Airbus has started final assembly of the first A330 with the increased 242 tonne maximum take-off-weight (MTOW) capability, at the A330 ...
Airbus has started final assembly of the first A330 with the increased 242 tonne maximum take-off-weight (MTOW) capability, at the A330 Final Assembly Line in Toulouse, France.
The aircraft is currently completing its structural assembly before the cabin integration phase and will be used for certification flight trials. A second aircraft is being assembled in parallel which is destined for entry in service in Q2 2015 with launch customer for the new weight variant, Delta Air Lines.
The new 242 tonne variant will be able to carry additional payload on longer routes, while at the same time enjoying a very high operational reliability of 99.4 percent. Thanks to an aerodynamic package reducing aircraft drag and the latest engine improvements, the 242 tonne MTOW offers an extended range of up to 500 nautical miles and up to two percent reduced fuel consumption. The 242 tonne A330-300 is capable of flying missions up to 13 hours and 15 hours for the 242 tonne A330-200. So far, nine customers worldwide have already selected this option since the launch in November 2012.
Airbus has launched three new variants of A330, which will start entering service from 2015 , including the more capable 242 tonne take-off-weight variant (available for both the A330-200 and the A330-300), the A330 optimised for regional and domestic routes and the A330neo.
