• Representatives from Airbus in Spain and the United Kingdom visited the Applus+ LGAI facilities to witness a test designed to assess the wing strength of the A350XWB.
• This was the most largest test, in terms of its size and complexity, carried out by Applus+ since 2007, when it received approval as a partner laboratory for Airbus Spain, and the largest operation of its kind to date performed on the structure of the new aircraft.
• The test was carried out using one of the most extraordinary pieces of equipment Applus+ LGAI has at its laboratory in Bellaterra (Barcelona): the largest mechanical testing machine approved by Airbus in Europe, allowing the application of loads up to 1,500 tonnes.

Barcelona, November 17, 2009.- Applus+, Spanish multinational and leader in the sector of testing, inspection, certification and technological services and one of the top 10 companies in the sector worldwide, has invested more than one year of work to prepare the test used to approve a key element of the A350XWB, the new Airbus aircraft due for market launch in 2013. During the test, observed by 10 engineers from Airbus Spain and Airbus UK, the strength of the inside of the wing of the new aircraft was tested.

In 2009, Applus+ tripled its sales to the aeronautical industry, and by the end of this year hopes to reach sales of €2.5 million in this sector. A team of 30 engineers work full-time for this industry, developing projects for companies such as Airbus, EADS and Safran.

Jordi Brufau, director of Applus+ LGAI, explained that this test "was a landmark in the history of our laboratory, proving that our country has the capability and talent required to offer top-quality technological services to global leaders in the aeronautical industry. We are proud to have been chosen for this project and we would are grateful to Airbus for trusting us once again".

TEST FEATURES

The test was the culmination of more than one year of work, during which a team of Applus+ engineers were committed exclusively to planning and preparation for it. The tested part belongs to the lower lining of the wing, has a width of 4.5 m and is made entirely from carbon fiber. The large size of the part was an additional challenge to preparing the test.

The tested structure includes three manhole sections that, in the actual aircraft, will allow access to the inside of the wing for maintenance. The structure used to secure this part to the testing machine was specifically developed for this test, it weighs 15 tonnes and added another 4 m to the assembly, making a total of 8 meters in height.

The aim of the test was to simulate real flight load conditions and to demonstrate the integrity of the component being analyzed.