 6.

I'm not a A/B fight fan, nor do I prefer either. This is just my personal perception.

The 787 gives me the perception of a young, sick, patched up horse. While the A350 gives me the impression of a strong, bulletproof bull. Again personal perception, but the smoothness with which the A350 has entered service makes me confident that the one day I do end up stepping on it, I will feel much better than when I board a 787.

You can tell by my user name that I am clearly not sided towards either A/B, and give respect where respect is due to reliable aircraft.

I don't want to sidetrack this thread too much but the 787 has always been a safe aircraft and is also a reliable aircraft today thanks to the tireless debugging from Boeing. The a350 of course has been a more mature product out of the gate.

MSN 117 OZ #2 emerged from paint.


Asiana A350-941 msn 117 by dn280tls, on Flickr

MSN 137 CX #19 seems to have moved to cabin fit.


Msn137 9/6/2017 by A380_TLS_A350, on Flickr

MSN 145 MK #1 emerged from final assembly.


Msn145 9/6/2017 by A380_TLS_A350, on Flickr

hkcanadaexpat wrote:

MSN 122 (SQ #16) first engine run this morning (unpainted)

=>


First engine run msn122 F-WZFC 9/6/2017 by A380_TLS_A350, on Flickr

BG777300ER wrote:

ap305 wrote:

99% means it has in 2.5yrs of service hit the reliability that the 787 reached in close to 6.

I'm not a A/B fight fan, nor do I prefer either. This is just my personal perception.

The 787 gives me the perception of a young, sick, patched up horse. While the A350 gives me the impression of a strong, bulletproof bull. Again personal perception, but the smoothness with which the A350 has entered service makes me confident that the one day I do end up stepping on it, I will feel much better than when I board a 787.

You can tell by my user name that I am clearly not sided towards either A/B, and give respect where respect is due to reliable aircraft.

You are the type of person we need more of in the world. I agree with everything you just said so I give you my biggest salute to you sir!

MSN 116 (SQ #15) was moved to the delivery centre this afternoon.
MSN 76 (QR #16) about to depart on a third test flight #AIB03NE.
MSN 117 (OZ #2) online on the flightline for the first time.

Fuselage parts for MSN 159 MH #1 are arriving at Station 59.

Surprised we still haven't seen DL's #1 in full paint yet.

gatibosgru wrote:

Surprised we still haven't seen DL's #1 in full paint yet.

Some frames do part of their test flights before painting and some are flown to another airport to be painted. It seems that paint capacity is limited in TLS. Airbus is building new paint hangars.

MSN 115 (DAL#1) will be painted in TLS. 7/2017 delivery. Shouldn't be long to see it.

MSN 60 Sichuan Airlines is in the paint hanger painting maybe delivery and first flight soon?

First glimpses of Delta's first A350 out of paint

Picture from
https://twitter.com/mba340/status/874481662075293696

A better picture of DL's A350 now painted.
1st Airbus A350 Delta Airlines N501DN by Jujug Spotting, on Flickr

Now that DL bird looks fabulous , the Racoon face really works on this one, nice job!

Holy sh*t!!!! The Delta A350 order actually feels real now!

Crikey! Delta's livery actually looks quite good on the A350.

Boy does she look good. Looking forward to seeing pictures of her flying.

Gotta say, it's the best looking A350 I've seen to date.
Wow, good for DL!

LAX772LR wrote:

Gotta say, it's the best looking A350 I've seen to date.
Wow, good for DL!

Yapp, also Finnair's livery works very well on the A350. For some reasons that I cannot explain, white seems to fit to the A350.

N14AZ wrote:

LAX772LR wrote:

Gotta say, it's the best looking A350 I've seen to date.
Wow, good for DL!

Yapp, also Finnair's livery works very well on the A350. For some reasons that I cannot explain, white seems to fit to the A350.

Well, in my opinion, the blue belly on the DL livery which isn't completely level really helps the looks of the A350. I don't particularly like Finnair's livery on the 350, but the DL one looks more balanced.

MSN 116 (SQ #15) departing on its first CAF #AIB05GR

Very nice Delta bird there! A splotch of red on the engines might be in order.

Delta 359 is stunning. Also they will be the first US carrier to give it's PAX that Delta service on the 359. Best plane and Airline in their relevant class/country.

Simple white liveries work well with the A350 because of the raccoon mask. With other more complicated designs it just makes things busier or the black does not go well with the colors near it.

DL and OZ have the best liveries for the a350. The DL, especially looks splendid, it's always been one of my favorite liveries out there.

MSN 119 CX #17 first flight today:

https://fr24.com/AIB01GW/db7930e

MSN 128 CX #18 made it to the flight line (unpainted).

A330freak wrote:

A better picture of DL's A350 now painted.
1st Airbus A350 Delta Airlines N501DN by Jujug Spotting, on Flickr

Does DL have any A35J's on order? Or just 359's ?

A330freak wrote:

A better picture of DL's A350 now painted.

She looks sexy. like a slender woman in elegant dress at a masquerade ball.
DL should order a few more just for the look.

Sooner787 wrote:

A330freak wrote:

A better picture of DL's A350 now painted.
1st Airbus A350 Delta Airlines N501DN by Jujug Spotting, on Flickr

Does DL have any A35J's on order? Or just 359's ?

Only A350-900s for Delta. Inversely, UA has only the -1000s on order.

AirPacific747 wrote:

N14AZ wrote:

LAX772LR wrote:

Gotta say, it's the best looking A350 I've seen to date.
Wow, good for DL!

Yapp, also Finnair's livery works very well on the A350. For some reasons that I cannot explain, white seems to fit to the A350.

Well, in my opinion, the blue belly on the DL livery which isn't completely level really helps the looks of the A350. I don't particularly like Finnair's livery on the 350, but the DL one looks more balanced.

True, the blue belly is very advantageous. Even the red engine covers fit perfectly. They should always keep them in place.... ahh, wait a moment...

RTO for MSN 122 (SQ #16) - unpainted - this afternoon

The a350 will get bionically inspired additively produced brackets soon....

http://www.3dprintingbusiness.directory ... ign=buffer

Polot wrote:

Simple white liveries work well with the A350 because of the raccoon mask. With other more complicated designs it just makes things busier or the black does not go well with the colors near it.

Good observation. The raccoon mask really does shine on white liveries.

Congrats DL and Airbus on a stunner!

MSN 121 CI #7 made it to the flight line: https://twitter.com/AlexInAir/status/874546588663906304