Airbus has shown its first A350F fully assembled and painted for the first time, bringing the new-generation freighter another step closer to its maiden flight, Air Data News reported.

The aircraft emerged from the paint shop wearing a special livery designed to resemble a large delivery package, a theme suited to an aircraft developed specifically for the air cargo market, according to the report.

The design resulted from a competition organised by Airbus that attracted around 4,000 entries, with two winning concepts eventually combined to create the final scheme applied to the first A350F, Air Data News said.

The aircraft is the first flight-test example of the freighter and will now proceed through ground testing before taking to the air.

Airbus has officially maintained that the maiden flight will take place before the end of 2026. However, industry sources told Reuters earlier this week that the manufacturer is currently targeting the third week of September, although the schedule could slip into early October, Air Data News reported, citing Reuters.

That would put the A350F in the air earlier than Airbus' previous public guidance suggested and start a certification campaign expected to last more than a year. The manufacturer currently targets the first customer delivery in the second half of 2027.

Dedicated A350 freighter

Launched in 2021, the A350F is Airbus' attempt to regain a significant presence in a dedicated large-freighter market that Boeing has dominated for decades, according to the report.

The aircraft is derived from the A350 passenger family but is not simply a converted A350 with a cargo door. Airbus developed a shortened fuselage specifically for the freighter, combining much of the A350-1000 structure with a large main-deck cargo door and a strengthened floor.

The A350F has a maximum payload of approximately 111 tonnes and is designed around the standard pallets and containers used by the air cargo industry. Its large main-deck cross-section is particularly important for carrying the same types of cargo pallets accommodated by Boeing's larger freighters.

Its timing is also significant because increasingly strict international emissions standards will affect newly produced freighters based on older aircraft designs from 2028. Airbus has promoted the A350F's newer-generation airframe and Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines as an advantage as operators eventually replace older 747 and 777 freighters, the report said.

The programme has nevertheless suffered delays. Airbus originally planned to introduce the A350F in 2025, but development and industrial issues pushed entry into service back by around two years. More recently, delays involving the large cargo door produced in Spain have added pressure on the schedule.

As of July 2026, Airbus had accumulated 107 firm orders for the A350F, giving the manufacturer a substantial backlog before the first example has even flown.

Its main competitor will be Boeing's 777-8F, another new-generation large freighter also under development. The two programmes will effectively determine the shape of the factory-built widebody freighter market once the current 777F ends production.

Sources: Air Data News, Reuters