Airbus says it will stream the A350F freighter’s maiden flight on X at 4:20 a.m. EDT on Sept. 29, if weather and essential operational requirements allow. The first test aircraft, MSN700, will assess aerodynamics, handling and autopilot systems.
Airbus plans a nine-month certification campaign totaling 400 flight hours across two aircraft. MSN700’s initial profile will be flown manually without flight-envelope or stability protections; a trailing cone will compare airspeed, altitude and Mach readings with onboard instruments. After manual control is validated, MSN701 is intended to fly with those protections and test systems in hot and cold conditions. EASA will approve the initial flight-test plan.
Airbus now estimates the freighter will enter service in the second half of 2027, delayed from its 2025 target amid supply-chain issues, staffing shortages and challenges producing the main-deck cargo door. Earlier in 2026, the company completed 13 virtual first-flight sessions of about five hours each, using a simulator connected to real avionics test benches.
