The Airbus A330 is a wide-body aircraft developed and produced by Airbus. Airbus began developing larger A300 derivatives in the mid-1970s, giving rise to the A330 twinjet as well as the Airbus A340quadjet, and launched both designs along with their first orders in June 1987. The A330-300, the first variant, took its maiden flight in November 1992 and entered service with Air Inter in January 1994. The A330-200, a shortened longer-range variant, followed in 1998 with Canada 3000 as the launch operator.
The A330 shares many underpinnings with the airframe of the early A340 variants, most notably the same wing components, and by extension the same structure. However, the A330 has two main landing gear legs instead of three, lower weights, and slightly different fuselage lengths. Both airliners have fly-by-wire controls as well as a similar glass cockpit to increase the commonality. The A330 was Airbus's first airliner to offer a choice of three engines: the General Electric CF6, Pratt & Whitney PW4000, or the Rolls-Royce Trent 700. The A330-300 has a range of 11,750km (6,340nmi; 7,300mi) with 277 passengers, while the shorter A330-200 can cover 13,450km (7,260nmi; 8,360mi) with 247 passengers. Other variants include the A330-200F dedicated freighter, the A330 MRTT military tanker, and the ACJ330 corporate jet. The A330 MRTT was proposed as the EADS/Northrop Grumman KC-45 for the US Air Force's KC-X competition, but lost to the Boeing KC-46 in appeal after an initial win.
In July 2014, Airbus announced the re-enginedA330neo (new engine option) comprising A330-800 and -900, which entered service with TAP Air Portugal in December 2018. With the exclusive, more efficient Trent 7000 turbofan and improvements including sharklets, it offers up to 14% better fuel economy per seat. The first-generation A330s (-200, -200F, and -300) are now called A330ceo (current engine option).
Delta Air Lines is the largest operator with 73 airplanes in its fleet as of November2024[update]. A total of 1,850 orders have been placed for the A330 family, of which 1,616 have been delivered and 1,469 are in service with 149 operators. The global A330 fleet had accumulated more than 65 million flight hours since its entry into service. The A330 is the second most delivered wide-body airliner after the Boeing 777. It competes with the Boeing 767, smaller variants of the Boeing 777, and the 787. It is complemented by the larger Airbus A350, which succeeded the four-engined A340. As of June2024[update], the Airbus A330 has been involved in 46 aviation accidents and incidents, including 14 hull-losses (10 due to flight related accidents and 4 due to criminal related accidents), for a total of 339 fatalities.[2][3]
Airbus's first airliner, the A300, was envisioned as part of a diverse family of commercial aircraft. Pursuing this goal, studies began in the early 1970s into derivatives of the A300.[4][5] Before introducing the A300, Airbus identified nine possible variations designated B1 through B9.[6] A tenth variant, the A300B10, was conceived in 1973 and developed into the longer-range Airbus A310.[7] Airbus then focused its efforts on single-aisle (SA) studies, conceiving a family of airliners later known as the Airbus A320 family, the first commercial aircraft with digital fly-by-wire controls. During these studies Airbus turned its focus back to the wide-body aircraft market, simultaneously working on both projects.[7]
In the mid-1970s, Airbus began development of the A300B9, a larger derivative of the A300, which would eventually become the A330. The B9 was essentially a lengthened A300 with the same wing, coupled with the most powerful turbofan engines available. It was targeted at the growing demand for high-capacity, medium-range, transcontinental trunk routes.[8] Offering the same range and payload as the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 but with 25 per cent better fuel efficiency,[8] the B9 was seen as a viable replacement for the DC-10 and the Lockheed L-1011 TriStar trijets.[9] It was also considered as a medium-ranged successor to the A300.[10]
At the same time, a 200-seat four-engine version, the B11 (which would eventually become the A340) was also under development.[11] The B11 was originally planned to take the place of narrow-body Boeing 707s and Douglas DC-8s then in commercial use, but would later evolve to target the long-range, wide-body trijet replacement market.[10] To differentiate from the SA series, the B9 and B11 were re-designated as the TA9 and TA11, with TA standing for "twin aisle".[11] Development costs were reduced by the two aircraft using the same fuselage and wing, with projected savings of US$500million. Another factor was the split preference of those within Airbus and, more importantly, those of prospective customers; twinjets were favoured in North America, quad-jets desired in Asia, and operators had mixed views in Europe.[8] Airbus ultimately found that most potential customers favoured four engines for their exemption from existing twinjet range restrictions and their ability to be ferried with one inactive engine.[12] As a result, development plans prioritised the four-engined TA11 ahead of the TA9.[12]
Design effort
Compared to the A330 twinjet (on ground), the heavier A340 (inflight) has four engines and a centre-line wheel bogie.
The first specifications for the TA9 and TA11, aircraft that could accommodate 410 passengers in a one-class layout, emerged in 1982.[13] They showed a large underfloor cargo area that could hold five cargo pallets or sixteen LD3 cargo containers in the forward, and four pallets or fourteen LD3s in the aft hold—double the capacity of the Lockheed L-1011 TriStar or DC-10, and 8.46 metres (27.8ft) longer than the Airbus A300.[14] By June 1985, the TA9 and TA11 had received more improvements, including the adoption of the A320 flight deck, digital fly-by-wire (FBW) control system, and side-stick control.[15] Airbus had developed a common cockpit for their aircraft models to allow quick transition by pilots. The flight crews could transition from one type to another after only one week's training, which reduces operator costs.[16] The two TAs would use the vertical stabiliser, rudder, and circular fuselage sections of the A300-600, extended by two barrel sections.[16]
Airbus briefly considered the variable camber wing, a concept that requires changing the wing profile for a given phase of flight. Studies were carried out by British Aerospace (BAe), now part of BAE Systems, at Hatfield and Bristol. Airbus estimated this would yield a two per cent improvement in aerodynamic efficiency,[17] but the feature was rejected because of cost and difficulty of development.[11] A true laminar flow wing (a low-drag shape that improves fuel efficiency) was also considered but rejected.[18]
With necessary funding available, the Airbus Supervisory Board approved the development of the A330 and A340 with potential customers on 27 January 1986.[19] Its chairman Franz Josef Strauss stated afterwards that
Airbus Industrie is now in a position to finalise the detailed technical definition of the TA9, now officially designated as the A330, and the TA11, now called the A340, with potential launch customer airlines, and to discuss with them the terms and conditions for launch commitments.
The designations were originally reversed and were switched so the quad-jet airliner would have a "4" in its name. Airbus hoped for five airlines to sign for both the A330 and A340, and on 12 May sent sale proposals to the most likely candidates, including Lufthansa and Swissair.[15]
Engines
From the beginning of the TA9's development, a choice of engines from the three major engine manufacturers, Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Whitney, and GE Aviation, was planned.[20] GE Aviation first offered the CF6-80C2. However, later studies indicated that more thrust was needed to increase the initial power capability from 267 to 289kN (60,000 to 65,000lbf).[21] GE enlarged the CF6-80C2 fan from 236 to 244 centimetres (92.9 to 96.1in) and reduced the number of fan blades from 38 to 34 to create the CF6-80E1 with a thrust of 300–320kN (67,000–72,000lbf).[22]
Pratt & Whitney's PW4000 has a more conventional unmixed exhaust.
