Gloucester, UK - Messier-Dowty, a Safran group company, has delivered the first set of the new Airbus A350-900 main landing gears, completing a significant milestone in this exciting new aircraft program.

This first set of gears has been delivered to the Airbus Filton plant for installation in the A350 XWB landing gear systems test rig.

A prime focus of the A350 XWB landing gear is enhanced operational performance, in order to provide superior maintenance economics for operators. The gear offers weight saving advantages through increased use of titanium, use of corrosion-resistant materials, use of more environmentally responsible processes and improved maintainability.

Gilles Bouctot, Messier-Dowty's Chief Executive Officer said: "The A350-900 main landing gear is an excellent example of concurrent engineering between our IPT in Gloucester with our global manufacturing operations. The main gear components have been produced across the company's manufacturing facilities in Europe, North America and Asia with the final assembly at the company's new A350 XWB landing gear production area at Gloucester."

Messier-Dowty's development program is moving into the production phase with the aircraft 1 main landing gears to be delivered to Airbus final assembly line later in 2011. In parallel, Messier-Dowty is commencing its certification program with drop test and structural testing starting in the coming weeks.