Airbus has scheduled the first flight of its A350F cargo aircraft for next month, as the company pushes to meet a tight timeline for certification.
Project managers have set a target date of September 24 for the inaugural flight, according to industry sources speaking to Reuters. The date remains subject to late technical issues or unfavorable weather conditions, and the schedule could slip into early October.
The timing leaves the European manufacturer with a narrow window to certify the aircraft. Airbus is targeting an entry into service for the A350F in the second half of 2027, and a flight test campaign typically lasts between 12 and 15 months.
Challenging Boeing in the freight market
The A350F is currently running two years behind its initial schedule. The aircraft is intended to compete directly with Boeing in the air freight market, a sector historically dominated by the American manufacturer.
Airbus has sold 107 units of the A350F model to date.
The aircraft is developed from the passenger A350-1000 base. It features the largest main deck door in commercial aviation, which is designed to make it easier to load and unload bulky goods such as turbojet engines.
The cargo door was manufactured by Airbus in Spain and installed on the test aircraft in April. Located at the rear left of the plane, it measures 4.50 meters wide and 4.30 meters high. The door opens into a cargo hold with a volume of 700 cubic meters, optimized for standard pallets and containers.
Payload and range comparisons
The A350F will be able to carry a payload of up to 111 tonnes over a distance of 8,700 kilometers, with an entry into service expected by late 2027.
Its primary future competitor, the Boeing 777-8F cargo version of the 777X, will have a similar payload capacity of 112 tonnes but a shorter range of 8,200 kilometers. The Boeing model is not scheduled to enter service until early 2029.
Boeing currently produces two other cargo aircraft, the 767F and 777F, which carry 52 tonnes over 6,000 kilometers and 102 tonnes over 9,200 kilometers respectively. Production of both older models is scheduled to end next year.
Testing progress in Toulouse
Airbus has not yet officially confirmed the date of the first flight from its base in Toulouse, France. However, the development program is now advancing according to schedule.
Engineers successfully tested the electrical circuits of the test aircraft earlier this year. The aeroelasticity of the airframe was validated in June during ground vibration tests.
Those milestones clear the way for in flight vibration tests, which will take place during the first three months of the flight campaign. The aircraft will then be pushed to its limits, including reaching its maximum speed and Mach number in a dive, to complete the final steps before entering service.
