An Airbus A380 registered F-WWOW today successfully completed its maiden flight at the French airport of Toulouse-Blagnac. The test flight is an important step in the certification programme under the supervision of the European Aviation Safety Agency.
The maiden flight marks the beginning of a series of flight tests which will continue for several months and comprise more than 1000 flight hours. The Agency is expected to deliver the type certificate in 2006, completing seven years of preparatory work by Airbus and the certification team.
EASA certification of the A380 applies the same rules as for other large aircraft and covers both safety and environmental standards (e.g. noise and gas emission levels). It also takes into account the aircraft's innovative design features including a double deck fuselage and new composite materials.
The engine used on the current A380, the Rolls-Royce Trent 900, already received its EASA type certificateE.012 in October 2004.
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) was set up by the EU in 2003 to promote the highest common standards of safety and environmental protection in civil aviation. The Agency's main tasks include the certification of aircraft and equipment as well as the approval of design, production and maintenance organisations. EASA drafts common rules and procedures in the area of aviation safety and provides technical expertise to the EU and its partners. Based in Cologne, the Agency currently employs 100 staff, a figure set to rise to over 300 in the coming years.
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Office Address European Aviation Safety Agency Postal address: Postfach 10 12 53, D-50452 Cologne, Germany Visiting address: Ottoplatz 1, D-50679 Cologne, Germany Tel.: +49 (0)221 8999 0000 Fax: +49 (0)221 8999 0999 E-mail: info [at] easa.europa.eu (info[at]easa[dot]europa[dot]eu) Website: https://www.easa.europa.eu |