The GE CF6 also has an unmixed exhaust, but adds a pointed exhaust cone.
Rolls-Royce initially wanted to use the 267kN (60,000lbf)Trent 600 to power Airbus's newest twinjet and the upcoming McDonnell Douglas MD-11. However, the company later agreed to develop an engine solely for the A330, the Trent 700, with a larger diameter and 311kN (69,900lbf) of thrust.[23] The A330 became the first Airbus aircraft for which Rolls-Royce supplied engines.[20]
Similarly, Pratt & Whitney signed an agreement that covered the development of the A330-exclusive PW4168. The company increased the fan size from 94in (2.39m) to 100in (2.54m),[24] enabling the engine to deliver 311kN (69,900lbf) of thrust. Like the CF6-80E1, 34 blades were used instead of the 38 found on the smaller PW4000 engines.[25]
In preparation for the production of the A330 and the A340, Airbus's partners invested heavily in new facilities. In south-western England, BAe made a £7million investment in a three-storey technical centre with 15,000m2 (161,000sqft) of floor area at Filton.[26] In north Wales, BAe also spent £5million on a new production line at its Broughton wing production plant.[26] In Germany, Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB) invested DM400million ($225million) on manufacturing facilities in the Weser estuary, including at Bremen, Einswarden, Varel, and Hamburg.[27] France saw the biggest investments, with Aérospatiale constructing a new Fr.2.5billion ($411million) final-assembly plant adjacent to Toulouse-Blagnac Airport in Colomiers; by November 1988, the pillars for the new Clément Ader assembly hall had been erected.[28] The assembly process featured increased automation, such as robots drilling holes and installing fasteners during the wing-to-fuselage mating process.[29]
On 12 March 1987, Airbus received the first orders for the twinjet. Domestic French airline Air Inter placed five firm orders and fifteen options, while Thai Airways International requested eight aircraft, split evenly between firm orders and options.[12][30] Airbus announced the next day that it would formally launch the A330 and A340 programmes by April 1987, with deliveries of the A340 to begin in May 1992 and A330 deliveries to start in 1993. Northwest Airlines signed a letter of intent for twenty A340s and ten A330s on 31 March.[30] In 2001, the program cost with the A340 was $3.5 billion (equivalent to $5.75 billion in 2023)[31].[32]
BAe eventually received £450million of funding from the UK government, well short of the £750million it had originally requested for the design and construction of the wings.[33] The German and French governments also provided funding. Airbus issued subcontracts to companies in Australia, Austria, Canada, China, Greece, Italy, India, Japan, South Korea, Portugal, the United States, and the former Yugoslavia.[34] With funding in place, Airbus launched the A330 and A340 programmes on 5 June 1987, just before the Paris Air Show.[33][35] At that time, the order book stood at 130 aircraft from ten customers, including lessor International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC). Of the order total, forty-one were for A330s.[33] In 1989, Asian carrier Cathay Pacific joined the list of purchasers, ordering nine A330s and later increasing this number to eleven.[36]
The wing-to-fuselage mating of the first A330, the tenth airframe of the A330 and A340 line, began in mid-February 1992. This aircraft, coated with anti-corrosion paint, was rolled out on 31 March without its General Electric CF6-80E1 engines, which were installed by August. During a static test, the wing failed just below requirement; BAe engineers later resolved the problem.[37] At the 1992 Farnborough Airshow, Northwest deferred delivery of sixteen A330s to 1994, following the cancellation of its A340 orders.[38]
The first completed A330 was rolled out on 14 October 1992, with the maiden flight following on 2 November. Weighing 181,840kg (401,000lb), including 20,980kg (46,300lb) of test equipment,[37] the A330 became the largest twinjet to have flown until the first flight of the Boeing 777. The flight lasted five hours and fifteen minutes during which speed, height, and other flight configurations were tested. Airbus intended the test flight programme to comprise six aircraft flying a total of 1,800 hours.[37] On 21 October 1993, the A330 received the European Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certifications simultaneously after 1,114 cumulative airborne test hours and 426 test flights. At the same time, weight tests came in favourable, showing the plane was 500kg (1,100lb) underweight.[39]
On 30 June 1994, a fatal crash occurred during certification of the Pratt & Whitney engine when an A330 crashed near Toulouse.[40] Both pilots and the five passengers died.[41] The flight was designed to test autopilot response during a one-engine-off worst-case scenario with the centre of gravity near its aft limit. Shortly after takeoff, the pilots had difficulty setting the autopilot, and the aircraft lost speed and crashed.[42] An investigation by an internal branch of Direction Générale d'Aviation concluded that the accident resulted from slow response and incorrect actions by the crew during the recovery.[43] This led to a revision of A330 operating procedures.[44]
Entry into service
Air Inter introduced the A330-300 on 17 January 1994 as its launch operator.
Air Inter became the first operator of the A330, having put the aircraft into service on 17 January 1994 between Orly Airport, Paris, and Marseille.[45] Deliveries to Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and Thai Airways International were postponed to address delamination of the composite materials in the PW4168 engine's thrust reverser assembly. Thai Airways received its first A330 during the second half of the year, operating it on routes from Bangkok to Taipei and Seoul.[36][46] Cathay Pacific received its Trent 700 A330s following the certification of that engine on 22 December 1994.[43] MAS received its A330 on 1 February 1995 and then rescheduled its other ten orders.[36] Its initial range was around 4,000 nautical miles but subsequent refinements increased the range of newer models to 5,000 nautical miles and by 2015, the range was 6,100 nautical miles.[47]
Shrinking the -300: the -200
The A330-200 first flew on 13 August 1997.
In response to a decline in A330-300 sales, increased market penetration by the Boeing 767-300ER, and airline requests for increased range and smaller aircraft, Airbus developed the A330-200.[48] Known as the A329 and A330M10 during development, the A330-200 would offer nine per cent lower operating costs than the Boeing 767-300ER.[49] The plane was aimed at the 11,900km (6,430nmi; 7,390mi) sector, where Airbus predicted demand for 800 aircraft between 1995 and 2015.[49] The project, with US$450million in expected development costs, was approved by the Airbus Industrie Supervisory Board on 24 November 1995.[49]
Canada 3000 was the A330-200's launch operator in April 1998.
