Last month, Airbus completed the maiden flight of its A350-1000 ahead of the jet’s planned entry into service next year.
The A350-1000 is Airbus’s largest twin-engine aircraft to date. With a longer fuselage and increased cabin capacity, it can carry roughly 40 more passengers than the current A350-900 model.
The new variant incorporates several important design changes, including a modified wing trailing edge, a new six-wheel main landing gear arrangement and more powerful Rolls‑Royce Trent XWB‑97 engines. These upgrades improve performance, support the higher maximum takeoff weight and help ensure efficient long-range operations.
The maiden flight departed from Blagnac, Toulouse (TLC) at 10:42 a.m. local time. Six crew members were onboard for the test: three in the cockpit handling flight controls and three positioned behind the cockpit to monitor the flight-test instrumentation and record systems data.
Airbus’s launch customer for the A350-1000 is Qatar Airways. In addition to the launch order, 11 other airline customers have placed orders for the type, bringing the total committed backlog for the A350-1000 to 195 aircraft.
As Airbus moves through the flight-test campaign, the program will focus on validating performance, handling characteristics and systems integration for the longer-fuselage variant. Certification and entry into service will follow once the aircraft meets regulatory requirements and airline-specific performance targets.
With its enlarged cabin, upgraded landing-gear configuration and more powerful engines, the A350-1000 is positioned to compete on long-haul routes where airlines seek a balance of passenger capacity and fuel efficiency. The type is expected to serve markets that require higher seat counts without the need for four-engine jets, offering airlines a modern, fuel-efficient option for long-range operations.