| Seeking to complement its original, although | | | | and mental crew workload, subdivided into an |
| larger-capacity, A-300 on thinner sectors with a | | | | Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) and an |
| low-cost, minimally redesigned counterpart and thus | | | | Electronic Centralized Aircraft Monitor (ECAM), which |
| expand its product range, Airbus Industrie explored a | | | | either displayed information which was necessary or |
| shorter-fuselage version designated "A-310." | | | | which was crew-requested, but otherwise employed |
| A consortium of European aircraft manufacturers | | | | the dark-screen philosophy. Malfunction severity was |
| headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus Industrie | | | | indicated by color-white indicating that something had |
| itself had arisen because the design and marketing of | | | | been turned off, yellow indicating potentially required |
| an advanced, widebody airliner had exceeded the | | | | action, and red signifying immediately-needed action, |
| financial strength of any single, Europe-based | | | | coupled with an audible warning. |
| company, the principle ones of which had included de | | | | Of the six display screens, the Primary Flight Display |
| Havilland with the DH.106 Comet, Vickers with the | | | | (PFD), which was duplicated for both the captain and |
| VC-10, Hawker Siddeley with the HS.121 Trident, and | | | | the first officer, and the Navigation Display (ND), |
| the British Aircraft Corporation with the BAC-111 in | | | | which was equally duplicated, belonged to the |
| the United Kingdom, and Sud-Aviation with the SE.210 | | | | Electronic Flight Instrument System, while the |
| Caravelle and Dassault-Breguet with the Mercure 100 | | | | Warning Display (WD) and the Systems Display (SD) |
| in France. | | | | belonged to the Electronic Centralized Aircraft |
| The A-300, its first joint design, not only signaled its | | | | Monitor. |
| launch as an aircraft manufacturer, but that of the | | | | The Primary Flight Display, viewable in several modes, |
| aircraft itself and the concept it represented-a | | | | offered, for example, an electronic image of an |
| large-capacity, widebody, twin-engined "airbus." | | | | artificial horizon, on the left of which was a linear |
| Intended to compete with Boeing, and particularly | | | | scale indicating critical speeds, such as stick shaker, |
| with its still-envisioned 767, it provided a non-US | | | | minimum, minimum flap retraction, and maneuver, |
| alternative to continental carriers and a foundation on | | | | while on the right of it were altitude parameters. |
| which a European commercial product range could be | | | | The Navigation Display screen, below that of the |
| built, offering the first serious challenge to both | | | | Primary Flight Display, also featured several modes. |
| Boeing and McDonnell-Douglas. | | | | Its map mode, for instance, enabled several parts |
| Intended for short- to medium-range, relatively | | | | and scales of a compass rose to be displayed, such |
| high-capacity deployment, the aircraft featured a | | | | as its upper arc subdivided into degrees, with |
| widebody fuselage mated to two high bypass ratio | | | | indications of course track deviations, wind, tuned-in |
| turbofans whose thrust capability and reliability, | | | | VOR/DME, weather radar, the selected heading, the |
| coupled with a high-lift wing, had served as the key | | | | true and indicated airspeeds, the course and |
| elements of its design. | | | | remaining distance to waypoints, primary and |
| Obviating the need for a third powerplant | | | | secondary flight plans, top-of-descent, and vertical |
| characteristic of the 727, the DC-10, and the L-1011, | | | | deviations. |
| the twin-engine configuration yielded numerous | | | | The autopilot possessed full control for Category 2 |
| economic benefits, including the reduction of | | | | automatic approaches, including single-engine |
| structural and gross weights, the reduction of | | | | overshoots, with optional Category 3 autoland |
| maintenance costs, the elimination of the additionally | | | | capability. |
| required fuel lines, the introduction of structural | | | | The collective Electronic Centralized Aircraft Monitor, |
| simplicity, and the reduction of seat-mile costs. | | | | whose two display screens were located on the |
