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Airbus A350F completes first test flight
September 30th 2026
Airbus has commenced what is expected to be a nine-month flight test program for its A350F freighter. Read More » The inaugural flight occurred overnight in Toulouse, with the first A350F prototype, MSN700, reached an altitude of 25,000 feet and was in the air for four hours and 10 minutes, during which time the flight crew conducted tests "focused on verifying the basic airworthiness, fundamental flying qualities, and ensuring basic systems perform as predicted". Airbus said a second A350F prototype was in final assembly. "This maiden flight is a major milestone for the A350F and for our customers worldwide," Airbus CEO of commercial aircraft, Lars Wagner, said. "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." The aircraft was powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines. "For my engineering team, the starting point was to understand the freighter mission properly," Rolls-Royce chief engineer for the Trent XWB, Ian Smith, said. "We looked closely at expected payloads, stage lengths, utilisation and operating conditions and compared them with the real-world experience we already have from the A350-1000 fleet. That evidence gives us confidence that the Trent XWB-97 is ready for this new market."
