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Airbus schedules A350F maiden flight for September 29
Airbus has confirmed that the maiden flight of its new-generation A350F freighter is scheduled for Tuesday, September 29, with take-off at 10:20 CET from Toulouse, while cautioning that the schedule remains subject to operational requirements including weather.
Airbus will stream the event live, and the flight will be conducted by a five-person crew: two pilots, one test flight engineer (TFE), and two flight test engineers (FTE). On Friday, September 25, Airbus completed a high-speed rejected take-off (RTO) test, in which the prototype accelerated to near decision speed before the crew deliberately aborted, closed throttles and applied maximum braking. The maiden flight launches a certification campaign expected to last around nine months and using two dedicated test aircraft, MSN700 and MSN701.
Roughly 10% of the A350F's characteristics remain unverified, so the first flight will be flown in basic Direct Law rather than Normal Law. Crews rehearsed through a 13-session Virtual First Flight simulator programme before dedicated sessions in September. MSN700 will focus on aerodynamic performance and flight-control law clearance, while MSN701 will follow in Normal Law to concentrate on systems and fire/smoke testing.
Although based on the A350-1000, the freighter has a unique fuselage combining the A350-900 forward section with the A350-1000 rear section and wings, creating a new aerodynamic model. Built from more than 70% advanced materials, the A350F features the industry's largest cargo door and targets up to 40% lower fuel burn, positioning it as the first freighter to meet ICAO's latest CO2 standards. Launched in 2021, it is designed to carry up to 111 tonnes over a range of roughly 8,700 km, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, with a 4.3-metre-wide main-deck cargo door.
According to Airbus's August 2026 orders and deliveries report, the A350F backlog stands at 115 firm orders from at least 14 customers. That includes an eight-aircraft order booked on August 31, lifting the backlog from 107 at the end of July. Airbus began 2026 with 81 orders, so the tally has grown about 42% this year, driven largely by Atlas Air's 20-aircraft order in March, making it the largest A350F customer, along with commitments from Air China Cargo and Cathay Pacific. The A350F will compete directly with Boeing's larger 777-8F, another new-generation freighter still in development; as of July 2026, the 777-8F had accumulated 81 orders, with MSC Air Cargo among recent customers after ordering five aircraft at the Farnborough International Airshow.
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