| Aerodynamically, the twin-engine design also resulted | | | | lower left and right sides of the center panel, |
| in several advantages. The wings, mounted further | | | | continually screened more than 500 pieces of |
| forward than feasible by a tri-engine configuration, | | | | information, indicating or alerting of anomalies, with |
| increased the moment-arm between the pylon-slung | | | | diagrams and schematics only appearing during flight |
| turbofans/center-of-gravity and its tail, thus requiring | | | | phase-relevant intervals, coupled with any necessary |
| smaller horizontal and vertical stabilizers to maintain | | | | and remedial actions. The Systems Display, located |
| longitudinal and yaw-axis control and indirectly | | | | on the right, could feature any cockpit crew |
| reducing structural weight and drag, yet maintaining | | | | member-selected schematic at any time, such as |
| certifiable control during single-engine loss, | | | | hydraulics, aileron position, and flaps. |
| asymmetrical thrust conditions. | | | | Two keyboards on the center pedestal interfaced |
| Designed by the Hawker Siddeley team in Hatfield, | | | | the flight management system (FMS). |
| the 28-degree sweptback, supercritical wing, built up | | | | The flight control system, operating off of two Arinc |
| of a forward and rear full and mid half-spar, produced | | | | 701-standard computers and essentially serving as |
| the greater portion of its lift over its aft portion, | | | | autopilots, drove the flight director and speed |
| delaying shock wave formation and reducing drag. | | | | reference system, and was operable in numerous |
| Low-speed lift was augmented by full-span, engine | | | | modes, inclusive of auto take off, auto go-around, |
| pylon-uninterrupted leading edge slats, which | | | | vertical speed select and hold, altitude capture and |
| increased the aircraft's take off weight capability by | | | | hold, heading select, flight level change, hold, heading |
| some 2,000 pounds, and tabbed, trailing edge Fowler | | | | hold, pitch, roll/attitude hold, and VOR select and |
| flaps, which extended to 70 percent of their travel | | | | homing. |
| before rotating into camber-increasing profiles, | | | | The thrust control system, operating off of an Arinc |
| resulting in a 25-percent larger chord. | | | | 703-standard computer, provided continuous |
| Part of the reason for engine reliability had been the | | | | computation and command of the optimum N1 and |
| auxiliary power unit's integration into the main electric, | | | | or engine pressure ratio (EPR) limits, the autothrottle |
| air conditioning, and starting systems, providing | | | | functions, the autothrottle command for windshear |
| immediate back-up in the event of engine failure at | | | | protection, and the autothrottle command for speed |
| altitudes as high as 30,000 feet. | | | | and angle-of-attack protection. |
| The A-300's widebody fuselage provided the same | | | | Unlike earlier airliners, the A-310 replaced the |
| degree of twin-aisle comfort and loading capability of | | | | older-technology pilot command and input |
| standard LD3 baggage and cargo containers as | | | | transmission by means of mechanical, cable linkages |
| featured by the quad-engined 747 and the tri-engined | | | | with electronic bit or byte signaling. |
| DC-10 and L-1011. | | | | Retaining the A-300's fuselage cross-section, the |
| Seeking to build upon these design strengths, yet | | | | A-310 featured a 109.1-foot-long, 17.4-foot-wide, and |
| decrease passenger capacity with a foreshortened | | | | seven-foot, 7 3/4-inch high cabin, resulting in a |
| fuselage and expand its market application, Airbus | | | | 7,416-cubic-foot internal volume, whose inherent |
| Industrie conceptionally studied and proposed nine | | | | flexibility facilitated six-, seven-, eight-, and |
| potential aircraft varying in capacity, range, and | | | | nine-abreast seating for first, business, premium |
| powerplant number and designated A-300B1 to -B9 | | | | economy, standard economy, and high-density |
| based upon the initial A-300 platform. | | | | charter configurations and densities, all according to |
| It was the tenth, however-designated | | | | customer specification. Typical dual-class |
| A-300B10-which most optimally catered to carriers' | | | | arrangements included 20 six-abreast, two-two-two, |