The A330-200 first flew on 13 August 1997.[50] The sixteen-month certification process involved logging 630 hours of test flights.[50] The A330-200's first customer was ILFC; these aircraft were leased by Canada 3000, who became the type's first operator.[51]
As Airbus worked on its A330-200, hydraulic pump problems were reported by both A330 and A340 operators. This issue was the suspected cause of a fire that destroyed an Air France A340-200 in January 1994.[52] On 4 January of that year, a Malaysia Airlines A330-300, while undergoing regular maintenance at Singapore Changi Airport, was consumed by a fire that started in the right-hand main undercarriage well. The incident caused US$30million in damage, and the aircraft took six months to repair.[52][53] Consequently, operators were advised to disable electrical pumps in January 1997.[52]
Proposed variants
A330-400/600
In 1996 Airbus evaluated a 12-frame stretch which would be able to carry 380 passengers over almost 7,000km (3,800nmi; 4,300mi), the -400, and a "super-stretch" using the A340-600's 22-frame stretch and powered by 400kN (90,000lbf) engines, the -600.[54]
A330-100/-500
In February 2000 it was reported that a 250-seat A330-100 replacement for the A300/A310 could be launched by year end for 2003 deliveries. Shortened and keeping its fly-by-wire cockpit and systems, with a cleaner A300-600 wing with sealed control surfaces and winglets and at least two new engine types among the GE CF6-80, the PW4000 and the A340-500/600's Trent 500 aimed for 5% better SFC than the A300-600.[55] Its 44.8m (147ft) wing allowed a 173t (381,000lb) MTOW and 4,200nmi (7,770km; 4,830mi) range. In May, the 210-260 seat design had evolved towards keeping the A330 60.3m (198ft) span wing and engines for a 195 t MTOW and 4,500nmi (8,300km; 5,200mi) range. Interested customers included Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa and Hapag-Lloyd.[56]
Announced in July at Farnborough Air Show, the -500 first flight was targeted for early 2003 and introduction in early 2004. ILFC would take 10 if it was launched and CIT was interested too. The eight-frame shrink would carry 222 in three classes or 266 in two classes. Its initial 13,000km (7,000nmi; 8,100mi) range would be followed by derated versions for 8,000km (4,300nmi; 5,000mi).[57] The market was lukewarm as airlines like Lufthansa, Hapag-Lloyd and Singapore Airlines were unimpressed by the long-range A330-500, favouring a more refined short-range design. Lack of airline demand made lessors interest wane and as ILFC would order as 30 -500s, it would be with converting rights to larger A330-200/300.[58]
A330-200Lite
To compete with Boeing's 7E7 (later 787), Airbus offered a minimum-change derivative called the A330-200Lite in 2004. As the name indicated, this proposed variant would have had a lower maximum takeoff weight of 202 tonnes (445,000lb), coupled with de-rated engines, giving a range of 7,400km (4,000nmi; 4,600mi).[59][60] It was aimed at Singapore Airlines, who had looked to replace its Airbus A310-300s.[61][62] The variant was also to be a replacement for Airbus A300-600Rs and early Boeing 767s.[60] Airlines, however, were not satisfied with the compromised aircraft; the company instead proceeded with an entirely new aircraft, the A350 XWB.[63]
Further developments
The A330-200F freighter was first delivered to Etihad Cargo in July 2010.
Initially, the GE90 was only one of three Boeing 777 options, and GE Aviation then-CEO Brian H. Rowe would have paid for the development of putting it on an A330; however, Airbus' strategy for long-haul was the four-engine A340, missing the market favouring twins.[64]
Responding to lagging A300-600F and A310F sales, Airbus began marketing the Airbus A330-200F, a freighter derivative of the A330-200, around 2001.[65] The freighter has a range of 7,400km (4,000nmi; 4,600mi) with a 65 tonnes (140,000lb) payload, or 5,900km (3,200nmi; 3,700mi) with 70 tonnes (150,000lb).[66] The plane utilises the same nosegear as the passenger version; however, it is attached lower in the fuselage and housed in a distinctive bulbous "blister fairing". This raises the aircraft's nose so that the cargo deck is level during loading, as the standard A330's landing gear results the plane having a nose-down attitude while on the ground.[67]
The A330-200F made its maiden flight on 5 November 2009.[68][69] This marked the start of a four-month, 180-hour certification programme. JAA and FAA certifications were expected by March the following year although approval by the JAA was delayed until April.[68][70] The first delivery was subsequently made to the Etihad Airways cargo division, Etihad Cargo, in July 2010.[71][72]
On 25 September 2013 at the Aviation Expo China (Beijing Airshow), Airbus announced a new lower weight A330-300 variant, optimised for use on domestic and regional routes in high growth markets with large populations and concentrated traffic flows; China and India were recognised as prime targets.[73] This variant could carry up to 400 passengers.[74] The increased efficiency, however, comes more from the installation of more seats than any weight reduction. On relatively short, yet congested routes, the A330 competes against single-aisle jetliners. While the A330's operating costs in these conditions are not far above those of the Boeing 737 or Airbus A321, the A320neo and 737 MAX promise more efficiency. Where the frequency of flights cannot be increased, using larger aircraft, such as the A330, is the only available option to increase capacity.[75] The first customer for the A330 Regional was announced as Saudia at the 2015 Paris Air Show.[76] In 2018, the unit cost of an A330-200 was US$238.5M, US$264.2M for an A330-300 and US$241.7M for an A330-200F.[77]
The A330neo ("neo" for "New Engine Option") is a development from the initial A330 (now A330ceo— "Current Engine Option"). A new version with modern engines developed for the Boeing 787 was called for by owners of the current A330. It was launched in July 2014 at the Farnborough Airshow, promising 14% better fuel economy per seat. It will use the larger Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 exclusively. Its two versions are based on the A330-200 and -300: the -800 should cover 8,150nmi (15,090km; 9,380mi) with 257 passengers while the -900 should cover 7,200nmi (13,330km; 8,290mi) with 287 passengers. The -900 made its first flight on 19 October 2017, received its EASA type certificate on 26 September 2018, and was first delivered to TAP Air Portugal on 26 November. The -800 made its first flight on 6 November 2018, aiming for a mid-2019 type certification and delivery in the first half of 2020.
Production
The 1,000th A330 was delivered on 19 July 2013.
