If you thought shooting up into the sky like a rocket was the preserve of fighter aircraft – and rockets – think again.
Remarkable footage has emerged of a commercial airline performing a near-vertical take-off – powering upwards at an eye-popping angle within a moment of leaving the ground.
The aircraft in question was an A350-900XWB – fitted with Rolls-Royce engines – and its aerobatics were captured at the Innovation and Leadership in Aerospace (ILA) convention in Berlin in April.
The plane performing the stunt is used for air shows, relief flight and testing cabin innovations, according to thepointsguy.com, and has a regular cabin filled with seats.
The video was uploaded to YouTube and has received nearly 200 comments from impressed aviation fans, with ‘topfelya’ describing the footage as ‘very impressive’ and Syed Abrar writing ‘just amazing, wow’.
Airbus describes the A350-900 as ‘state-of-the-art’.
It says: ‘This jetliner accommodates 325 passengers in a standard three-class configuration and its state-of-the-art comfort and amenities ensure that everyone on-board enjoys a pleasant flight.
‘As with all A350 XWB models, its fuselage is built with carbon-fibre reinforced plastic – which supports lower fuel burn, easier maintenance and increased resistance to corrosion.’
A350s are flown by Delta Air Lines, Finnair and Qatar Airways among others.
Qatar recently took delivery of the new A350-1000, which could be the most comfortable plane yet for travelling long-haul – even for economy passengers.
That’s because the aircraft comes with a raft of anti-jet lag technology.
In its cabin there are millions of ambient anti-jet lag LED lights, hospital-grade filters – with the entire cabin air renewed every two to three minutes – and it has the lowest ‘cabin altitude’ on the market – 6,000ft.
Jet lag symptoms kick in, scientists say, at altitudes of 6,500ft, with the heart and lungs having to work overtime to supply oxygen to organs, which results in feelings of fatigue and shortness of breath.
