For the time being, Japan Airlines operates just one variant of the Airbus A350: The A350-900. However, this change later this year, as the carrier will take delivery of its first of 13 A350-1000s. The first of these stretched A350s was spotted in Toulouse on March 3rd in full livery – although, in its current form, it’s still missing something crucial.
JAL’s first A350-1000
Emerging from paint facilities in Toulouse, Japan Airlines‘ very first Airbus A350-1000 was spotted on Friday, March 3rd, in its full livery. While the carrier’s standard color scheme is a rather plain ‘Eurowhite’ and not all that newsworthy, the spotting of the fully-painted jet means it’s one step closer to being delivered to its customer.
The aircraft, according to AIB Family Flights, currently has test registration F-WZFM. It will eventually take on the Japanese registration code of JA01WJ. This A350 has manufacturer serial number (MSN) 610, making it the 610th A350 to be produced by Airbus.
While the aircraft has its livery applied, it still needs to go through a few crucial steps before it can enter service with Japan Airlines. The most important item – or items – are the two big Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 turbofans to power the jet. Once engines are installed, the aircraft will then need to undergo a series of test flights. For reference, one of the more recent A350-1000s to be delivered, MSN 584, underwent four test flights before heading to Cathay Pacific as B-LXR.
Destined for New York JFK
On February 2nd, Japan Airlines JAL confirmed its Northern Hemisphere winter schedule while also announcing that its first Airbus A350-1000 will be deployed on the route between Tokyo Haneda International Airport (HND) and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) – flights JL6/JL5. This winter schedule comes into effect on October 29th, 2023.
