The first Airbus A350 aircraft destined to join Emirates’ fleet next month took to the skies for the first time today. After first appearing in full livery, minus the engines, at Toulouse earlier this year, the aircraft was only activated recently, and various tests were performed.

Despite the initial delays, the aircraft is expected to join the Emirates fleet next month, thus marking a new era for the airline.

It finally took to the skies

It has been an exciting few months for Dubai-based Emirates
Airlines. The carrier in recent months has

launched services to new destinations
, begun new codeshare partnerships, and unveiled its four-class refurbished Boeing 777s. However, the most awaited development during this period was the arrival of the airline’s first Airbus A350-900
, thus marking a new era of fleet diversification, which subsequently will open new markets for Emirates.

Having been spotted at Toulouse Blagnac Airport (TLS) for months, first without its engines and more recently performing a Rejected Take-Off (RTO) test, the aircraft finally took to the skies today, thus beginning its flight testing phase before Emirates takes delivery of the aircraft.

Data from FlightRadar24.com shows that the aircraft F-WZGA (current test registration*) took off at 11:27 and flew for a total flight time of 3 hours and 55 minutes before landing back at TLS at 15:22.

*Upon joining the Emirates fleet, the aircraft become a UAE registered aircraft with the code A6-EXA.

The aircraft will now undergo thorough testing and inspection by Airbus
test pilots and engineers before the

airline takes delivery of the aircraft next month
.

What is a Rejected Take-Off test?

Rejected Take-Off or RTO is part of the ground testing of an aircraft before it progresses to flight testing. The test essentially ensures that the aircraft can be brought to stand-still in case of an emergency occurring during the take-off roll (before V1*).

*V1 is the decision speed during the aircraft take-off roll. Beyond V1, the pilot commits to taking off.

As seen in the video, during the RTO test, the engine reverse thrust is not used as the test considers the worst-case scenario of not having access to engine reverse thrust settings and ensures the aircraft could come to stand still using just its brakes.

Thus, in videos of RTO tests, it can often be seen that the aircraft brakes might be glowing red-hot because of the high temperatures it experiences in halting the aircraft.

First few destinations already revealed

Despite delays preventing the aircraft entering commercial service to Bahrain and Kuwait with Emirates earlier this month, the airline did state previously that it would try and expedite the launch of

A350 services to the nine routes the airline previously revealed
:

Bahrain

Kuwait

Muscat

Ahmedabad

Mumbai

Colombo

Bologna

Lyon

Edinburgh

  • Edinburgh will be a returning destination and will complement Emirates’ daily service to Glasgow. Last served in March 2020.
  • The A350 will enable Emirates to right-size its operations on various existing routes while opening up new destinations which will now become viable to operate.

With 65 of the aircraft type on order, and multiple airframes with Emirates tail already spotted at Toulouse, the carrier will soon be receiving a considerable number of new A350s, thus ending the carrier’s streak of operating just two aircraft families – the Boeing 777s and the Airbus A380s.

Boeing 777X flying

Photo: Tom Boon | Simple Flying

Apart from the A350s, the airline will eventually also see the Boeing 787
Dreamliners and the Boeing 777-X join the airline’s fleet.

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