Airbus has moved the A350F into final preparation for its first flight in Toulouse, where the freighter is undergoing simulator-based checks, ground vibration testing and readiness work ahead of its certification campaign. Two test aircraft, MSN700 and MSN701, are being configured for roughly 400 flight hours of development flying, with MSN700 focused on handling and aerodynamic performance and MSN701 assigned to systems, air conditioning and fire and smoke testing.
The programme has used Virtual First Flight sessions linked to avionics test benches to validate flight-control laws, crew procedures and aircraft behaviour before the real aircraft takes off. Ground vibration testing was completed in June, while the simulation campaign covered 13 sessions of about five hours each. Airbus expects the certification campaign to last around nine months.
MSN700 is set to fly first in Direct Law, allowing MSN701 to later conduct its debut flight in Normal Law. The test setup has been adapted to preserve cargo space while carrying the required instrumentation, reflecting the freighter’s commercial design priorities. MSN701 will later support hot- and cold-weather testing, while MSN700 has been fitted with a tail skid and bumper for takeoff performance work.