AIRBUS LAUNCHES A350F FOR ITS CUSTOMERS WORLDWIDE By Raymond Enoch
Airbus has launched the A350F freighter for customers worldwide after the new-generation cargo aircraft successfully completed its maiden flight, marking a major milestone in the development of what the manufacturer describes as one of the world’s most advanced freighters.
The A350F, designated MSN 700 and the first of two test aircraft, took to the skies in Toulouse on September 29, 2026, completing a four-hour, 10-minute flight and reaching an altitude of 25,000 feet. The aircraft was fitted with special flight test instrumentation and was flown by a dedicated Airbus Flight Test crew.
“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,” Lars Wagner, CEO Commercial Aircraft at Airbus, said.
“I am immensely proud of the extraordinary dedication and hard work of all the teams who have made this achievement possible,” he added.
During the inaugural flight, the flight-test crew conducted tests focused on verifying the aircraft’s basic airworthiness and fundamental flying qualities, while also ensuring that its basic systems performed as predicted.
The maiden flight marks the beginning of an over-nine-month flight test campaign, which will progressively evaluate the aircraft’s systems, performance and capabilities ahead of certification and entry into service.
The second A350F prototype, MSN 701, is already at an advanced stage of final assembly and is expected to enter the paint shop within the next few weeks.
Designed to meet the evolving requirements of the global air freight market, the A350F offers a range capability of up to 8,700 kilometres and a maximum payload of up to 111 tonnes, enabling operators to deploy the aircraft on international long-haul routes.
Airbus said the freighter is made of more than 70 per cent advanced materials, resulting in a 46-tonne lighter maximum take-off weight (MTOW) compared with competitor aircraft.
The aircraft is powered by the latest Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, which Airbus says will deliver reductions in fuel consumption and carbon emissions of up to 40 per cent compared with competitor aircraft offering a similar payload-range capability.
The A350F will also become the first new freighter to fully meet the latest International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) CO₂ emission standards, reinforcing its positioning around improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions in the air cargo sector.
The programme has already attracted substantial market interest. As of the end of August 2026, the A350F had recorded 115 orders from 14 disclosed customers, while Airbus said the aircraft had captured up to 59 per cent market share in the large freighter category.
The maiden flight was conducted by Captain and Test Pilot Bernardo Saez-Benito, First Officer and Experimental Test Pilot Sylvain Guiraud, and Test Flight Engineer Ludovic Girard.
Also onboard were Lead Flight Test Engineers Laurent Bussiere and Jaime Angoloti, who participated in the flight-test programme as Airbus began the next phase in the development of its A350F freighter.
With its combination of long-haul range, high payload capacity, advanced materials, latest-generation engines and reduced fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions, Airbus is positioning the A350F as a new-generation solution for the global air cargo market and for customers operating international freight networks.
