( CNN ) -- Takeoff on one of Airbus ' new A350WXB test planes is a strangely quiet experience . Powered by two hulking Rolls Royce Trent XWB engines , you 'd expect to hear more than just a low whirring noise when tearing down the runway . But when leaving the ground and heading into the clear blue skies of a Hong Kong morning , there was little else to hear on the newest addition to commercial aviation . Compounding the hush was the unique nature of the flight . Most of the select few passengers on board flight AIB 206 to Singapore were from the plane 's manufacturer ; part of a dedicated team undertaking the final tests to make sure the aircraft is certified to enter service in December with its first customer , Qatar Airways . The flight was part of Airbus 's A350XWB `` route proving '' trip , something akin to a world tour where existing and potential customers can take a look at the goods first hand , while the engineers continue to test and tinker . Named MSN005 , the aircraft that flew across the South China Sea , the Malaysian peninsula and Sumatra , is one of only two of the fleet of five test planes kitted out with a full cabin , so the flight was a good indication of what 's in store for millions of passengers in the coming years . Seating four abreast in the 42-seat business class sections , nine abreast in the two economy cabins , this is the future of long-haul travel as presented by the European plane maker . Gleaming cabin . It 's a competitor to Boeing 's 787 Dreamliner and new iterations of the 777 and Airbus hope it 'll take up a sizeable chunk of the world 's expanding fleet of twin-aisle aircraft . At first glance , the gleaming cabin looks simply like a lovely new plane , but dotted throughout are features that Airbus hopes will set it apart from the competition and impress passengers and airlines alike . `` With fiber optics we 've integrated the cables for the in-flight entertainment system , moved the control boxes to a panel under the seat and flooring and been able to make the floor flat , '' says Roland Naudy , the Aircraft Interiors Marketing Manager . That could be sweet relief for those who found themselves with an in-flight entertainment box stopping them from stretching out their feet . Seat-back displays in economy are 10.6 inches ( 26.9 centimeters ) , which Airbus say will either be powered by Thales or Panasonic , depending on each airline 's preference . Tablets and smart phones can be plugged in and powered from the seat backs , something that 's becoming a new standard . The LED lighting onboard has a mind-boggling 16.7 million possible color permutations , which not even a 16-hour intercontinental trip could cycle through , while the cabin is pressurized to a height equivalent of 6,000 feet ( 1,828 meters ) instead of a more standard 8,000 feet , which it is claimed reduces the effect of jet lag . While the plane is touted as being extra wide-bodied ( hence the XWB ) , the height of the cabin without central overhead bins is striking ( although that might only be an option for first and business class ) . For those that favor a window seat on flights , but find the curve of the sidewall cramps their sleep , the new plane has one of the flattest in the business , so cricked necks might also be a thing of the past . Another little touch is that the bathroom light that comes on and then dims when the door is opened . Extreme temperature tests . For the most part the plane looks ready to come into service tomorrow , but throughout there are hundreds of sensors relaying information to a flight test station set up in the middle of the rear economy cabin . Two test engineers spent the flight poring over the data , gathering up to 120,000 parameters . Everything , from temperature at certain points in the cabin to the fuel flow , could be relayed live back to Airbus HQ in France . Further route-proving flights to Africa and Australasia are scheduled , and while the flight-worthiness tests have been ongoing for more than a year -- including extreme temperature tests in the Arctic , stalls , and aborted takeoffs at full speed -- fitting out the interior to clients tastes is a long process too . `` We expect that be around 10 months , '' said Didier Nasarre , head of customer program . In fact , he said , it 's been closer to 20 months for the first customer as everything needed to be done more or less from scratch . From the height of counters in the galley to the type of carpet , every detail is examined and evaluated by airlines , said Nasarre . The plane is made of 53 % composite materials helping its fuel efficiency . The A350 's swooped back winglets could make it as recognizable a sight at airports around the world as the crenelated engine covers of the Dreamliner . `` Basically if a plane looks good , it flies well , '' said Henry Craig , a pilot for Cathay Pacific , as he peered out the window at the curvy wing-tips . `` I 'm a fan of beautiful things and that is a thing of beauty . '' The A350 will come in three sizes , the A350-800 , A350-900 and A350-1000 , offering between 276 and 369 seats . As of July there were 742 orders from 38 airlines .
CNN 's Dean Irvine joins Airbus team on board a A350WXB during a `` route proving '' flight . The wide-bodied A350WXB is Airbus 's answer to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner . (CNN) --