Aircraft
Airbus A320neo Takes Flight
Maiden mission lasts some two and a half hours
The first A320neo, powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1100G turbofans, takes to the air for the first time in September 2014. (Photo: Airbus)
The first A320neo, powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1100G turbofans, takes to the air for the first time in September 2014. (Photo: Airbus)

Airbus flew its new A320neo on its first test mission on Thursday, marking the start of a 3,000-hour flight-test program scheduled to lead to certification and entry into service in next year’s fourth quarter. Powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney PW1100G geared turbofans, MSN6101 took off from Toulouse-Blagnac Airport in France at noon local time. Accompanied by flight test engineer Jean-Paul Lambert, Airbus experimental test pilots Philippe Pellerin and Etienne Miche de Malleray flew the airplane for roughly two and a half hours, landing at 2:22 p.m. The airplane, carrying registration F-WNEO, started undergoing assembly in March and rolled out in July.