Airbus announced in February 2011 that it intended to raise production rates from seven-and-a-half/eight per month to nine per month in 2012, and ten in 2013.[78] Production increased to 10 aircraft per month in April 2013, the highest for any Airbus wide-body aircraft.[79] In 2012, Airbus expected the A330 to continue selling until at least 2020,[80] with the A350-900 expected to replace the A330-300.[81]
On 19 July 2013, Airbus delivered its 1000th A330 to Cathay Pacific.[82] The A330 became the first Airbus wide-body airliner to reach 1,000 deliveries, and the fourth wide-body to achieve the milestone after the Boeing 747, 767, and 777.[83] As of January 2019, a total of 1,496 A330ceos had been ordered, with 1,437 delivered.[1]
In December 2014, Airbus announced that it would reduce A330 production to nine aircraft per month from ten, because of falling orders. Airbus did not rule out any further production cuts. The announcement led to an immediate drop in Airbus Group's stock price because the company derived a significant percentage of its cash flow and net profit from the A330 program; the A330's financial impact was magnified amid problems in the A350 and A380 programs.[84] In February 2015, Airbus announced another production rate cut to six aircraft per month in the first quarter of 2016.[85] This would extend A330ceo production to July 2017, allowing for a smooth transition to A330neo production, which was set to start in spring 2017.[85][86] In February 2016, Airbus announced it would re-increase the production rate from 6 to 7 per month, in response to new A330 orders.[87]
In April 2018, as a result of weakening demand, Airbus announced further rate cuts to 4-5 aircraft a month (50 per year) in 2019.[88] In 2019, Airbus delivered 53 A330s (including 41 A330neos), including some delayed from 2018, and was set to reach a rate of 40 per year, to reflect softer demand for wide-bodies, as the backlog reached 331 (including 293 A330neos) − or 8.3 years' worth of production.[89]
The last A330-200 was delivered to OpenSkies (operating for LEVEL) on October 1, 2019, registered F-HLVN (subsequently reregistered EC-NNH in 2021). The last A330-300 built was registered EI-EIN and flown to Brussels Airport on February 28, 2020; Aer Lingus took delivery on 4 March 2020. At the time, four completed A330-300s for troubled Hong Kong Airlines were still undelivered.A330 MRTT/KC-30B and BelugaXL production both continue alongside that of the A330neo.[90]
The COVID-19 pandemic reduced demand for new jets in 2020, and Airbus cut its monthly production from 4.5 to 2 A330s.[91] In September 2020, the A330 reached a milestone of 1500 deliveries, Airbus's first twin-aisle aircraft to do so, and the third overall after the Boeing 747 and 777.[47][92]
The A330 is a medium-size, wide-body aircraft, with two engines suspended on pylons under the wings. A two-wheel nose undercarriage and two four-wheel bogie main legs built by Messier-Dowty support the aeroplane on the ground. Its MTOW grew from 212 tonnes (467,000lb) at introduction to 242 tonnes (534,000lb) in 2015, enhancing its payload-range performance.[93]John Leahy states that originally the A330 was intentionally being held down in takeoff weight and performance in order to avoid overlapping with the A340.[94]
The airframe of the A330 features a low-wing cantilever monoplane with a wing virtually identical to that of the A340-200/300. On the A330-300, one engine is installed at the inboard pylon while the outboard pylon position is not used; for the A340-300, both engine pylons are used, which allows the A340-300 wing to sustain a higher (wing-limited) MTOW. This is as the A340's two engines at each wing provide a more equal force distribution (engine weight) over the wing, while also the total engine weight counteracting moment is located more outboard with more engine weight located further outboard on the wing, hence the wing root bending moment with equal TOW is less on the A340-300 than on the A330-300. The A340 has a longer range and heavier payload, while the A330 has better fuel economy over the same distance.[95][96][bettersourceneeded]
The wings were designed and manufactured by BAe, which developed a long slender wing with a very high aspect ratio to provide high aerodynamic efficiency.[97][b] The wing is swept back at 30 degrees and, along with other design features, allows a maximum operating Mach number of 0.86.[99][100] To reach a long span and high aspect ratio without a large weight penalty, the wing has relatively high thickness-to-chord ratio of 11.8%[101] or 12.8%.[102][c] Jet airliners have Thickness-to-chord ratios ranging from 9.4% (MD-11 or Boeing 747) to 13% (Avro RJ or 737 Classic).[103] Each wing also has a 2.74m (9ft 0in) tall winglet instead of the wingtip fences found on earlier Airbus aircraft.[30]
The shared wing design with the A340 allowed the A330 to incorporate aerodynamic features developed for the former aircraft.[104] The failure of International Aero Engines' radical ultra-high-bypass V2500 "SuperFan", which had promised around 15 per cent fuel burn reduction for the A340, led to multiple enhancements including wing upgrades to compensate.[30][105] Originally designed with a 56m (180ft)span, the wing was later extended to 58.6m (190ft) and finally to 60.3m (200ft).[30] At 60.3m (200ft), the wingspan is similar to that of the larger Boeing 747-200, but with 35 percent less wing area.[99][100]
The A330 and A340 fuselage is based on that of the Airbus A300-600, with many common parts, and has the same external and cabin width: 5.64m (19ft) and 5.26m (17ft).[106] Typical seating arrangements are 2–2–2 six-abreast in business class and 2–4–2 eight-abreast in economy class.[107] The fin, rudder, elevators, horizontal tail plane (used as fuel tank), flaps, ailerons, and spoilers are made of composite materials, making 10% of the structure weight.[108] When necessary, the A330 uses the Honeywell 331–350C auxiliary power unit (APU) to provide pneumatics and electrical power.[109]
The A330 shares the same glass cockpit flight deck layout as the A320 and the A340, featuring electronic instrument displays rather than mechanical gauges.[110] Instead of a conventional control yoke, the flight deck features side-stick controls, six main displays, and the Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS), which covers navigation and flight displays, as well as the Electronic Centralised Aircraft Monitor (ECAM).[111][unreliable source?][112] Apart from the flight deck, the A330 also has the fly-by-wire system common to the A320 family, the A340, the A350, and the A380. It also features three primary and two secondary flight control systems, as well as a flight envelope limit protection system which prevents maneuvers from exceeding the aircraft's aerodynamic and structural limits.[111]
Operational history
Airbus intended the A330 to compete in the Extended-range Twin-engine Operation Performance Standards (ETOPS) market, specifically with the Boeing 767.[113] (ETOPS is a standard that allows longer range flights away from a diversion airport for aircraft that have met special design and testing standards.) Instead of the "ETOPS out of the box" or "Early ETOPS" approach taken by Boeing with its 777,[d] Airbus gradually increased ETOPS approval on the A330 using in-service experience. Airbus suggested that the A340 and the A330 were essentially identical except for their engine number, and that the A340's experience could be applied to the A330's ETOPS approval.[114] The plans were for all three engine types to enter service with 90-minute approval, before increasing to 120 minutes after the total A330 fleet accumulated 25,000 flight hours, and then to 180 minutes after 50,000 flight hours, in 1995.[115][e]Aer Lingus and Cathay Pacific were two important airlines assisting Airbus in this endeavour by building up in-service flight hours on over-ocean flights.[116] In November 2009, the A330 became the first aircraft to receive ETOPS–240 approval, which has since been offered by Airbus as an option.[117]
As of September2024[update], the global A330 fleet of 1,471 aircraft had 12 years average aircraft age (≈2.5 years for A330neo), opened more than 350 new city pairs since the launch of the Boeing 787 in 2011, and accumulated more than 65 million flight hours since its entry into service with 99.2% operational reliability.[118]
Variants
With the launch of Airbus A330neo, the existing members of the Airbus A330 family (A330-200, 200F, 300, and MRTT) received the Airbus A330ceo ("current engine option") name.[citation needed]
A330ceo
A330-200
The -200 is 4.85m (15.9ft) shorter than the -300.
