Video: Airbus A350 takes to the skies in maiden test flight The flight from Toulouse was expected to last around four hours and marks a key step on the path to full certification for the aircraft. More than half of the A350 - Airbus' first all-new plane in eight years - is made up of lightweight carbon-fiber designed to save on jet fuel, which makes up half the cost of long-haul flights. Boeing, still recovering from problems with the lithium batteries on its 787 Dreamliner, currently dominates the long-haul market with the 787 and 777. "The first flight is a very special moment in an aerospace company," Tom Enders, CEO of parent company EADS, said.