The cargo version of the modern Airbus A350F won its first orders this week. The company Air Lease Corporation signed a Letter of Intent to have seven A350F aircraft in its “fleet” of aircraft.
The aircraft, logically, must operate with an airline that has yet to be revealed, since the order came from a leasing company.
A Airbus revealed during the Dubai Airshow that it plans an A350 freighter capable of carrying up to 109 tons on board. Compared to the current 777F, based on the 777-200LR, this capacity announced by the manufacturer allows it to carry 5 tons more.
Carrying all 109 tons possible, the aircraft will still have an excellent range of 8700 km. The manufacturer also announced a range of over 11000 km with 92 tons on board.
The cargo door will be 3,7 m wide and 3,14 m high and, exceptionally, will be positioned at the rear. Considerations of center of gravity and ease of loading influenced this decision.
According to Crawford Hamilton, Head of Marketing at Airbus, this makes it possible for the midsection of the aircraft to accommodate a single 30-tonne pallet. However, the tailgate adds a feature to loading, which needs to be accomplished by moving pallets from the tailgate to the front of the aircraft.
With a giant door, the A350F will be able to receive even large aircraft engines, including the General Electric GE-9X that equips the Boeing 777X, which will probably have a freighter version.
Airbus will still take five sections of the forward fuselage of the A350-100 to shorten the A350 by 3,17 meters. The freighter will use the same engines as the A350-1000, the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB with 96000 lbs of thrust (each).
The A350F will be available from 2025 and will have a maximum take-off weight of 317 tonnes, compared to 319 tonnes for the A350-1000. Hamilton said the A350F is a direct alternative to replace the Boeing 747-400 in the coming years.