The A330-200 is a shortened, longer-range variant, which entered service in 1998 with Korean Air. The typical range with 253 passengers in a three-class configuration is 13,400km (7,240nmi; 8,330mi).[106] The A330-200 is ten fuselage frames shorter than the original −300, with a length of 58.82m (193ft 0in).[106][119] To compensate for the smaller moment arm of the shorter fuselage, the vertical stabiliser height of the -200 was increased by 104cm (40.9in).[120] The −200's wing was also modified; structural strengthening of the wing allowed the maximum takeoff weight of the −200 to be increased to 229.8 tonnes (507,000lb).[120] The −200 is offered with three engine types similar to those found on the −300, namely the General Electric CF6-80E, Pratt & Whitney PW4000, or Rolls-Royce Trent 700.[106] Airbus also boosted fuel capacity to 139,090L (36,740USgal; 30,600impgal) by adding the centre section fuel tank, standard in the A340.[50]
A new vertical stabiliser was introduced in 2004 beginning with MSN 555. This newer fin is shorter in height by 50cm (20in)[107] and was derived from the design of the vertical stabiliser of the A340-500 and -600, later becoming standard on all new A330-200s.[121]
In 2008, Airbus released plans for a higher gross weight version of the A330-200 to more effectively compete against the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.[122] The new-build A330-200HGW had a 5 tonne increase in Maximum Takeoff Weight, allowing a 560 kilometres (302nmi; 348mi) range increase and a 3.4 tonnes (7,500lb) payload increase.[122][123]Korean Air became the first customer on 27 February 2009 with an order for six −200HGWs. Deliveries of the first aircraft started in 2010.[124]
In mid-2012, Airbus proposed another version of the −200 with the maximum gross weight increased by 2t (4,400lb) to 240t (530,000lb). This version had its range extended by 270nmi (500km; 310mi) and carried 2.5t (5,500lb) more payload. It saw engine and aerodynamic improvements reducing its fuel burn by about 2%. In November 2012, it was announced that the gross weight was to be further increased to 242t (534,000lb) with the range extended by 350nmi (650km; 400mi) over the 238t (525,000lb) version.[125] It was certified by the EASA on 8 September 2015.[126]
As a result of its vastly increased range while still maintaining the fuel efficiency the larger A330-300, the A330-200 came into internal competition with the initial A340 variants; the A330-200 proved much more popular than the A340-200 which carried fewer passengers and its only advantage was an extra range of 2000 miles that most airline routes did not need; the A330-200 managed to approach (though not match) the range of the A340-300 which did have a higher passenger capacity. This in turn led to Airbus making significant changes for subsequent A340 variants for significantly increased capacity and further range to distinguish the resultant A340-500/600 from the A330 family. [127] The A330−200 competes with the Boeing 767-400ER[128] and the new 787-8.[129]
In 1998, a newly delivered -200 was valued $94 million, rose over $100 million in 2005 but lowered at almost $75 million in 2019 as the market favours the -300 and the A330neo.[130] The 2018 list price was US$238.5million.[77]As of April2024[update], 661 of the −200 had been ordered, 656 of which had been delivered, with 572 aircraft in operation.[1]
A330-200F
The bulge under the A330-200F nose corrects the inherent nose-down attitude of passenger versions.
The A330-200F is an all-cargo derivative of the A330-200 capable of carrying 65t (140,000lb) over 7,400km (4,000nmi; 4,600mi) or 70t (150,000lb) up to 5,900km (3,200nmi; 3,700mi).[66] To overcome the standard A330's nose-down body angle on the ground, the A330F uses a revised nose undercarriage layout to provide a level deck during cargo loading. The normal A330-200 undercarriage is used, but its attachment points are lower in the fuselage, thus requiring a distinctive blister fairing on the nose to accommodate the retracted nose gear.[67] Power is provided by two Pratt & Whitney PW4000 or Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines. General Electric does not offer an engine for the A330-200F.[131]
As of December2020,[update] Airbus had delivered 38 aircraft with no outstanding orders.[1] The list price is $241.7million.[77] As well as new-build freighters, Airbus has proposed passenger-to-freighter conversions of existing −200 airliners.[132] The A330-200F is sized between the 767-300F and 777F,[133][134] but trails both Boeing models in orders and deliveries.[135][136]
A330-300
"A333" redirects here. For the road in England, see A333 road.
The initial variant, a 63.7 m (209 ft) long A330-300 of Air China
Powered by two General Electric CF6-80E1, Pratt & Whitney PW4000, or Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines, the 63.69m (208ft 11in) long −300 has a range of 11,750km (6,340nmi; 7,300mi), typically carries 277 passengers with a 440 exit limit and 32 LD3 containers.[100] It received European and American certification on 21 October 1993 after 420 test flights over 1,100 hours.[137] The −300 entered service on 16 January 1994.[39] The A330-300 is based on a stretched A300 fuselage but with new wings, stabilisers and fly-by-wire systems.
In 2010, Airbus offered a new version of the −300 with the maximum gross weight increased by two tonnes to 235 t. This enabled 120nmi (220km; 140mi) extension of the range as well as 1.2 t increase in payload.[138] In mid-2012, Airbus proposed another increase of the maximum gross weight to 240 t. It is planned to be implemented by mid-2015. This −300 version will have the range extended by 400nmi (740km; 460mi) and will carry 5 t more payload. It will include engine and aerodynamic improvements reducing its fuel burn by about 2%.[139] In November 2012, it was further announced that the gross weight will increase from 235 t to 242 t, and the range will increase by 500nmi (926km; 575mi) to 6,100nmi (11,300km; 7,020mi). Airbus is also planning to activate the central fuel tank for the first time for the −300 model.[125]
As of December 2020, a total of 779 of the -300 had been ordered, 771 of which had been delivered, with 742 in operation.[1] The 2015 list price is $264million.[77] The closest competitors have been the Boeing 777-200/200ER, 787-9, and the now out-of-production McDonnell Douglas MD-11.[140]
A330-300HGW
The first 242t (534,000lb) A330-300 was delivered to Delta Air Lines in May 2015.
In 2000, it was reported that Airbus was studying an A330-300 version with a higher gross weight. It was named A330-300HGW and had a takeoff weight of 240 tonnes (530,000lb), 7 tonnes (15,000lb) greater than the -300's weight at the time. The version would have a strengthened wing and additional fuel capacity from a 41,600-litre (11,000USgal) centre section fuel tank. The A330-300HGW's range was increased to over 11,000km (5,940nmi; 6,840mi). Among those that showed interest was leasing company ILFC, which sought airliners that could fly from the US West Coast to Europe.[141]
Power was to be supplied by all three engines offered to A330-200 and A330-300 with lower gross weight. Airbus also considered using the new Engine Alliance GP7000 engine for the A330-300HGW, which would have been the engine's first twinjet application. The −300HGW was to enter airline service in 2004.[141] However, the -300HGW programme was not launched and quietly disappeared.
