European aircraft manufacturer Airbus has completed ground vibration testing on the first A350F freighter test aircraft, marking a major technical milestone in the ground test campaign ahead of the aircraft's scheduled first flight before the end of 2026.
The testing campaign took place in Toulouse, France, over the course of three days in June 2026 on test aircraft MSN700. Ground vibration testing represents a critical evaluation to validate structural dynamics and aeroelastic behaviour before flight testing, ensuring that dynamic responses across the airframe match the mathematical models used during initial design.
During the test series, the aircraft airframe was excited using external hydraulic shakers connected at key positions—including the wingtips, rear fuselage, and engines—in combination with movements from the aircraft's own flight control surfaces. Engineers collected data through onboard Flight Test Instrumentation alongside autonomous sensors installed throughout the airframe.
The vibration trial follows months of extensive ground testing across Airbus facilities. Prior to the Toulouse campaign, Airbus conducted test rig demonstrations of the Main-Deck Cargo Door actuation system and Cargo Loading System at its facility in Bremen, Germany, alongside evaluations of drainage systems and maximum payload handling.
The A350F is a dedicated cargo derivative of the A350-1000 passenger airliner, sharing around 90 percent of its components with the baseline aircraft. The new freighter is designed to accommodate a payload of up to 111 tonnes across 30 main-deck pallet positions.
Airbus maintains its expectation for the A350F to perform its maiden flight before the end of 2026. Commercial entry into service for the freighter program is currently planned for 2027, when it will enter service for air cargo operators.
