Airbus completes the first horizontal stabiliser for the A350F freighter

Airbus has completed manufacturing the first horizontal stabiliser (HTP) for the A350F freighter at its plants in Spain. The production of the A350F's first horizontal stabiliser (HTP) involved the Airbus plant in Cadiz, where parts of the HTP were manufactured, and Getafe, for assembly and outfitting.

This HTP will be shipped to the Airbus Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Toulouse in the coming weeks to be joined with the fuselage of the first test aircraft. Airbus is manufacturing two A350F aircraft for flight testing in 2026 and 2027. The A350F HTP can be manufactured in the same production line as the passenger version.

Ricardo Rojas, President of Airbus' Commercial Aircraft business in Spain, said: "The A350F will offer a clean-sheet, specifically designed solution for air freight transport, bringing more efficiency and versatility to the cargo market. With more than 1,400 orders for the A350, including 66 A350Fs, Spain plays a key role in this programme that presents the future in air cargo transportation."

All in all, the horizontal stabiliser, rear fuselage (section 19), and lower wing covers for both the A350 and A350F are manufactured in Spain. In addition, the A350F's main deck cargo door, the largest in the industry, will also be manufactured in Spain. Made from composite materials, it has a 4.3-meter (14.1 ft) opening, making loading and unloading easier, faster, and safer.

(article source: Airbus / editor: Anton van Rijsbergen)
(image source: Airbus)