| needs for a 200-passenger airliner for segments with | | | | first class seats at a 40-inch pitch and 200 |
| insufficient demand to support its larger counterpart | | | | eight-abreast, two-four-two, coach seats at a 32-inch |
| and for those which merited additional frequencies, | | | | pitch, or 29 first class and 212 economy class |
| such as during off-peak times. Other than the two | | | | passengers at, respectively, six-abreast/40-inch and |
| original prototype A-300B1s and the three-frame | | | | eight-abreast/32-inch densities. Two hundred |
| longer A-300B2, the aircraft had only offered a single | | | | forty-seven single-class passengers could be |
| basic fuselage length, whose capacity partially | | | | accommodated at a 31- to 32-inch pitch, while the |
| accounted for initially sluggish sales. | | | | aircraft's 280-passenger, exit-limited maximum, |
| Although a low-cost A-300B10MC "Minimal Change" | | | | entailed a nine-abreast, 30-inch pitch arrangement. |
| entailed mating a shorter fuselage with the existing | | | | Standard configurations included two galleys and one |
| wing, powerplants, and tailplane would have provided | | | | lavatory forward and two galleys and four lavatories |
| few engineering obstacles, it would have resulted in | | | | aft, with encloseable, handrail-equipped overhead |
| an aircraft proportionally too small and heavy for the | | | | storage compartments installed over the side and |
| A-300's original surfaces. Despite a lower structural | | | | center seat banks. |
| weight, it would have offered insufficient internal | | | | The forward, lower-deck hold, measuring 25 feet, 1/2 |
| volume for revenue-generating passenger, cargo, and | | | | inch in length, accepted three pallets or eight LD3 |
| mail payload to eclipse its direct operating costs | | | | containers, while the aft hold, running 16 feet, 6 1/4 |
| (DOC). | | | | inch in length, accepted six LD3 containers. The |
| Balancing both the superior performance and the | | | | collective 3,605 cubic feet of lower-deck volume |
| minimized development cost sides of the program's | | | | resulted from the 1,776 cubic feet in the forward |
| equation, Airbus Industrie considered two possible | | | | compartment, the 1,218 in the aft compartment, and |
| approaches: | | | | the 611 in the bulk compartment, which only |
| 1). The A-300B10X, which employed a new wing | | | | accepted loose, or non-unit load device (ULD), load. |
| designed by the since-amalgamated British Aerospace | | | | Powered by two General Electric CF6-80C2A2 |
| in Hatfield with smaller leading and trailing edge, | | | | engines and configured for 220 passengers, the |
| high-lift devices. | | | | A-310-200 had a 72,439-pound maximum payload, a |
| 2). The A-300B10Y, which utilized the existing A-300 | | | | 313,050-pound maximum take off weight, and a |
| wing box, with some modifications. | | | | 271,150-pound maximum landing weight. Range, with |
| Lufthansa, the envisioned launch customer, strongly | | | | international reserves for a 200-nautical mile diversion, |
| advocated the former approach, because of the | | | | was 4,200 miles. |
| reduced costs associated with a redesigned, more | | | | The A-310-200 prototype, flown by Senior Test Pilot |
| advanced airfoil, and, together with Swissair, which | | | | Bernard Ziegler and Pierre Baud, took to the skies for |
| equally contemplated an order for the type, detailed | | | | the first time on April 3, 1982 powered by Pratt and |
| performance specifications. Placing deposits for 16 | | | | Whitney JT9D turbofans, and completed a very |
| A-300B10s, which were concurrently redesignated | | | | successful three-hour, 15-minute sortie, during which |
| "A-310s," in July of 1978, both airlines expected a final | | | | time it attained a Mach 0.77 airspeed and a |
| configuration by the following March. | | | | 31,000-foot altitude. After 11 weeks, 210 airborne |
| The aircraft, which sported a 12-frame shorter | | | | hours had been logged. |
| fuselage for 767-like, 245-passenger accommodation, | | | | The second prototype, registered F-WZLI and also |
| first appeared at the Hanover Air Show in model | | | | powered by Pratt and Whitney engines, first flew on |
| form. | | | | May 3, completing a four-hour, 45-minute flight, and |
