First Heavyweight A330 Takes Flight

The first Airbus A330-300 designed for a 242-metric-ton maximum takeoff weight has completed its maiden flight, landing at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport following a 3-hour-and-30-minute mission, the European airframer announced Monday. Launched in November 2012, the program introduces drag-reducing aerodynamic changes and engine improvements that, together, extend the A330’s range by 500 nautical miles and cut fuel consumption by up to 2 percent. With the improvements, the A330-300 could fly missions of up to 13 hours in duration, while the reach of the smaller A330-200 would extend to 15 hours.

“I congratulate the whole team in charge...for making this day happen ahead of schedule,” said Airbus executive vice president and head of programs Didier Evrard. “We are on track to deliver this new higher weight variant in 2015 to launch customer Delta Air Lines, who will also be the launch customer for the A330neo.”

Airbus bills the new, heavier-takeoff-weight A330 as the basis for the A330neo, launched at last year’s Farnborough Air Show and scheduled for first delivery to Delta in the fourth quarter of 2017. Delta plans to take the first 242-metric-ton mtow machine during this year’s second quarter.