Airbus has set 29 September for the first flight of its A350F freighter, with the maiden sortie from Toulouse due to begin at 10:20 GMT+2 and be streamed live on the company’s X account. The aircraft involved is the A350F prototype MSN700, which has recently completed high-speed rejected-takeoff tests as it moved through final preparations for the flight-test campaign.
The timing remains subject to operational requirements, including weather, but the confirmation gives a clear target for the programme’s long-awaited first flight. Airbus has been working through ground checks in Toulouse, and the recent rejected-takeoff runs signalled that the aircraft was nearing maiden-flight readiness. The livestream element opens the event to a wider audience, a relatively uncommon step for a certification milestone of this kind.
The A350F is part of Airbus’s wider freighter push and is expected to progress toward entry into service later in 2027. Two test aircraft are planned for the certification effort, with the first flight of MSN700 intended to start the campaign on the lead prototype before additional system and weather testing follows.