The 240-tonne A330 reappeared years later when Airbus announced at the 2012 Farnborough Airshow that it would be an available option for both the A330-300 and the A330-200.[139][142] In November 2012, the maximum take off weight was further increased to 242 tonnes.[143] The first of these aircraft was delivered to Delta Air Lines on 28 May 2015.[144]
A330 Regional
In September 2013, Airbus announced a version of the A330-300, named A330 Regional or A330-300 Regional. The A330 Regional has seating for up to around 400 passengers, with reduced engine thrust, reduced maximum takeoff weight of 199t (439,000lb), and reduced range of 2,700 nautical miles (5,000km; 3,110mi). It is said that the maximum takeoff weight of these aircraft is an "easy upgrade to 242t (534,000lb)", which is the extended range version with range of 6,350nmi (11,800km; 7,310mi).[73][145][146][147] It is said to provide up to 26% lower operating costs than the longer range version A330-300.[148]
On 18 August 2016, Airbus delivered the first A330 Regional to Saudia.[149]
A330P2F
The first A330-200P2F was delivered to EgyptAir Cargo on 3 August 2018, with no bulge.
The A330P2F freighter conversion programme was launched at the 2012 Singapore Airshow with the support of Airbus, their Dresden-based Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW) joint venture and Singapore-based engineering firm ST Aerospace. Targeting a 2016 introduction, Airbus then estimated a market requirement for 2,700 freighters over 20 years, half of these mid-sized, including 900 conversions.[150]
The A330-300P2F, adapted for express delivery and e-commerce lower densities, can carry up to 62t (137,000lb) over 3,650nmi (6,760km; 4,200mi). Following flight tests in October 2017 and EASA supplemental type certificate awarded in November, the first was delivered to DHL on 1 December.[151]
The A330-200P2F can carry 61t (134,000lb) over 4,250nmi (7,870km; 4,890mi).[152] Following June Flight tests and the STC in July, the first was delivered to EgyptAir Cargo on 3 August 2018.[153]
The P2F version of the A330 retains the passenger aircraft's geometry and incorporates a powered cargo loading system to enable pallets to be moved "uphill" on the main cargo deck, and therefore does not have the distinctive nose blister, or "bulge", of the factory delivered A330-200F.[154]
On 3 March 2022, Air Transport Services Group (ATSG), an air freighter lessor, committed to acquiring 29 Airbus A330-300 Passenger-to-Freighter (P2F) conversion slots from EFW with deliveries in the 2023 to 2027 timeframe. The aircraft will be converted mainly at EFW's facility in Dresden, Germany, and at a new conversion site in Shanghai, China.[155]
The Airbus A330-800 is based on the A330-200, with, cabin modifications, larger Trent 7000 engines and aerodynamic improvements.[156] The A330-800s maiden flight took place on 6 November 2018.[157] The first two A330-800s were delivered to their launch customer Kuwait Airways in October 2020.[158]
A330-900
The Airbus A330-900 maintains the A330-300's fuselage dimensions with 10 more seats thanks to cabin optimisation.[156] With modern Trent 7000 engines and redesigned winglets, it should burn 14% less fuel per seat than the A330-300 over a distance of 4,000nmi (7,400km; 4,600mi).[159] It should travel 6,550nmi (12,130km; 7,540mi) with 287 passengers in a standard configuration.[160] The A330-900 made its maiden flight on 19 October 2017 and received its EASA type certificate on 26 September 2018; it entered service with its launch customer, TAP Air Portugal, on 15 December 2018.[161]
Airbus started design of a replacement aircraft for the Beluga in November 2014. The BelugaXL A330-743L is based on the Airbus A330, and has 30% more space than its predecessor.[162][163] Like the Beluga, the BelugaXL features an extension on its fuselage top, but can accommodate two A350 wings instead of one. The new aircraft rolled out of the assembly line on 4 January 2018, making its maiden flight on 19 July 2018. It began ferrying cargo between different Airbus factories in January 2020.[164]
Corporate jet variants
ACJ330
The A330-200 is available as an ultra-long-range Airbus Corporate Jet known as the A330-200 Prestige,[165] with a range of 15,400km (8,300nmi; 9,600mi) and a capacity of 50 passengers.[166]
ACJ330neo
A corporate jet version of the new A330neo capable of flying 25 passengers 19,260km (10,400nmi; 11,970mi) or 21 hours, enough to fly non-stop from Europe to Australia.[118]
The EADS/Northrop Grumman KC-45 was a proposed version of the A330 MRTT for the United States Air Force (USAF)'s KC-X aerial refuelling programme. In February 2008, the USAF selected the aircraft to replace the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.[171] The replacement process was mired in controversy, instances of corruption, and allegations of favouritism.[172][173] In July 2010, EADS submitted a tanker bid to the USAF without Northrop Grumman as a partner.[174][175] However, on 24 February 2011, the USAF picked the Boeing KC-767 proposal, later named KC-46, as the winner because of its lower cost.[176][177]
By 2012, the 830 A330s in service with over 90 operators had accumulated five million revenue flights and 20 million flight hours, with a dispatch reliability above 99%.[150] In November 2017, 1,190 were transporting passengers with 106 airlines (the top 29 operated two-thirds of the fleet), consisting of 530 -200s and 660 A330-300s, mainly high-gross-weight, with 36 original shorter-range A330-300s, half of them built since January 2010. Its average sector is 2,000nmi (3,700km; 2,300mi); the longest flight for the -200 was 6,000nmi (11,000km; 6,900mi), from Buenos Aires to Rome, by Aerolíneas Argentinas, and 5,000nmi (9,300km; 5,800mi), from Paris to Reunion, by Corsair and French Blue for the -300. Of operators of at least five A330s, 17 have ordered A350-900s, 11 have ordered 787-8/9s, 13 both, 3 have ordered A330neos and 2 both A330neos and A350s; 14 haven't yet decided on a replacement.[178] By August 2019, the A330 was operated between over 400 airports in the world, by more than 120 operators, while its average dispatch reliability was over 99% and annual utilization up to 6,000 flight hours.[179] The 1,500th airplane, an A330-900 (A330neo), was delivered to Delta Air Lines on 21 September 2020.[47] In June 2023, the A330 became the second most delivered wide-body airliner after the Boeing 777.[1][180] In May 2024, the A330 became the second wide-body airliner after the Boeing 777 to reach 1,600 deliveries.[180][1]
As of November2024[update], A330 family aircraft orders stood at 1,850 of which 1,616 had been delivered, excluding 2 A330-900 delivered to Air Belgium via Airbus Financial Services[1]
As of June2024[update], the Airbus A330 has been involved in 46 aviation accidents and incidents, including 14 hull-losses (10 due to flight related accidents and 4 due to criminal related accidents), for a total of 339 fatalities.[2][182]
Accidents
The A330's first fatal accident occurred on 30 June 1994 near Toulouse on a test flight when an Airbus-owned A330-300 crashed while simulating an engine failure on climbout, killing all seven on board.[41] Airbus subsequently advised A330 operators to disconnect the autopilot and limit pitch attitude in the event of an engine failure at low speed.[183]
