Airbus today unveiled the completed painting of the first A350 XWB “MSN001” aircraft after it emerged from the aerospace giant's Toulouse paintshop.
Following the recent completion of the MSN001’s flight-test-instrumentation (FTI) verification, the aircraft painting was achieved in less than seven days in the French city.
Last month the aircraft underwent its engines installation, and passed a subsequent intensive phase of ground vibration tests.
The plane will now begin its final tests before undertaking its maiden flight later in the summer.
The A350 XWB is seen as the European rival to American aerospace company Boeing’s Dreamliner, which plans to release its 787-9 aircraft by August.
This is in spite of Boeing’s problems with the 787 Dreamliner’s lithium-ion batteries, which experienced technical issues earlier this year.
