Airbus A350F Completes First Flight, Opening a New Chapter in Air Cargo
The Airbus A350F has officially taken to the skies for the first time, marking a major milestone for the next generation of widebody air cargo aircraft. The first test aircraft, MSN700, departed Toulouse on September 29 and completed a 4-hour, 10-minute flight, reaching 25,000 feet. The flight begins an extensive certification campaign lasting more than nine months, with the aircraft currently scheduled to enter commercial service in the second half of 2027.
The aircraft is designed to carry up to 111 tonnes of payload with a range of up to 8,700 km, positioning it for international long-haul cargo operations. Airbus says the A350F uses more than 70% advanced materials and is designed to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions by up to 40% compared with competing aircraft offering similar payload-range capabilities. Demand is already significant: as of the end of August, Airbus had recorded 115 A350F orders from 14 disclosed customers.
For the air-cargo industry, the first flight is significant because it moves the A350F from development into real-world flight testing at a time when competition in the large-freighter market is intensifying. Airbus says the next phase will test performance, handling and aircraft systems before certification and customer deliveries. For freight and logistics companies, the progress of the A350F is therefore worth watching as a new generation of cargo capacity moves closer to commercial operations. Explore more freight technology and logistics developments with FreightGraph.