The second fatal and deadliest accident, and first while in commercial service, occurred on 1 June 2009 when Air France Flight 447, an A330-200 registered as F-GZCP, en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris with 228 people on board, crashed in the Atlantic Ocean 640–800km (350–430nmi; 400–500mi) northeast of the islands of Fernando de Noronha,[184] with no survivors. Malfunctioning pitot tubes provided an early focus for the investigation,[185] as the aircraft involved had Thales-built "–AA" models known to indicate faulty airspeed data during icing conditions.[186] In July 2009, Airbus advised A330 and A340 operators to replace Thales pitots with equivalents manufactured by Goodrich.[186] Investigators later determined that the inadequate response of the pilots to both a loss of airspeed data from malfunctioning pitot tubes and subsequent autopilot disengagement followed by incorrect reaction by the pilot flying resulted in Flight 447 entering into an aerodynamic stall.[187]
On 23 October 2022, Korean Air Flight 631, an Airbus A330-300 registered as HL7525, operating from Seoul to Cebu, crash landed and overshot the runway while landing in poor weather at night.[190]
Incidents
Engine related
Several in-flight shutdowns of Trent 700–powered A330-300s have occurred. On 11 November 1996, engine failure on a Cathay Pacific flight forced it back to Ho Chi Minh City.[191] On 17 April 1997, Dragonair experienced an engine shutdown on an A330, caused by carbon clogging the oil filter. As a result, Cathay Pacific self-suspended its 120-minute ETOPS clearance. Another engine failure occurred on 6 May during climbout with a Cathay Pacific A330, due to a bearing failure in a Hispano-Suiza-built gearbox. Three days later, a Cathay Pacific A330 on climbout during a Bangkok–Hong Kong flight experienced an oil pressure drop and a resultant engine spool down, forcing a return to Bangkok. The cause was traced to metal contamination in the engine's master chip.[192] Following a fifth engine failure on 23 May, Cathay Pacific and Dragonair voluntarily grounded their A330 fleets for two weeks, causing major disruption as Cathay's eleven A330s made up fifteen per cent of its passenger capacity.[193] Rolls-Royce and Hispano-Suiza developed a redesigned lubrication system to fix the problem.[192]
Other engines have issues too: on 14 July 2015, an Asiana PW4000 was shut down in flight,[194] on 15 January 2017, an Air Europa CF6 was shut down in flight,[195] on 28 December 2017, an Aer Lingus CF6 was shut down in flight,[196] on 18 January 2018, a Malaysia Airlines PW4000 was shut down in flight,[197] on 13 February 2018, a Delta Air Lines PW4000 caught fire,[198] on April 18, 2018, another Delta Air Lines PW4000 caught fire,[199] on 29 May 2018, a Delta Air Lines PW4000 had engine vibrations,[200] on 1 June 2018, a Qantas CF6 was shut down in flight,[201] on 1 October 2018, a China Airlines CF6 had an engine problem,[202] and on 5 November 2018, a Brussels Airlines PW4000 was shut down in flight.[203]
On 7 October 2008, Qantas Flight 72, an A330-300, suffered a rapid loss of altitude in two sudden uncommanded pitch-down manoeuvres while 150km (81nmi; 93mi) from the RAAF Learmonth air base in northwestern Australia. After declaring an emergency, the crew landed the aircraft safely at Learmonth.[205] It was later determined that the incident, which caused 106 injuries, 14 of them serious, was the result of a design flaw of the plane's Air Data Inertial Reference Unit and a limitation of the aircraft's flight computer software.[206]
Fuel system related
On 24 August 2001, Air Transat Flight 236, an A330-200, developed a fuel leak over the Atlantic Ocean due to an incorrectly installed hydraulic part and was forced to glide for over 15 minutes to an emergency landing in the Azores.[207]
On 13 April 2010, Cathay Pacific Flight 780, an A330-300, from SurabayaJuanda International Airport to Hong Kong landed safely after contaminated fuel caused both engines to fail. Fifty-seven passengers were injured. Its two pilots received the Polaris Award from the International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations for their heroism and airmanship.[208]
Chemical and fire related
On 15 March 2000, a Malaysia Airlines A330-300 suffered structural damage due to leaking oxalyl chloride, a corrosive chemical substance that had been improperly labeled before shipping. The aircraft was written off.[209]
On 27 August 2019, an Air China A330-300 at Beijing Capital International Airport caught fire while at the gate. The passengers and crew were safely evacuated. The airplane was likely damaged beyond repair.[210]
On 15 July 2014, a Libyan Airlines A330 was severely damaged in the fighting in Libya and sustained bullet holes in the fuselage. On 20 July 2014, two Afriqiyah Airways Airbus A330s were hit by an RPG at Tripoli International Airport. One was completely destroyed in the ensuing fire.[217][218]
On 15 April 2023, a Saudia A330 registered HZ-AQ30 was destroyed in Sudan bombings during an ongoing military coup.[219]
The Airbus A300 is Airbus' first production aircraft and the world's first twin-engine, double-aisle (wide-body) airliner. It was developed by Airbus Industrie GIE, now merged into Airbus SE, and manufactured from 1971 to 2007.
The Boeing 767 is an American wide-body airliner developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The aircraft was launched as the 7X7 program on July 14, 1978, the prototype first flew on September 26, 1981, and it was certified on July 30, 1982. The initial 767-200 variant entered service on September 8, 1982, with United Airlines, and the extended-range 767-200ER in 1984. It was stretched into the 767-300 in October 1986, followed by the extended-range 767-300ER in 1988, the most popular variant. The 767-300F, a production freighter version, debuted in October 1995. It was stretched again into the 767-400ER from September 2000.
The Boeing 777, commonly referred to as the Triple Seven, is an American long-range wide-body airliner developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The 777 is the world's largest twinjet and the most-built wide-body airliner. The jetliner was designed to bridge the gap between Boeing's other wide body airplanes, the twin-engined 767 and quad-engined 747, and to replace aging DC-10 and L-1011 trijets. Developed in consultation with eight major airlines, the 777 program was launched in October 1990, with an order from United Airlines. The prototype aircraft rolled out in April 1994, and first flew in June of that year. The 777 entered service with the launch operator United Airlines in June 1995. Longer-range variants were launched in 2000, and first delivered in 2004.
The Airbus A310 is a wide-body aircraft, designed and manufactured by Airbus Industrie GIE, then a consortium of European aerospace manufacturers. Airbus had identified a demand for an aircraft smaller than the A300, the first twin-jet wide-body. On 7 July 1978, the A310 was launched with orders from Swissair and Lufthansa. On 3 April 1982, the first prototype conducted its maiden flight, and the A310 received its type certificate on 11 March 1983.
