Broughton, a small town in Wales, hosted a big day last week – at least for the employees at the local Airbus plant. It is the European group’s center of excellence for the construction of wings. On 30MAY25, the first ever finished set of wings for the future A350 freighter was presented to the public, framed with dignity by 70+ employees. Many pairs of wings will follow, as airline orders for the freighter have picked up speed.
To date, 63 firm airline orders have been signed. Among them are the usual suspects such as Etihad Cargo, Silk Way West, AF-KLM Cargo, Cathay Cargo, Turkish Cargo, but also U.S. lessor, Air Lease Corporation, and the air freight division of French shipping colossus, CMA CGM.
On the occasion of the presentation, Head of Widebody Wings at Airbus Broughton, Paul Kilmister, said, “This is a proud moment for everyone at Broughton, completing the first ever A350F wingset. With almost 1,400 orders for the A350, including 63 A350F, Broughton will continue to play a critical role in the future of the program, supporting Airbus’ growth in passenger and freight markets.”
Multiple delays
The construction of the large freighter was first announced in 2021, and its entry into service was scheduled for 2025. Due to supply chain hiccups, the maiden flight was then postponed to 2026. As the problems have not been completely resolved despite some improvements to the processes, particularly at major supplier, Spirit Aero Systems, delivery of the first A350F is now scheduled for 2027. However, Airbus has not yet officially confirmed this timing.
Unique XL cargo hatch
The A350F is a derivative of the A350-1000 passenger version, with a shortened fuselage between the cockpit section and the wings, to optimize the aircraft’s center of gravity. It is equipped with an XL cargo door measuring 3.8m (height) and 3.05m (width). In comparison, the dimensions of the competitor model Boeing 777-8F are 3.72m x 3.05m. “As the next generation of engines will probably be even larger than today’s motors, they will also fit into our A350F for maintenance and repair purposes as well as fast deliveries to customer airlines,” says Crawford Hamilton, Airbus’ Head of Freighter Sales. Unlike the 747-8F from competitor Boeing, the cockpit section cannot be lifted so that nose door loading of long and bulky cargo such as oil drill equipment is not possible. However, the proportion of this type of special cargo is less than one percent, so Airbus has dispensed with the technical option of nose-door loading.
Attractive performance offerings
Currently, Airbus is building two A350F test aircraft which will undergo flight tests throughout 2026 and 2027. The Broughton manufactured wings will soon be transported by BelugaXL freighters to Bremen, Germany, for final equipping before being sent to Toulouse to be attached to the fuselage of the first test aircraft.
According to Airbus, these are the most important performance parameters:
- 20% lower fuel burn and CO2 emissions compared to current in-service freighter aircraft.
- Optimized loading capacity due to the enlarged cargo door.
- A nonstop range of up to 8,700 km when fully loaded with 111 tons of freight.
“The A350F is poised to shape the future of air freight, offering operators a more efficient, and versatile solution for decades to come,” reads an Airbus marketing brochure. The European frame maker notes that many cargo operators will look to replace their aging McDonnell Douglas MD-11F over the next decade. In combination with stiffer environmental regulations imposed by many states, it will increase the sales of the A350F and its competitor, Boeing’s 777-8F.
Kuehne+Nagel eyes BWB freighter
The Switzerland-based logistics giant has announced a strategic partnership with U.S. startup Natilus, which aims to produce Blended Wing-Body passenger and cargo aircraft (BWB). Through their collaboration, the two companies intend to explore the possibilities of deploying such aircraft in the air cargo sector. According to Natilus, a freighter version of its BWB Horizon model could fly autonomously and would offer the market a payload of up to 3.8 tons. It is scheduled to take to the skies in the early phase of the next decade.