| Its wing, retaining the 28-degree sweepback of the | | | | the third, powered by the General Electric CF6 |
| A-300's, featured a shorter span and a consequent | | | | turbofans for the first time, shortly followed, the five |
| 16-percent reduced area, eliminating its center, | | | | aircraft demonstrating that the A-300-morphed |
| half-spar and therefore offering equal, front and rear | | | | design had far more capability than originally |
| spar load distribution. The spars themselves, with 50 | | | | calculated. Drag measures were so low, in fact, that |
| percent greater depth, were stronger, yet decreased | | | | the cruise Mach number was increased from the |
| structural weight by more than five tons. Its revised | | | | initially calculated 0.78 to a new 0.805, while the |
| shape, requiring a new center section, introduced a | | | | buffet boundary was ten-percent greater, permitting |
| double-curved profile, its metal, bent both span- and | | | | a 2,000-foot-higher flight level for any gross weight |
| chord-wise, requiring shot-peening manufacturing | | | | to be attained, or a 24,250-pound greater payload to |
| techniques to form. | | | | be carried. Long-range fuel consumption was four |
| The increased-chord and -radius leading edge slats, | | | | percent lower. |
| necessitating a new cut-out over the engine pylon, | | | | The Airbus A-310 received its French and German |
| improved take off performance, while the former, | | | | type certification on March 11, 1983 for both the |
| inner-tabbed, trailing edge Fowler flap panels were | | | | Pratt and Whitney- and General Electric-powered |
| integrated into a single-slotted one with increased | | | | aircraft and Category 2 approaches, and a |
| rearward movement. The two outer panels, also | | | | dual-delivery ceremony, to Lufthansa German Airlines |
| combined into a single panel, decreased cruise drag. | | | | and Swissair, occurred on March 29 in Toulouse. It |
| Lateral control, no longer necessitating the A-300's | | | | became the European manufacturer's second aircraft |
| outboard ailerons, was maintained by the inboard | | | | after that of the original A-300. |
| ailerons operating in conjunction with the spoilers. | | | | Lufthansa, which had operated 11 A-300B2s and -B4s |
| The tailplane, a scaled-down version of the A-300's, | | | | and had inaugurated the larger type into service |
| featured reduced separation between the upper | | | | seven years earlier, on April 1, 1976, from Frankfurt |
| surface of its elevator and the horizontal stabilizer, in | | | | to London, followed suit with the A-310-200 on April |
| order to decrease drag, and a redesigned tailcone | | | | 12, 1983, from Frankfurt to Stuttgart, before being |
| permitted optimized internal cabin volume. | | | | deploying the type to London later that day. It |
| Powerplant choices included the 48,000 thrust-pound | | | | replaced its early A-300B2s. |
| General Electric CF6-80A1 and the equally powered | | | | Swissair, which, like Lufthansa, had been instrumental |
| Pratt and Whitney JT9D-7R4D1, while the Rolls | | | | in its ultimate design, inaugurated the A-310 into |
| Royce RB.211-524D was optionally available, although | | | | service nine days later, on April 21. Of its initial four, |
| no carrier ever specified it. | | | | three were based in Zurich and one was based in |
| Both potential launch customers, round whose | | | | Geneva, and all were used on high-density, European |
| specifications the foreshortened version took shape, | | | | and Middle Eastern sectors, many of which had |
| placed orders, Swissair ordering ten Pratt and | | | | previously been served by DC-9s. |
| Whitney-powered aircraft on March 15, 1979, | | | | A convertible variant, featuring a forward, left, |
| Lufthansa placing 25 firm and 25 optioned orders for | | | | upward-opening main deck cargo door and loading |
| the General Electric-powered variant on April 1, and | | | | system, was designated A-310-200C, the first of |
| KLM Royal Dutch Airlines mimicking this order with | | | | which was delivered to Martinair Holland on November |
| ten firm and ten options two days later, also for the | | | | 29, 1984. |
| General Electric version, thus signaling the program's | | | | By March 31, 1985, 56 A-310s operated by 13 carriers |
| official launch. | | | | had flown 103,400 revenue hours during 60,000 |
