Airbus A350F Successfully Completes Maiden Flight, Kicking Off Certification Campaign
Airbus’s new widebody freighter, the A350F, has taken to the skies for the first time, completing a flight test lasting more than four hours that formally marks the start of its certification campaign and its entry into the global air cargo market.
An Operational Milestone: 4 Hours and 10 Minutes Aloft
The test program’s first prototype, manufacturer serial number MSN 700, took off equipped with specialized flight-test instrumentation. During its inaugural mission, the aircraft remained airborne for 4 hours and 10 minutes, reaching a cruise altitude of 25,000 feet.
The flight deck crew comprised an Airbus flight test team:
- Captain and Test Pilot: Bernardo Saez-Benito
- First Officer and Experimental Test Pilot: Sylvain Guiraud
- Test Flight Engineer: Ludovic Girard
- Lead Flight Test Engineers on board: Laurent Bussiere and Jaime Angoloti
Throughout the flight, the crew focused on verifying baseline airworthiness, evaluating core flying qualities, and ensuring that primary systems operated in line with design predictions.
“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 freight market, combining unmatched operational flexibility, fuel efficiency, and range,” said Lars Wagner, Chief Executive Officer of Commercial Aircraft at Airbus.
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Payload, Range, and Structural Efficiency
The Airbus A350F is engineered to meet long-haul air cargo demands. Key technical specifications include:
- Payload Capacity: Up to 111 tonnes.
- Operational Range: Up to 4,700 nautical miles (8,700 kilometers).
- Advanced Materials: More than 70% of the airframe is composed of advanced materials, enabling a Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) that is 46 tonnes lighter than competing aircraft.
- Powerplant: Powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, delivering up to a 40% reduction in fuel burn and carbon emissions compared to rival models in the same payload and range category.
- Regulatory Compliance: It is the first newly built freighter fully compliant with the latest carbon dioxide emissions standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Commercial Performance and Next Steps
On the commercial front, as of the end of August 2026, the A350F had secured 115 orders from 14 disclosed customers, capturing up to a 59% market share in the large freighter segment.
The flight of MSN 700 marks the beginning of an intensive flight-test campaign spanning more than nine months. Meanwhile, final assembly of the second test aircraft, MSN 701, is well underway, with roll-out into the paint shop scheduled in the coming weeks.
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