Photograph:
Airbus A330-303 VH-QPE (c/n 593) at Perth, WA in October 2012 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
International
Description:
Commercial airliner
Power Plant:
Two 67,500 lbst Rolls Royce Trent 772b turbofans
Specifications:
- Length: 63.68 m (208 ft 11 in)
- Height: 16.84 m (55 ft 3 in)
- Max operating Mach number: 0.86
- Typical operating Mach number: 0.82
- Take-off run at sea level: 2,713 m (8,900 ft)
- Range with max passengers at max weight with international allowance and 370 km (230 mile): diversion 8,889 km (5,523 miles)
- Fuel capacity: 139,900 litres (36,744 Imp gals)
- Empty weight: 121,166 kg (267,125 lb)
- Max payload: 47,837 kg (105,460 lb)
- Loaded weight: 217,000 kg (478,000 lb)
- Max landing weight: 179,000 kg (394,625 lb)
History:
The A330-300 series was developed as a medium/long-range twin-engine airliner, and was developed at the same time as the A340 series. The first A330 (F-WWKA) was flown with General Electric CT6 engines on 2 November 1992, the first Rolls Royce Trent powered model flying on 31 January 1994. First delivery to an airline was to Air Inter in December 1993.
The A330-300 was the baseline variant with seating for 335 passengers in standard two class, but up to a max of 440 passengers could be carried. In October 1993 a payload increase was approved to 217,000 kg (478,000 lb) effective from November 1995, and in 1997 this was increased to 230,000 kg (507,050 lb).
Further variants were developed, one initially known as the A330-300X with higher gross weight which carried 225 passengers 8,982 km (5,581 miles). This model, which became known as the A330-300HGW, had the strengthened wing and fuselage structure of the shorter, long-range A330-200 but did not have the centre-section fuel tank of the A330-200 series. Fuel capacity remained at the standard 97,200 litres (21,381 Imp gals). Power plants ranged from 68,000 lbst to 71,100 lbst.
Qantas ordered two variants of the A330, the -200 and -300, the first Model A330-301 becoming VH-QPA ‘Kununurra’ (c/n 0553), followed by VH-QPB ‘Freycinet Peninsula’ (c/n 0558) and VH-QPC ‘Broken Hill’ delivered on 15 January 2004. VH-QPD ‘Corowa’, later ‘Port Macquarie’ (c/n 0574), made its first flight on 9 January 2004 and was delivered on 31 October 2004. This aircraft (ex F-WWYU) was delayed in France whilst Airbus carried out test and development work on the aircraft. These were Model A330-301s, later modified to A330-303 configuration by Qantas in Sydney, NSW.
Further deliveries included VH-QPE ‘Port Lincoln’ (c/n 0593); VH-QPF ‘Esperance’ (c/n 0595), which was the first of the A330-303s built to that standard; VH-QPG ‘Mt Gambier’ (c/n 0603) delivered in July and entering service in August 2004; VH-QPH ‘Noosa’ (c/n 0695) delivered on 15 October 2005; and VH-QPI ‘Port Stephens’, later ‘Cairns’ (c/n 0705). VH-QPJ ‘Port Stephens’ (c/n 0712) was the last of this batch, being delivered to Melbourne, VIC on 23 December 2005 and entering service on 1 January 2006.
Air Pacific selected the A330-300 in December 2002, to obtaini two with two on option but the deal was never confirmed. In late 2011 the company announced it had ordered three A330-200s for its long haul fleet, to be delivered in 2013 and replace two Boeing 747-400s.