Airbus Delays First A350F Flight Again

Airbus has again delayed the first flight of its upcoming dedicated freighter, the A350F, but its sights are still set on it occurring by year’s end.

The small shift, however, falls into a troublesome period for the new jet, which has encountered several supply chain niggles that are pushing back customer expectations for handovers.

The Airbus A350F Delay: What Now?

Airbus initially forecast the A350F to fly in Q3, but that window is now deemed infeasible; instead, the planemaker is pushing for a flight in Q4 and, therefore, by the end of 2026.

Airbus chief Guillaume Faury’s latest comments follow what is already a tight flight test schedule as the A350F pushes for its certification to allow delivery significantly ahead of its competitor, the Boeing 777-8F, which has been restricted due to 777-9 certification woes.

Airbus wants to ideally see certification of its new freighter by the end of 2027; that means if the first flight continues to slip, this deadline for approval will be cast into doubt. A Q4 first flight is, per analysts, already putting the timeline under pressure.

The reasons for the planemaker’s move to push the debut flight were not publicly confirmed. For the business, it’s not just one concern, but rather a series of incidents that have made adhering to previously laid-out timeframes nearly impossible.

Launching a new model, even if it’s a freighter conversion of an existing product, is a challenge. Airbus has its two test aircraft, MSN700 and MSN701, and has been attempting to integrate key structures onto the planes. A delay has been a common part of the programme thus far, with the original 2025 target then to 2026, and now EIS in 2027.

Supply chain pressures, especially with the former Spirit AeroSystems sites, have put fuselage sections vital to building the freighter in a strained position. Airbus has reportedly warned airlines and freight operators to expect A350 family delays through the decade’s end.

What Airbus Is Now Saying About The A350F

Faury has stated that a first flight for the A350F is still on the cards in 2026, but that it will come towards the latter stages of the year and ensure the flight test certification period can commence for the jet, enabling first delivery by the end of 2027.

Once Airbus has achieved certification and first delivery, it expects to ramp up production, aligning with a commitment to the broader A350 programme and working through the backlog that has grown over the years.

Airbus has confidence that while the certification process isn’t guaranteed to be smooth, the freight rests on a derivative of the A350-1000 and is not a clean-sheet freighter that comes with a plethora of additional challenges.

By using its existing passenger and, more critically, certified platforms, the planemaker should reduce technical risk and the regulatory path. However, with supply chain issues for the freighter persisting, this has been the biggest roadblock to date for the new-gen model the manufacturer is hoping will carve out Boeing’s lead in the cargo market.

Who Has Ordered The Airbus A350F So Far?

Airbus says it has secured firm orders for 107 of the A350F model, with options in contracts. The customer base ranges from cargo specialists to several passenger airlines that also have cargo divisions.

Noteworthy customers like Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Air France-KLM and Cathay Pacific have all purchased the model, with many others included in the backlog. With the ability for freighters to fly longer than passenger airframes, many leading operators have yet to make their decision, leaving the door ajar for the programme’s biggest orders that have yet to come.

The strong orderbook has been a vote of confidence for the planemaker that its new derivative is something needed. However, with the customer base awaiting the type, delays have led some to consider delaying the retirement of ageing 747Fs, MD-11Fs, and other types.

While Airbus is sticking firm to its 2027 first delivery for the new freighter, some customers of the type have, over the last 12 months, expressed doubt this will be met due to pressures on the programme. A first flight this year will help move the approval along, however.