The Airbus A350XWB made a successful first flight this morning from Toulouse, with millions watching live on TV around the world.
Initial responses were positive, particularly regarding the aircraft’s sleek appearance and extremely quiet nature. Airbus’ executives were quick to (rightly) point this out as a major advantage of the type, which has the potential to improve the noise impact at airports it will operate into. John Leahy commented “Did you hear how quiet it was? Did you hear what you didn’t hear? We’re going to set new standards. Not just for comfort, not just for performance. But for environmental friendliness. People living around airports won’t even know we’re taking off.”
The aircraft flew with its wheels extended on a general test flight and returned to Toulouse. The weather was a perfect backdrop for the event, with sun shining.
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