Airbus' latest widebody aircraft, the A350-900, is still undergoing test flights before being delivered to its first customer, Qatar Airlines later this year. Last Wednesday, Airbus flew one of its test planes into Cotswold Airport in Kemble, England.
Airbus test pilot Captain Frank Chapman, said the key part of the A350-XWB used in the landing has British roots. Its landing gear was designed by Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, which is based at nearby Gloucestershire Staverton Airport.
"The A350 XWB has significant UK input, as the wings and fuel systems are designed at the Airbus facilities in Filton Bristol, assembled at the company's Broughton plant in North Wales, while the engines are made by Rolls-Royce in Derby and landing gear by Messier-Bugatti-Dowty in Gloucestershire. This visit is part of the aircraft's certification. Experts from the nearby Airbus Filton are playing a key role in supporting the fuel system tests. I'm proud to be flying the first A350 XWB to land in the UK and look forward to this aircraft being a regular feature in British skies."
According the Handbook of Business Aviation, the runway at Cotswold Airport is 5,902 feet in length. The video was shot by a GoPro cam, mounted to a runway light.
Hawker Hurricane by Airwolfhound on Flickr - licensed for Creative Commons commercial use
During WWII, the Royal Air Force built planes at Kemble including Hawker Hurricanes and the Bristol Beaufort torpedo bomber. Kemble was also the former base for the Red Arrows aerobatic team, until 1983.
Source: Western Daily Press