Airbus using an A350 test aircraft to transport face masks

A350-1000 cargo loading in Tianjin_
A350-1000 cargo loading in Tianjin

Airbus has been using an Airbus A350-1000XWB test aircraft to transport millions of face masks from China to Airbus Home Countries.

The face masks were purchased by Airbus and will be donated to France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom.

The Aircraft, F-WWIL, took from Toulose, France and headed for Tianjin, China to load 4 million face masks on board. It then returned to Hamburg with its cargo.

A350-1000 ready for cargo loading in Tianjin
A350-1000 ready for cargo loading in Tianjin

Airbus Chief Executive Officer, Guillaume Faury, said: “I would like to pay tribute to all the Airbus teams, globally, supporting the fight against COVID-19. They’re living our values in assisting those who are saving lives every day,”

This flight was the third mission for Airbus in its support for the fight against Coronavirus.

A350-1000 cargo loading in Tianjin
A350-1000 cargo loading in Tianjin

It had previously deployed an A330-800 and an A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT).

Airbus has also used its Beluga fleet and an A400M to distribute masks between its sites including Broughton, North Wales.

A350-1000 cargo unloading in Germany
A350-1000 cargo unloading in Germany

It is also deploying its employees to help in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic by doing such things as designing and manufacturing ventilators and 3D printed visors.

About Nick Harding 1897 Articles
Nick is the senior reporter and editor at UK Aviation News as well as working freelance elsewhere. He has his finger firmly on the pulse on Aviation, not only in the UK but worldwide. Nick has been asked to speak in a professional capacity on LBC, Heart and other broadcast networks.