Airbus A310: European wide-body aircraft

Airbus A310 Airbus A310-308(F) (TC-VEL) ULS Airlines Cargo The Airbus A310 is a wide-body airliner 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 (initially A300B10) 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. Keeping the same eight-abreast cross-section, the A310 is 6.95 m (22 ft 10 in) shorter than the initial A300 variants, has a smaller wing, down from 260 to 219 m², and a longer flying range up to 5,150 nautical miles (9,540 km; 5,930 mi). The A310 introduced a two-crew glass cockpit, later adopted for the A300-600 with a common type rating. It was powered by the same General Electric CF6-80 or Pratt & Whitney JT9D then PW4000 turbofan jet engines. It can seat 220 passengers in two classes, or 240 in all-economy. It has overwing exits between the two main front and rear door pairs. In April 1983, the aircraft entered revenue service with Swissair, and competed with the Boeing 767-200, introduced six months before. It is also available as a cargo aircraft and in military variants: the A310 MRT (multi-role transport), which was further developed into the A310 MRTT (multi-role tanker transport). The aircraft was replaced by the larger Airbus A330-200. Production ended in June 1998. Overview The Airbus A310 is a medium- to long-range twin-engined wide-body jet airliner. Initially a derivative of the A300, the aircraft was essentially a shortened variant. Specifically, the fuselage possessed the same cross-section, but being shorter than the A300. The rear fuselage was re-designed, while involved a move aft of the rear bulkhead to create additional capacity (this same design was later transferred to A300-600 and A340 fuselages). The A310 also had a different emergency exit configuration, consisting of four main doors (two at the front and two at the rear of the aircraft), and two smaller doors over the wings. The wing of the A310 was new, with a reduced span and wing area, and incorporating simpler single-slotted Fowler flaps. From 1985 onwards, the A310-300 introduced wingtip fences which reduced vortex drag and thus improved cruise fuel consumption by over 1.5%. It had a two-crew glass cockpit configuration as standard, removing the requirement for a flight engineer. The company developed the cockpit to significantly enhance the aircraft’s man-machine interface, thereby improving operational safety. The A310 had a choice of three engines: General Electric CF6-80A1, Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7R4D1, and Rolls-Royce RB211-524. Variants The airplane is available in two basic versions: the medium-range A310-200 and the longer-range A310-300. The first version of the aircraft was the -200, but this was later joined by the -300, which then became the standard production version of the aircraft. The short-range -100 variant was never developed due to low demand. A310-200 The first A310, the 162nd Airbus off the production line, made its maiden flight on 3 April 1982 powered by the earlier Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7R4D1 engines. The -200 entered service with Swissair and Lufthansa a year later. Late series -200 also featured wing fences identical to those of the -300. Production ended in 1988. A310-200C The A310-200C, a version with jump seats, entered service with Martinair on 29 November 1984. It allows the seats to be removed and cargo to be placed on the main deck. A310-200F The A310-200F freighter can carry 39 t (86,000 lb) of freight for 5,950 km (3,210 nmi; 3,700 mi). A310-300 First flown on 8 July 1985, the -300 is dimensionally identical to the -200, although it provides an increased Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) and an increase in range, provided by additional centre and horizontal stabiliser (trim-tank) fuel tanks. This model also introduced wingtip fences to improve aerodynamic efficiency, a feature that has since been retrofitted to some -200s. The aircraft entered service in 1986 with Swissair. The A310-300 incorporates a computerised fuel distribution system which allows it to be trimmed in flight, optimising the centre of gravity by shuttling up to 5,000 kg (11,000 lb) of fuel in and out of the horizontal stabiliser tank. A310-300C The combi version of the A310-300. It can be easily converted for passenger or cargo transport: the seats can be removed and cargo placed on the main deck. A310-300F The freight version of the A310-300. Operators such as FedEx Express acquired modified ex-passenger A310s, usually starting with the -300 version. A310 MRT/MRTT The A310 has been operated by several air forces as a pure transport, the A310-300 MRT (Multi-Role Transport). However several have now been converted to the A310 MRTT (Multi-Role Tanker Transport) configuration by EADS, providing an air-to-air refuelling capability. At least six have been completed; four by the German Air Force (Luftwaffe), and two by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Deliveries began in 2004. Characteristics Manufacturer: Airbus Industrie GIE Assembly: Toulouse (France) First flight: 3 April 1982 Years of production: 1981—1998 Production: 255 (all modifications) Length: 46,660 mm  Wingspan: 43,900 mm Height: 15,867 mm Crew: 2 Capacity: ≤243 passengers / 112.2 m³ Powerplant: 2× Pratt & Whitney PW4156A (249.08 kN) Maximum speed: 1020 km/h (556 kn) Range: 9,540 km (5,930 mi, 5,150 nmi) Service ceiling: 12,530 m (41,100 ft) Empty weight: 79,166 kg (174,528 lb) See also Transport blog See also Cars blog See also Motorcycles blog See also Buses blog See also Shipbuilding blog See also Motors and Engines blog See also Trains and railways blog See also Trucks and Cargo Vehicles blog See also Tractors and Special Equipment blog See also Tanks and Armored Vehicles See also Airplanes blog See also Helicopters blog See also Artillery, Missiles and Rockets blog See also Bicycles blogThe post Airbus A310: European wide-body aircraft first appeared on All PYRENEES.