Airbus claims to be ahead of schedule with this first flight of the heavier weight A330. The first aircraft is to be delivered in the second quarter of 2015 to launch customer Delta Air Lines.
The A330 242 tonne MTOW is the platform for the future A330neo. The newest enhancement offers more capability at lower operating cost, according to Airbus. The aircraft offers an extended range by up to 500 nautical miles and up to two percent reduced fuel consumption. The 242 tonne MTOW is capable of flying missions up to 15 hours.
The first flight was performed with a five-person crew – comprised of Captain Thierry Bourges and First Officer Jean-Louis Rabilloud, along with flight test engineers Joan Andre and Gert Wunderlich and test flight engineer Alain Pourchet. They checked the jetliner’s flight control system and validated its flight envelope.
The shorter-fuselage A330-200 in the 242-tonne configuration is planned to enter commercial service in early 2016. In addition to Delta Air Lines, eleven customers worldwide have selected the 242-tonne option since the launch in November 2012. (Photo: Airbus)
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