Airbus has tentatively set the first flight of its delayed A350 freighter aircraft for the third week of September, industry sources said in Paris on Aug. 18. The schedule could slip into early October, leaving the European planemaker with a tight certification timeline as it seeks to complete flight testing and make a first delivery before the end of next year. Airbus did not confirm the timing, with a spokesperson saying the company had nothing to add to its latest guidance for a maiden flight before the end of this year and a first delivery in the second half of 2027. The A350F, launched in 2021 with an initial goal of entering service four years later, is aimed at a cargo aircraft market long dominated by Boeing. Airbus has sold 107 A350F aircraft, compared with 38 of the smaller and older A330F. Reuters reported in May that Airbus was facing delays in cargo doors built in Spain for the new freighter, while Leeham News reported this month that deliveries could slip into 2028.