The new Airbus A330-200F Freighter will undergo hot and humid ground tests over the weekend in Singapore. The tests are designed to demonstrate that all the aircraft systems function correctly after prolonged periods on the ground with all power off in extremely hot and humid conditions. The tests will also determine how long it takes after power-up for the air conditioning systems to cool down the aircraft to the temperatures required for normal operation.

The tests will be undertaken while the aircraft remains on static display at the Singapore Airshow and will begin at 17.00 local time today, Friday 5^th February. At that time all the aircraft systems will be shut down. The aircraft will then be closed and left at the static display for around 20 hours. The aircraft systems will be powered up again at approximately 14.30 on Saturday 6th February, when temperatures and humidity levels will be at their highest at Singapore’s geographic location near the equator. On-board flight test equipment will gather the results of the first test, which will then be repeated, starting at 17.00 on Saturday evening and ending on Sunday afternoon before the aircraft departs from the air show.

At the end of the tests on Saturday and Sunday afternoon visitors at the show will see the evacuation of high levels of condensation from the aircraft’s outflow valves as the A330’s systems are powered up. This is a normal outcome following such tests as the temperatures within the aircraft fall rapidly.

“We have taken the opportunity of being in Singapore this week to complete these performance tests,” said Pascal Verneau, Airbus Test Flight Engineer in charge of the A330-200F certification programme. “The conditions in Singapore at this time of the year are perfect for such tests with temperatures in excess of 30 degrees and humidity levels of around 90 per cent.”

The aircraft in Singapore (MSN 1004) is the first of two A330-200Fs taking part in a 200 hour certification programme. At the end of January the same aircraft undertook cold soak tests in Canada. There it was subjected to temperatures below -30 degrees centigrade after which the aircraft systems were successfully restarted with no problems and the aircraft prepared for service within one hour.