A350-1000 – Easier posted than produced.

With the current uncertainty over the future of business aviation as well as commercial aviation, it’s a good time to remind ourselves of the enormous technical progress and advances in production technology that aircraft manufacturers such as Airbus have achieved over the years.

The Airbus 350-1000 (XWB) is the most recent and arguably the most remarkable example of a large commercial aircraft Type Certification.

The process involved is lengthy, very expensive and extremely labour intensive. It is also an intensely technical achievement, all of which is subject to ultimate approval from regulators in Europe, United States, Canada and other aviation authorities around the world.

No matter how much detailed planning and virtual design work is completed even before actual manufacturing begins, process turbulence to completion is pretty much inevitable given the complexities involved.

Even after a Type Certificate is approved for a specific aircraft type, there is no guarantee it will keep its approval – the difficulties experienced by Boeing over the 737-MAX are well documented.

Nevertheless, the video attached from Airbus charting the A350-1000 process gives a flavour of whats involved. Over 1600 Flight Test Hours after being first assembled, it was granted its Type Certificate on 21 November 2017, exactly and perhaps amazingly, on schedule.

Appreciate. Admire. Applaud.