IABG successfully completes relevant testing for registration of Airbus A350 XWB EW

The newly developed Airbus A350 XWB has successfully undergone essential testing milestones  at IABG on its primary structure  relevant for registration. The test series were carried out in the context of the EW – Extra Wing Test as one of two A350 XWB large-scale structure test programmes performed by IABG.

The structural EW testing campaign concentrates on the aircraft’s left wing. The focus of the static and dynamic tests hereby lies particularly on validating the behaviour of CFRP in interaction with metallic materials. Objective is the verification of strength, fatigue and damage tolerance of the wing’s primary structure, over 50% of which consists of fibre-reinforced plastics (in particular CFRP). The wing is hereby stressed using up to 41 servo-hydraulic cylinders. The measuring values are gathered using over 3,000 measuring channels. After they have been compared to simulation and calculation data, the test results gathered in this context are a substantial precondition for the A350 XWB’s registration.

Last year already, IABG accomplished some static tests on the item under test thus providing, among other results, a substantial contribution to the successful maiden flight of the new Airbus A350 XWB in June 2013.

From January to March this year a whole aircraft life cycle was  then simulated in 24 h operation, in the course of which IABG performed regular checks. The testing programme relevant for registration furthermore comprised static test campaigns, among others, up to theoretical ultimate load limits. These were  successfully concluded last April with a maximum bending load  test. At the moment yet another aircraft half lifecycle is being  simulated.

Combinations of thermal and mechanical loads were applied for the first time in the context of such a campaign.

In its test hangar in Erding IABG also carries out the structural EF2 tests on the centre fuselage section of the A350 XWB, with fuselage box and wings. The test campaign elements and results relevant for the aircraft’s initial delivery will be accomplished within the next weeks and provided to the client Airbus. The facility is characterised by its modular and mobile infrastructure and  was constructed particularly for these two tests.