Flight International 178 (5248) reports on p. 48 about A350-900 wind-tunnel testing:
«The low-speed aerodynamic design is more reliant on windtunnel testing as computational fluid dynamics technology is not developed sufficiently yet to predict as precisely. The tunnel tests revealed that the -900 had bettered its take-off performance predictions, says McConnell. "We've a 145m reduction in take-off field length at maximum weight at sea level/ISA+15°C, and about a 4t improvement for take-offs in hot and high conditions."»
Pictures: ETW / Airbus
Airbus performed test campaigns in low speed test conditions with the A350XWB to assess performance data for take-off and landing configurations. Test points over the entire test envelope of ETW were covered to distinguish between Reynolds-number and aeroelastic effects due to varying wing deformation. The ETW deformation measurement system was used extensively, not only to measure the twist and bending of the complete wing, but also to assess the actual flap gap dimensions over the entire load range of the model at high Reynolds numbers. In addition important data were obtained on the boundary-layer development of the individual wing components by means of TSP (Temperature Sensitive Paint).