Airbus A350F. Copyright: Airbus S.A.S 2021 - computer rendering by FIXION - MMS - 2021
Production of the Airbus A350 freighter has moved forward again with the first forward fuselage section of the aircraft now equipped with essential systems.
This follows delivery of the first section 19 and is an important development for Airbus, given the A350F has been delayed until the second half of 2027.
Airbus said in a LinkedIn post on 17 April: ”The Airbus Aerostructures plant in Hamburg has delivered the first forward fuselage section for the A350F, fully equipped with electrical, hydraulic, air conditioning and water systems.”
The aircraft manufacturer’s senior vice president of marketing Joost van der Heijden added that the first forward fuselage section had been transported from Germany and joined with the cockpit in France.
He said: ”Great milestone for the A350F as the forward fuselage section has been equipped with systems and joined with the cockpit at our Montoirde Bretagne site in France. It will now be shipped to Toulouse with Final Assembly of the first A350F starting over summer.”
Airbus announced in February this year that it would push back the entry-into-service date of its A350 freighter to the second half of 2027, from its earlier expectation of 2026.
Back in May 2023 the company also shifted the A350F entry into service date from the end of 2025 to 2026.
The company has firm orders for 63 A350 freighters, with 60 of them attributed to 10 identified customers.
Last year, Airbus told Air Cargo News that Asia and the US both hold promise for new orders of the A350F.
