Which Airbus aircraft was the first to receive European certification in the A350 family?
Answer
Airbus A350-900
The Airbus A350-900 was the first A350 aircraft to receive European certification.
The A350-900 is the initial production model of Airbus’s A350 XWB family. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency certified the type in 2014, clearing it for commercial operation after an extensive flight-test programme. The first customer delivery followed in 2015.
The aircraft was developed as a long-range wide-body twinjet using advanced composite structures, new-generation engines, and a modern digital cockpit. It was designed to compete primarily with aircraft such as the Boeing 787 and larger 777 variants.
The A350-1000 is a stretched derivative with higher capacity and received certification later. The A350-800 was planned as a shorter version but did not enter production. Certification dates refer to the aircraft type, while individual airline deliveries occur afterward and may have separate operational milestones.