Airbus A350 makes maiden flight, heats up competition with Boeing

Europe's newest jetliner, the Airbus A350, successfully began its maiden flight on Friday, and intensified a battle with arch US rival Boeing in the long-haul wide-body aircraft market.

Boeing, still recovering from problems with the lithium batteries on its 787 Dreamliner, currently dominates the long-haul market with the 787 and 777.

It has so far outsold Airbus using the revolutionary technology for aircraft woven from tough but lightweight carbon-plastic materials, with Dreamliner sales standing at 833 aircraft for 57 customers.

Airbus, however, claims the A350 burns 25 per cent less fuel than the Boeing due to its lighter weight, redesigned Rolls Royce engines and new aerodynamics.

Watched by over 10,000 employees and spectators, the aircraft sliced into clouds above the Airbus factory in southwestern France and headed over the Pyrenees, with a crew of six wearing orange jumpsuits and parachutes.

The flight was expected to last four hours and caps eight years of development estimated to have cost $15 billion.

"It is a great day for Airbus. A maiden flight doesn't happen that often. It is not like the auto industry where you launch a new model every two years or even less... The first flight is a very special moment in an aerospace company," said Tom Enders, the head of Airbus parent EADS.

Airbus hopes to catch up with the Dreamliner and also mount a challenge to the US manufacturer's larger, metallic 777 using a later version of the A350.

To boost sales, Boeing is expected to confirm plans to build a larger version of its Dreamliner. It is also overhauling its 777 with new engines and wings.

Boeing lists prices for its 787 line range from $206 million to $243 million. Airbus lists prices ranging from $254 million to $332 million, and had 613 orders as of May, compared with 890 orders for the 787.

With inputs from agencies