First Airbus A350F takes off!

Airbus’ A350 freighter prototype has taken off from Toulouse, France for its maiden flight in a milestone moment that brings it one step closer to certification and market entry.

The departure of the MSN700 prototype, which was live-streamed by the aircraft manufacturer, is due to take around four hours, with a planned return to Toulouse.

The MSN700 prototype, with the test registration F-WXLD, took off at 10:31 local time and was accompanied by a Dassault Falcon chase aircraft.

According to information in the livestream, the aircraft is expected to stay in the area around Toulouse, Bordeaux and the Bay of Biscay, as agreed with air traffic control on 28 September.

The crew, which comprise two pilots and three test engineers, undertook final cross checks before the flight, including checking computer systems and the flight plan.

Speaking about the differences between the A350F and the passenger A350 model, Airbus head of widebody programmes Julien Puyou said: “To build the A350 freighter we took the A350-1000 and we shortened it a bit in the front part and we put a cargo door behind the wing.”

He said these choices were made to “optimise the balance of the aircraft in the air and so to optimise its performance that’s why we made the nose shorter”.

Puyou pointed out the main deck cargo door was “the largest in the industry” at 175 inches wide.

In fact, speaking about the biggest challenge in transitioning from the passenger A350 to the A350F, he said: “The biggest challenge was the main deck cargo door. Because we had never built such a cargo door inside Airbus. We chose to design it ourselves and build it in Madrid in Spain.”

He further said: “We put the cargo door behind the wing to optimise the loading”.

Airbus wanted to ensure companies could simultaneously load “the three cargo areas – the main deck and the two lower deck cargo areas so they are completely unconstrained on their operations”, clarified Puyou.

The A350F is now set to undertake a nine-month test and certification campaign and the second aircraft is also now in the final assembly line cycle and is due to take off on its first flight later this year, confirmed Airbus.

The company is targeting simultaneous certification from EASA and the FAA under the latest Amendment 27 safety regulations.

The airframer said earlier this year that  certification is targeted by the middle of next year.

Airbus has now secured orders for 115 A350 freighters from at least 14 customers.