Airbus gets a new freighter – and its giant door – into the air for the first time
Airbus has flown the A350F, a new high-capacity freighter based on its A350 passenger aircraft, bringing it closer to certification and delivery. It is designed to carry heavier loads over longer distances than Airbus’s existing freighters, and its large cargo door is intended to handle bulky, valuable goods such as computer servers and chip-making equipment.
The first flight lasted four hours and ten minutes and reached 25,000 feet; a second aircraft is nearly complete for the extensive certification programme. The A350F can carry 109 tonnes, compared with 64 tonnes for the A330F, and Airbus says it is more efficient to operate than Boeing’s larger-capacity 777F. Airbus reports 115 orders, while noting the aircraft cannot carry the exceptionally large loads handled by the 747 freighter or Antonov An-124; European authorities are also considering options for future outsized cargo transport.
- Airbus’s A350F freighter has completed its first flight.
- It can carry 109 tonnes and has a 4.3-metre cargo door.
- Airbus says it has 115 orders and lower operating costs than the 777F.