Robert Wall
Airbus Group NV (EADSY) today received approval from safety
authorities for its new A350 jetliner to enter commercial
service.
The European Aviation Safety Agency granted the so-called type
certificate to Airbus for the A350-900 after 15 months of flight
testing. "We dealt with a very mature aircraft," Patrick Ky, EASA
Executive Director said in a statement.
The approval is a major milestone for Airbus that is spending
about 10 billion euros ($12.69 billion) to develop the new family
of long-range jets as it battles Boeing Co. (BA) for dominance in
the intercontinental flying market. The twin-engine jetliner
competes for orders with Boeing's 787 Dreamliner.
Qatar Airways will be the first operator of the plane. The jet
is designed to carry around 315 passengers over a distance of 7,750
nautical miles (14,500 km).
Airbus also plans a second, larger model, the A350-1000, with
delivery due from 2017.
Airbus has booked 750 combined orders for the A350, including a
few for the now-scrapped A350-800, the smallest model. Airbus in
July said it would upgrade its A330 with new engines in favor of
the A350-800.
Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC (RR.LN) makes the A350 jet's
engines.
Write to Robert Wall at robert.wall@wsj.com
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