A350 takes off to impress Asian market

[SINGAPORE] Airbus Group let its new A350 play hooky for a few days from rigorous flight testing to show off the plane at the Singapore Airshow, as it seeks to build on Asian orders for a model that takes on Boeing Co's Dreamliner and 777 models.

The plane, set to begin commercial service with Qatar Airways in the fourth quarter of this year, flew on Monday and yesterday at the airshow. It will also be on static display as successful flight trials so far have earned it a few days off, said Fernando Alonso, senior vice-president for flight and integration tests.

The twin-aisle A350's appearance at Singapore is evidence that flight checks have advanced enough for Airbus to take the jet out of testing briefly. The aircraft, about half made from carbon fibre composites, has won 814 orders from 39 customers including Singapore Airlines and Japan Airlines. The region accounts for 30 per cent of the aircraft's total sales.