Airbus A330

Airbus A330 - Large capacity airline
The Airbus A330 is a medium to long range airliner. With large capacity, a wide body, and fairly recent construction (its maiden flight was on February 11, 1992), it remains a popular contender in the airliner market, although many believe the Airbus A350 will replace it in the next five to six years. The A330 is something of a conglomerate plane: although it has a slightly different engine, its basic design closely resembles the A300 and A320. Originally, Airbus intended the A330 to compete with the Boeing 767. The most recent version, the A330-300, entered service in 1993 to replace the Airbus A300. It accommodates almost 300 passengers and has a range of 5,650 nautical miles.

Airbus A330 - Versatility
Airbus has also introduced a freight version of this jet, with better cargo loading systems and storage. This version of the airliner is called the Airbus A330-200F, and is not yet available on the market. It’s expected to enter service in 2009. Another version of the Airbus A330, the MRTT, serves the interesting function of aerial refueling and military transport. As you can tell, the A330 is a versatile model, easily given to a variety of functions.

Airbus A330 Facts
The Airbus A330 boasts an excellent safety record and this has helped boos its popularity. In 2007, Airbus passed the 8,000th order milestone giving Airbus a 50 per cent share of all aircraft yet to be delivered. In spite of the production of the A350, the A330 will likely continue to enjoy popularity for years to come.