| Three basic versions, varying according to range, | | | | flights which had averaged one-hour, 43 minutes in |
| were then envisioned: the short-range, 2,000-mile | | | | duration. |
| A-310-100; the medium-range, 3,000-mile A-310-200; | | | | Demand for a longer-range version precluded |
| and the long-range, 3,500-mile A-310-300. | | | | A-310-100 production, but resulted in the second, and |
| Final assembly the first two Pratt and | | | | only other, major version, the A-310-300. |
| Whitney-powered A-310-200s, with construction | | | | Launched in March of 1983, it introduced several |
| numbers (c/n) 162 and 163, commenced in the | | | | range-extending design features. |
| Aerospatiale factory in Toulouse during the winter of | | | | Wingtip fences, vertically spanning 55 inches and |
| 1981 to 1982, continuing, not reinitiating, the A-300 | | | | featuring a rear navigation light fairing, extended |
| production line numbering sequence. Major sectors, | | | | above and below the tip, extracting energy from |
| components, parts, and powerplants were fabricated | | | | unharnassed vortices created by upper and lower |
| by eight basic aerospace companies: Deutsche Airbus | | | | airfoil pressure differential intermixing, and reduced |
| (major fuselage portions, the vertical fin, and the | | | | fuel burn by 1.5 percent. The device was first |
| rudder), Aerospatiale (the front fuselage, the cockpit, | | | | flight-tested on August 1, 1984. |
| the lower center fuselage, and the engine pylons), | | | | Increased range capability, to a far greater extent, |
| British Aerospace (the wings), CASA (doors and the | | | | resulted from modifying the horizontal stabilizer into |
| horizontal tail), Fokker (the wing moving surfaces), | | | | an integral trim fuel tank. Connected to the main wing |
| Belairbus (also the wing moving surfaces), General | | | | tanks by double-walled pipes and electrically driven |
| Electric (the engines), and Pratt and Whitney (also | | | | pumps, the new tank was contained in the |
| the engines). Fokker and Belairbus were Airbus | | | | structurally strengthened and sealed horizontal |
| Industrie associate members. | | | | stabilizer wing box, storing five tons of fuel and |
| Transfer to the final assembly site was facilitated by | | | | shifting the center-of-gravity over 12- to 16-percent |
| a fleet of four, 4,912-shaft horsepower Allison | | | | of the aerodynamic chord. The modification, requiring |
| 501-D22C turboprop-powered Aero Spacelines Super | | | | minimal structural change to an aerodynamic surface |
| Guppys, which had been based upon the original, | | | | beyond the pressurized fuselage, offered numerous |
| quad piston-engined B-377 Stratocruiser airliners, | | | | advantages over the increase in range, including |
| requiring eight flights collectively totaling 45 airborne | | | | Concorde-reminiscent, in-flight fuel transferability to |
| hours and covering some 8,000 miles for A-310 | | | | effectuate optimum trims, and an aft |
| completion. The transports were re-dubbed "Airbus | | | | center-of-gravity to reduce wing loading, drag, and |
| Skylinks." | | | | resultant fuel burn. A trim tank computer controlled |
| A-310 customer furnishing, including thermal and noise | | | | and monitored center-of-gravity settings, and the |
| insulation; wall, floor, and door cladding; ceiling, | | | | amount of needed fuel could be manually selected |
| overhead storage compartment, and bulkhead | | | | during the on-ground refueling process. |
| installations; and galley, lavatory, and seat addition, | | | | Structure weight had been decreased by use of a |
| according to airline specification of class divisions, | | | | carbon-fiber vertical fin, resulting in a 310-pound |
| densities, and fabrics, colors, and motifs, occurred in | | | | reduction. The A-310 had been the first commercial |
| Hamburg Finkenwerder, to where all aircraft were | | | | airliner to employ such a structure. |
| flown from Toulouse. | | | | Total fuel capacity, including that of the trim tank, |
| The first A-310, registered F-WZLH and wearing | | | | equaled 16,133 US gallons, while up to two |
| Lufthansa livery on its left side and Swissair livery on | | | | supplementary tanks could be installed in the forward |
| its right, was rolled out on February 16, 1982. | | | | portion of the aft hold, increasing capacity by another |
