Airbus has completed the manufacturing and assembly of the first main deck cargo door for its Airbus A350F at its Illescas facility in Spain. The component has now been delivered to the Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Toulouse where it will be integrated into the fuselage of the first test aircraft and undergo testing in the coming weeks. Airbus plans to manufacture two A350F aircraft for flight testing between 2026 and 2027.

The A350F main deck cargo door is the largest in the industry featuring a 4.5-metre cut-out width and a 4.3-metre-tall opening. It is designed to streamline loading and unloading operations improving speed safety and efficiency. Positioned in the rear fuselage to maintain an optimal centre of gravity during loading the door is constructed from advanced composite materials and uses an electrically powered opening and closing system.

The Illescas plant is one of Airbus’ key centres for large-scale composite manufacturing producing the door’s structural skins and carrying out final assembly before delivery for integration into the aircraft fuselage.

As part of the pre-series production process the first cargo doors will be installed in Toulouse. Once serial production begins the doors will be shipped from Illescas to Hamburg where they will be integrated into the aft fuselage and fitted with actuation systems. That fuselage section will then be transported to Toulouse in line with Airbus’ established production process.

Ricardo Rojas President of Airbus’ Commercial Aircraft business in Spain said the milestone highlights Spain’s critical role in Airbus programmes:

“This achievement reflects years of preparation and teamwork showcasing the deep expertise and technical maturity developed at our Illescas plant in composite materials.”

Designed as a next-generation cargo aircraft the A350F is intended to meet evolving global air freight demands. It offers a range of up to 8,700 kilometres and a payload capacity of up to 111 tonnes enabling long-haul international operations. The aircraft is built with more than 70% advanced materials and is approximately 46 tonnes lighter than comparable freighters.

Powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines the A350F is expected to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions by up to 20% compared with previous-generation aircraft in the same class. It is also the only freighter currently designed to fully meet International Civil Aviation Organization 2027 CO₂ emissions standards.

At entry into service the aircraft will be capable of operating with up to 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel SAF with a target of reaching 100% SAF capability by 2030 aligned with Airbus’ broader sustainability goals.

As of the end of March 2026 the A350F programme had secured 101 orders from 14 customers worldwide.