Looking at enhancing your air cargo fleet? The A350F advantage

The A350F is the dedicated freighter variant of the new-generation A350 Family, a proven platform that delivers 99.5% operational reliability.

Altogether, nearly 1,400 of this highly popular large, long-range aircraft family have been ordered by 60 customers, with around 650 currently operated on routes across the globe.

An all-new design, the A350 features lightweight, durable materials, groundbreaking wing technology and the world’s most efficient large aeroengine, the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB.

As a result, this new-generation aircraft family consumes less fuel, produces lower CO₂ emissions, and generates less noise compared to previous generation aircraft in its class.

Capable of carrying up to 111 tonnes (244 klbs) of payload, the A350F has been optimised for cargo operations while retaining a high degree of commonality with the passenger models. Furthermore, the entire A350 Family is covered by the same type rating, meaning that pilots qualified on the passenger aircraft can also fly the A350F, and vice versa.

The A350F offers significant reductions in CO₂ emissions relative to similarly sized in-service freighters. The A350F, meeting current certification requirements for CO₂ and non-CO₂ emissions, is positioned in the best noise categories at airports for aircraft of its class. This can represent an important cost efficiency factor for operators.

The A350F’s Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engine is the most efficient and reliable large aeroengine in service. The engine has performed 20 million flying hours at 99.9% dispatch reliability, with 10% lower specific fuel consumption than engines powering competing aircraft.

All A350 freighter modifications have been designed to optimise cargo operations and ease loading/unloading activities.

In particular, the A350F boasts the largest main deck cargo door of any commercial freighter. At 170 inches clear opening, the door is 15% wider than those of the 777F and 777-8F. As well as improving loading and unloading times and reducing door surroundings damage, this “XL Door” enables easier loading and unloading of particularly large items, including, but not limited to, today’s biggest aircraft engines, large vehicles, oil rig parts and so on.

The A350F has a new, modern cargo loading system (CLS) featuring robust 3-power drive units (PDUs) equipped with a soft start & stop function. The A350F CLS offers far more traction than the competition, particularly in the door area where the A350F has 36 self- lifting PDUs.

Reinforcements to the main deck floor enable high running and position loads, greater loading flexibility and more high-weight positions than competing aircraft, while full temperature control of eight independent zones enables transport of perishables, livestock, pharmaceuticals and any other temperature sensitive goods.

Thanks to the A350’s all-new design, the A350F achieves a step change in structural efficiency as measured by structural payload per tonne of empty weight. This means that, for a given mission, the A350F will require less fuel, and will take off at lower weights than competing aircraft.

Thanks to its airframe made up of 53% composites and 14% titanium, the A350 requires substantially fewer corrosion and fatigue-related maintenance tasks. In fact, compared to equivalent metallic aircraft, the number and duration of structural maintenance tasks can be reduced by 50%, lowering maintenance costs and increasing revenue flying time. 

Ten years of passenger operations have demonstrated the robustness of the overall airframe design. All freighter specific design elements (cargo door, lining, floor…) meet the highest requirements in terms of corrosion prevention, allowable damage, reparability etc.

At Airbus, selling an aircraft is only the start of our process.

As with all Airbus aircraft, the A350F can benefit from customised and comprehensive support, from single ad hoc solutions to fully integrated packages, ensuring smooth entry into service, reliable daily operations and outstanding fleet efficiency.

Prior to the delivery of a customer’s first aircraft, Airbus provides assistance with readiness preparation for materials & tools, training, maintenance, flight operations and the related manuals. 

Airbus support continues throughout the aircraft’s operational life cycle with tailored solutions covering training, flight operations, maintenance and upgrades, and can include end-of-life services for dismantling and recycling.