Airbus gets the green light for new A330 upgrades
Airbus has secured European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification for its longer-range Airbus A330-200 and has started production of its first A330neo.
The new fuel efficient range of A330-200 242t increases range by up to 350 nautical miles compared to today’s 238 tonne model, allowing airlines to fly up to 7,250 nautical while reducing fuel consumption by up two percent.
Meanwhile, the first Airbus A330neo is coming to life one year after the programme was launched, with the first ‘cutting of metal’ underway at its production facilities in Toulouse and Nantes.
Machining of the first engine pylon started during the summer at Airbus’ facility in Saint-Eloi (Toulouse), while Airbus’ Plant in Nantes began production of the first A330neo centre wing box.
Among the first Airbus metal-cutting operations underway for the A330neo is production of the initial center wing box, which uses an innovative Isogrid design with 330 triangular pockets that enable the component to meet rigidity, strength and lightweight requirements.
The all-new pylon produced in Saint-Eloi is a key element in the A330neo’s innovative design, attaching the latest generation, fuel-efficient Trent 7000 engines to the wings.
Eric Zanin, Airbus Head of the A330 Programme said:
“With this new 242t A330-200 our customers will benefit from even more range plus a proven 99.4 percent reliability, while offering their passengers best-in-class comfort. It’s unbeatable operating costs and unique versatility make the A330 Family a highly competitive solution in the medium to long haul market.”
The first A330neo is scheduled for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2017, the wings are made at Airbus Broughton
