The A350F freighter (MSN 700), the first of two-test aircraft, has completed its first flight.

The aircraft, fitted with special flight test instrumentation, flew for four hours and 10 minutes, reaching an altitude of 25,000 feet.

The aircraft was flown by a dedicated Airbus Flight Test crew, Airbus said.

Chief Executive Officer, Commercial Aircraft at Airbus, Lars Wagner, said the maiden flight was a major milestone for the A350F and for its customers worldwide.

“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,” he added.

Wagner emphasised that he was immensely proud of the extraordinary dedication and hard work of all the teams who had made this achievement possible.

The second A350F prototype (MSN 701) is now at an advanced stage of final assembly and would enter the paint shop in the next few weeks, the aircraft manufacturing company said.

During this inaugural flight, the crew carried out tests focused on verifying the basic airworthiness, fundamental flying qualities and ensuring basic systems perform as predicted.

This marks the start of an over nine-month flight test campaign.

Designed to be the world’s most advanced Cargo Aircraft the A350F meets the evolving demands of the global air freight market.

The aircraft has a range capability of up to 8,700 kilometres and a payload of up to 111 tonnes and would allow operators to deploy it on international long-haul routes.

Made of over 70 per cent advanced materials, the A350F is 46 tonnes lighter in maximum take-off weight (MTOW) compared to competitor aircraft.

Powered by the latest Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, the aircraft would bring a reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions of up to 40 per cent compared to competitor aircraft with a similar payload-range capability.

It is the first new freighter to fully meet the latest ICAO CO₂ emission standards.

At the end of August 2026, the A350F had already recorded 115 orders from 14 disclosed customers and it had captured up to 59 per cent market share in the large freighter category.