The Airbus A340 is a long-range, wide-body passenger airliner that was developed and produced by Airbus. In the mid-1970s, Airbus conceived several derivatives of the A300, its first airliner, and developed the A340 quadjet in parallel with the A330 twinjet. In June 1987, Airbus launched both designs with their first orders and the A340-300 took its maiden flight on 25 October 1991. It was certified along with the A340-200 on 22 December 1992 and both versions entered service in March 1993 with launch customers Lufthansa and Air France. The larger A340-500/600 were launched on 8 December 1997; the A340-600 flew for the first time on 23 April 2001 and entered service on 1 August 2002.
A wide-body aircraft, also known as a twin-aisle aircraft and in the largest cases as a jumbo jet, is an airliner with a fuselage wide enough to accommodate two passenger aisles with seven or more seats abreast. The typical fuselage diameter is 5 to 6 m. In the typical wide-body economy cabin, passengers are seated seven to ten abreast, allowing a total capacity of 200 to 850 passengers. Seven-abreast aircraft typically seat 160 to 260 passengers, eight-abreast 250 to 380, nine- and ten-abreast 350 to 480. The largest wide-body aircraft are over 6 m (20 ft) wide, and can accommodate up to eleven passengers abreast in high-density configurations.
The Airbus A300-600ST, or Beluga, is a specialised wide-body airliner used to transport aircraft parts and outsize cargoes. It received the official name of Super Transporter early on, but its nickname, after the beluga whale, which it resembles, gained popularity and has since been officially adopted.
A jet airliner or jetliner is an airliner powered by jet engines. Airliners usually have two or four jet engines; three-engined designs were popular in the 1970s but are less common today. Airliners are commonly classified as either the large wide-body aircraft, medium narrow-body aircraft and smaller regional jet.
Tunisair is the national airline of Tunisia. Formed in 1948, it operates scheduled international services to four continents. Its main base is Tunis–Carthage International Airport. The airline's head office is in Tunis, near Tunis Airport.
The Pratt & Whitney PW4000 is a family of dual-spool, axial-flow, high-bypass turbofan aircraft engines produced by Pratt & Whitney as the successor to the JT9D. It was first run in April 1984, was FAA certified in July 1986, and was introduced in June 1987. With thrust ranging from 50,000 to 99,040 lbf, it is used on many wide-body aircraft.
The Rolls-Royce Trent is a family of high-bypass turbofans produced by Rolls-Royce. It continues the three spool architecture of the RB211 with a maximum thrust ranging from 61,900 to 97,000 lbf . Launched as the RB-211-524L in June 1988, the prototype first ran in August 1990. Its first variant is the Trent 700 introduced on the Airbus A330 in March 1995, then the Trent 800 for the Boeing 777 (1996), the Trent 500 for the A340 (2002), the Trent 900 for the A380 (2007), the Trent 1000 for the Boeing 787 (2011), the Trent XWB for the A350 (2015), and the Trent 7000 for the A330neo (2018). It has also marine and industrial variants like the RR MT30.
The Airbus A350 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine airliner developed and produced by Airbus. The initial A350 design proposed in 2004, in response to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, would have been a development of the Airbus A330 with composite wings and new engines. Due to inadequate market support, Airbus switched in 2006 to a clean-sheet "XWB" design, powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent XWB high bypass turbofan engines. The prototype first flew on 14 June 2013 from Toulouse, France. Type certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) was obtained in September 2014, followed by certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) two months later.
The General Electric CF6, US military designations F103 and F138, is a family of high-bypass turbofan engines produced by GE Aviation. Based on the TF39, the first high-power high-bypass jet engine, the CF6 powers a wide variety of civilian airliners. The basic engine core also powers the LM2500 and LM6000 marine and power generation turboshafts. It is gradually being replaced by the newer GEnx family.
A twinjet or twin-engine jet is a jet aircraft powered by two engines. A twinjet is able to fly well enough to land with a single working engine, making it safer than a single-engine aircraft in the event of failure of an engine. Fuel efficiency of a twinjet is better than that of aircraft with more engines. These considerations have led to the widespread use of aircraft of all types with twin engines, including airliners, fixed-wing military aircraft, and others.
The Airbus A330neo is a wide-body airliner developed by Airbus from the original Airbus A330. A new version with modern engines comparable with those developed for the Boeing 787 was called for by operators of the A330ceo. It was launched on 14 July 2014 at the Farnborough Airshow, promising 14% better fuel economy per seat. It is exclusively powered by the Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 which has double the bypass ratio of its predecessor.
Virgin Atlantic operates a fleet consisting exclusively of wide-body twinjet aircraft from both Airbus and Boeing.
Philippine Airlines is composed of wide-body and narrow-body aircraft from five families : Airbus A320ceo family, Airbus A321neo, Airbus A330, Airbus A350, and Boeing 777.
The New Midsize Airplane (NMA), or New Midsize Aircraft, is a concept airliner proposed by Boeing to fill the middle of the market segment.
↑ The higher the aspect ratio, the greater the aerodynamic efficiency.[98]
↑ This is the thickness to chord ratio of the early Airbus A340 variants, which share the same wing with the A330.
↑ This meant that the Boeing 777 was certified for 180-minutes ETOPS from the first day of service. As a result, the aircraft could be 180minutes (3hours) of flying time from a diversionary airport during transoceanic services.
↑ After a total of 25,000 airborne hours, the A330 would be allowed a maximum of 120minutes (2hours) of flight time from a diversionary airport. After 50,000 hours, the limit would be raised to 180minutes (3hours).
↑ Excluding 2 A330-900 delivered to Air Belgium via Airbus Financial Services which had been aircraft built for cancelled orders
↑ Kingsley-Jones, Max; Norris, Guy (28 August – 3 September 1996). "X-tended players"(PDF). Flight International. p.54. Archived from the original(PDF) on 19 May 2017.
↑ "Wing Geometry Definitions". NASA. Retrieved 17 March 2011. A higher aspect ratio wing has a lower drag and a slightly higher lift than a lower aspect ratio wing.
↑ Norris, Guy and Mark Wagner (1999). "767: Stretching and Growing". Modern Boeing Jetliners. St. Paul, Minnesota: MBI Publishing. p.117. ISBN978-0-7603-0717-5. The results of the Airbus studies produced...ultimately the A330-200. Airbus outlined an aircraft capable of carrying 256 passengers over a range of 6,400nmi (11,900km; 7,400mi) with, it claimed, up to 9% lower operating costs than the 767-300ER...The new A330-200 caused Boeing to take another look at its 767 plans...
↑ Regan, James and Tim Hepher (3 February 2011). "Airbus ups A330 output, revokes freighter order". Reuters India. Archived from the original on 4 January 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2011. European planemaker Airbus confirmed plans on Thursday for a 25 percent increase in production of its A330 long-range aircraft as it cashes in on delays to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Henley, Peter (25 February – 3 March 1998). "One of the family". Flight International. Vol.153, no.4614. pp.36–40. ISSN0161-7370. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
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