The first wings for thew Airbus A350 Freighter (A350F) has been completed at Airbus’ wing manufacturing facility in Broughton, North Wales.
Although different to the passenger variant, the wings have been designed to be sufficiently similar so they can be produced on the same production line as all other A350 wings.
This first set of wings will be used on the first of two A350F test aircraft which are due to start testing in 2026 and 2027 respectively.
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 programme, supporting Airbus’ growth in passenger and freight markets.
“The A350F is poised to shape the future of air freight, offering operators a more efficient, and versatile solution for decades to come.”
Airbus’ facility in Broughton produces the wingsets for all Airbus A3XX airliners and they are then shipped by Airbus Beluga and BelugaXL aircraft to the final assembly lines.
The wings for the A350F are designed to improve efficiency and help the aircraft to produce a 20% lower fuel burn compared to current freighter aircraft in the same class. The A350F will also have the largest cargo door in its class with its loading opening measuring 4.3 metres wide.
