In pictures: A380 flight trials

These six men have been selected to take part in the A380's maiden flight.

Engineers Gerard Desbois, Fernando Alonso, Manfred Birnfeld and Jacky Joye, and pilots Claude Lelaie and Jacques Rosay will take off by the end of April.

Beyond flight tests, the A380 crew must also prove it can evacuate 873 people in 90 seconds in case of an emergency.