Aircraft

Airbus has begun high-speed performance testing of the A350 XWB in the European Transonic Windtunnel in Cologne. Although the airframer has already carried out 600h of high-speed test, previous work concentrated on handling qualities and loads, says A350 XWB chief engineer Gordon McConnell. The company has also carried out 1,800h of low speed windtunnel testing to validate the twinjet's high-lift aerodynamic performance.