Airbus A350F Freighter Completes Maiden Flight
The Airbus A350F freighter completed its first flight on September 29, 2026, initiating a test campaign for certification and deliveries starting in the
The Airbus A350F freighter completed its maiden flight from Toulouse-Blagnac Airport on 29 September 2026. The flight initiates a multi-month test campaign targeting formal certification and initial deliveries by the second half of 2027.
The first A350F test aircraft, MSN700 with registration F-WXLD, took off at 10:20 local time. The flight lasted 4 hours and 10 minutes. It reached a maximum altitude of 25,000 feet and a maximum indicated airspeed of 340 knots. A five-person crew was on board: Captain and test pilot Bernardo Saez-Benito, first officer and experimental test pilot Sylvain Guiraud, test flight engineer Ludovic Girard, and lead flight test engineers Laurent Bussière and Jaime Angoloti. A Dassault Falcon chase aircraft accompanied the sortie, which was streamed live online.
The flight focused on checking airworthiness, flying qualities, basic systems, aerodynamic performance, and the autopilot. It followed final ground tests that included two high-speed rejected-takeoff runs. The aircraft, in a brown test livery with orange wingtips, is powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines.
Aircraft specifications and performance
The A350F is derived from the A350-1000 passenger jet but has a shorter fuselage. It features what Airbus describes as the largest main-deck cargo door in commercial aviation. More than 70% of the airframe is made from advanced materials, mostly carbon composites.
Airbus claims the aircraft offers dramatically improved efficiency. It is marketed as offering up to 40% lower fuel burn and carbon emissions compared to previous-generation freighters. The manufacturer states it is the first new freighter designed to meet the latest ICAO carbon emission standards. The A350F also aims for 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel capability by 2030.
| Specification | Performance |
|---|---|
| Payload Capacity | Up to 111 tonnes |
| Range | Up to 8,700 km (4,700 nm) |
Market position and competition
The A350F programme, launched in 2021, positions Airbus as a key rival to Boeing's upcoming 777-8F. Airbus states it has captured 59% of the large-freighter market with 115 orders from 14 disclosed customers. This challenges a sector dominated by Boeing for decades, where Airbus previously only offered the smaller A330-200F and converted passenger jets.
New ICAO emissions rules taking effect in 2028 will stop production of older freighter designs that cannot comply. This regulatory shift creates a significant opportunity for the new, cleaner A350F.
Test programme and next steps
The certification campaign is planned to last more than nine months. It aims to accumulate over 400 flight hours using two test aircraft: MSN700 and MSN701. The second test aircraft, MSN701, is at an advanced stage of final assembly and will head to the paint shop within weeks.
The test campaign will continue with MSN700 and MSN701 to accumulate over 400 flight hours before formal certification in 2027.
