The Airbus A350F freighter (MSN 700), the first of two test aircraft, completed its first flight from Toulouse on 29 September 2026. Fitted with special flight test instrumentation, the aircraft flew for 4 hours and 10 minutes, reaching an altitude of 25,000 feet, and was flown by a dedicated Airbus Flight Test crew. During the flight, the crew carried out tests focused on verifying basic airworthiness, fundamental flying qualities and confirming that basic systems performed as predicted, marking the start of a flight test campaign expected to run for more than nine months.

“This maiden flight is a major milestone for the A350F and for our customers worldwide. As the latest development of our highly successful A350 platform, the A350F is a true game-changer for the air cargo market, combining unmatched operational flexibility, fuel efficiency, and range,” stated Lars Wagner, CEO of Commercial Aircraft at Airbus. “I am immensely proud of the extraordinary dedication and hard work of all the teams who have made this achievement possible.”

SPECIFICATIONS AND MARKET POSITION

Designed to be the most advanced cargo aircraft in service, the A350F has a range capability of up to 8,700 kilometres and a payload of up to 111 tonnes, which Airbus says will allow operators to deploy it on international long-haul routes. Made of more than 70% advanced materials, the aircraft has a maximum take-off weight 46 tonnes lighter than competitor aircraft. Powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, Airbus says the A350F will bring a reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions of up to 40% compared with competitor aircraft of similar payload-range capability, and that it is the first new freighter to fully meet the latest ICAO CO₂ emission standards. At the end of August 2026, the A350F had recorded 115 orders from 14 disclosed customers, giving it up to 59% market share in the large freighter category.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

The second A350F prototype (MSN 701) is now at an advanced stage of final assembly and is due to enter the paint shop in the coming weeks. The maiden flight was flown by Captain and Test Pilot Bernardo Saez-Benito, First Officer and Experimental Test Pilot Sylvain Guiraud, and Test Flight Engineer Ludovic Girard, with Lead Flight Test Engineers Laurent Bussiere and Jaime Angoloti also onboard.