Airbus A350F freighter completes maiden flight

Dhaka: Airbus has successfully conducted the first flight of its A350F freighter, marking the start of a flight test campaign that is expected to last more than nine months.

In an official statement, the European planemaker said the first of two test aircraft, MSN 700, took off from Toulouse in France on September 29. Equipped with special flight test instrumentation, the aircraft flew for 4 hours 10 minutes and reached an altitude of 25,000 feet.

A dedicated Airbus Flight Test crew operated the flight. During the inaugural flight, the team verified basic airworthiness and fundamental flying qualities and confirmed that basic systems performed as predicted.

Lars Wagner, CEO of Airbus Commercial Aircraft, described the first flight as a major milestone for the program and its customers. He called the A350F a game-changer for the air cargo market.

Airbus said the second prototype, MSN 701, is at an advanced stage of final assembly and will enter the paint shop in the next few weeks.

The A350F offers a range of up to 8,700 kilometers and a payload of up to 111 tonnes, allowing operators to deploy it on international long-haul routes. Over 70% of its structure is made of advanced materials, which Airbus claims helps reduce its maximum take-off weight by 46 tonnes compared to competitor aircraft.

The freighter is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines. Airbus said the aircraft can cut fuel consumption and carbon emissions by up to 40% compared to competing types with similar payload-range capability. It is also the first new freighter to fully meet the latest ICAO CO₂ emission standards.

By the end of August 2026, the A350F had received 115 orders from 14 disclosed customers.