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Aviation History
2004
2004-09 - 2451.PDF
Ground vibration tests on MSN002 Tests due to begin in December and continue until shortly before first flight of MSN001 First flight Station 17(2-3 weeks): Final checks and flight preparation Station 22 (period dependent on work required): Systems and equipment WLMHT upgrade for first flight • maximum wing bending at limit load; • functioning of flight controls (ailerons and spoilers) the under limit-load deflected shape of the wing structure. The static-test airframe will be used to cal ibrate MSNOOl's in-flight loads monitoring system, with a final cross-check on MSN001 for critical measurements. In addition to ES, Airbus has constructed a complete aft fuselage and tail test rig (dubbed the rear-end test) to provide data in support of composite-structure certifica tion. This will also undertake a series of tests in December to clear the aircraft for first flight. Final assembly The last pre-flight station for MSN001 is 17, where it will undergo final checks and preparation shortly before its maiden voy age. "MSN001 should spend two to three weeks at Station 17, and then we'll be ready to fly," says Cousin. "We'll check the radios, thrust reversers, ram air turbine deploy ment, oxygen system and then hand the aircraft over to the flight-test organisation." After final engine and APU runs, MSN001 will carry out a taxi test and low-speed accel erate/stop check, followed by a high-speed run to take-off speed and a stop. "The first flight should be one or two days after this," says Cousin. MSN001 will launch the four-aircraft, 2,000h flight-test programme and should be joined by the second dedicated flight-test aircraft, MSN004, by the second quarter of next year. MSN002 is destined to serve as one of the two Trent 900-powered route-proving air craft (the other being MSN007), so once its ground vibration testing phase is completed it will be prepared for its ferry flight to Finkenwerder for cabin furnishing and painting. It is due to join the test pro- SYSTEMS Getting it right for first flight Testing on individual A380 systems has been undertaken at many of the Airbus plants around Europe. "Landing gear zero" is being tested by Airbus UK in Filton, where the first drop test was carried out in July. Braking and steering systems have also been evaluated and extension/retraction tests completed. Director of A380 systems Michel Comes says that the iron bird in Toulouse has verified the 345bar (5,000lb/in2) hydraulic system: "It is now undertaking endurance testing." The iron bird has also been used for partial integration tests with flight con trols and autopilot computers. A dedicated high-lift test rig is also oper ational at Bremen in Germany. Airbus UK, which designs and builds the wing, is also running a fuel integra tion bench test in Filton, as well as wet-test rig where surge testing began in July. Three A380 cockpit simulators are running in Toulouse, where testing is underway of systems built to MSN001 's equipment standard to pre pare for flight testing. Coupling the iron bird with one of the cockpit simulators to create the so-called "Aircraft Zero" has begun, to check the integration of all the systems. Comes says that Airbus plans to use Aircraft Zero to perform a "virtual first flight" using flight-test personnel formally for the first time: "This is due at the end of the year, we will have all systems connected and a flight plan." All the interior testing has been under taken at Hamburg Finkenwerder on the "Cabin Zero" rig, which comprises all the elements and systems of the cabin equipment. The two route-proving aircraft, MSN002 and MSN007, will have rep resentative cabin and in-flight entertainment system equipment. The Cabin Zero configuration has been completed at Hamburg for MSN002, and a "virtual first flight" of the cabin is planned for mid-2005, ahead of actual flight-testing on MSN002, which is due to start in the third quarter gramme in the third quarter of next year, when it will undergo the so-called early long-range flights with Airbus staff aboard. After assembly of the first four test air craft, there will be a gap in production before construction of the first customer air craft (MSN003) begins. This aircraft will be delivered to launch operator Singapore Airlines following certification of the Trent 900-powered A380, which is scheduled at the end of the first quarter of 2006. The first A380 powered by the General Electric/Pratt & Whitney Engine Alliance GP7200 will be the seventh aircraft built - MSN009 - which is due to fly late next year. This will be one of two A380s dedi cated the GP7200 test programme and will be used for performance evaluation and propulsion system certification. MSN007, which will be used for route- proving towards the end of the Trent 900- powered/A380 certification programme, will be re-engined to carry out a similar task for the GP7200 test effort, ahead of planned service entry of this version of the A380 with Emirates in October 2006. • 38 23-29 NOVEMBER 2004 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.flightinternational.com
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