Airbus has completed the second large test fuselage section for its A350XWB aircraft. which incorporates many advances that will be incorporated into the next-generation Airbus jetliner.

The fuselage section reflects Airbus’s design principles and sizing methods for the A350XWB and will be used for tests focusing on the fatigue and damage tolerance of composite structures during the certification process.

The section has been used to develop and validate the complete process chain, from the manufacture of individual panels, frames and clips, to shell assembly, section assembly and the production of circumferential joints.

The A350 XWB family of aircraft can fly 270 passengers to a distance of 8,300nm at a typical cruise speed of up to Mach 0.85.

The demonstrator, which has a length of 18m and a diameter of over 6m, has been built in three sections and features large carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) panels for frames and windows.

The section also demonstrates for the first time, a hybrid door frame structure consisting of CFRP and titanium.

The actual A350 XWB will feature continuous fuselage composite panels 16m to 18m in length.