| Powered by Pratt and Whitney turbofans, it only | | | | 1,902 US gallons. |
| differed from production aircraft in its internal test | | | | In order to permit extended-range twin operations |
| equipment and retention of the A-300's dual, low- | | | | (ETOPS), a certification later redesignated |
| and high-speed aileron configuration. | | | | extended-range operations (EROPS), the aircraft was |
| Superficially resembling a smaller A-300, however, it | | | | fitted with a hydraulically-driven generator, increased |
| incorporated several design modifications. | | | | lower-deck fire protection, and the capability of |
| The 13-frame-shorter fuselage, rendering an overall | | | | in-flight APU starts at minimum cruising altitudes. |
| aircraft length of 153.1 feet, incorporated a | | | | Powered by General Electric CF6-80C2A8 turbofans |
| redesigned tail and a relocated aft pressure bulkhead, | | | | and carrying 220 dual-class passengers, the A-310-300 |
| resulting in a cabin only 11 frames shorter, and access | | | | had a 71,403-pound payload capability and a |
| was provided by four main passenger/galley servicing | | | | 330,675-pound maximum take off weight, able to fly |
| doors and two oversize type 1 emergency exits. | | | | 4,948-mile nonstop sectors. |
| These measured four feet, 6 3/4 inches high by two | | | | First flying on July 8, 1985, the type was certified |
| feet, 2 1/2 inches wide. | | | | with Pratt and Whitney JT9D-7R4E engines six |
| The A-310's wing box, a two-spar, multi-rib metal | | | | months later, on December 5, while certification with |
| structure with upper and lower load-carrying skins, | | | | the General Electric CF6-80C2 powerplant followed in |
| introduced new-purity aluminum alloys in its upper | | | | April of 1986. |
| layer and stringers, which resulted in a 660-pound | | | | Four of Swissair's ten A-310s, which were operated |
| weight reduction, but otherwise retained the larger | | | | on its Middle Eastern and West African routes, were |
| A-300's ribs and spacings. Almost blended with the | | | | -300 series. |
| fuselage's lower curve at its underside root, the airfoil | | | | The A-310-300 was the first western airliner to attain |
| offered a greater thickness-chord ratio, of 11.8, as | | | | Russian State Aviation Register type certification, in |
| opposed to its predecessor's 10.5, reducing the | | | | October of 1991. |
| amount of wing-to-body interference ordinarily | | | | Although it had initially been intended as a |
| encountered at high Mach numbers, yet it afforded | | | | smaller-capacity, medium-range A-300 complement, |
| sufficient depth at the root itself to carry the | | | | the design features incorporated both conceptually |
| required loads at the lowest possible structural weight | | | | and progressively resulted in a very capable |
| and simultaneously provided the greatest amount of | | | | twin-engine, twin cockpit crew, widebody, |
| integral fuel tankage. | | | | intercontinental airliner which, in its two basic forms, |
| Low-speed lift was attained by means of the three | | | | served multiple missions: an earlier-generation Boeing |
| leading edge slat panels and a single Krueger flap | | | | 707 and McDonnell-Douglas DC-8 replacement; a |
| located between the inner-most slat and the root, | | | | Boeing 727 replacement on maturing, medium-range |
| and inboard, vaned, trailing edge Fowler flaps and a | | | | routes; a DC-10 and L-1011 TriStar replacement on |
| single outboard Fowler flap panel. | | | | long, thin sectors; an A-300 replacement on |
| Although the first two A-310s retained the A-300's | | | | lower-density segments; an A-300 complement during |
| outboard, low-speed ailerons, they quickly | | | | off-peak times; and a European competitor to the |
| demonstrated their redundancy, roll control | | | | similarly-configured Boeing 767, enabling Airbus |
| maintained by means of all-speed, trailing edge | | | | Industrie to describe the type as follows: "The |
| ailerons augmented by three electrically-activated, | | | | A-310's optimized range of up to 5,000 nautical miles |
| outer spoilers, which extended on the ground-angled | | | | (9,600 km) is one of the parameters that has made |
| wing. The four inner spoilers served as airbrakes, | | | | it the ideal 'first widebody' aircraft for airlines growing |
| while all seven, per wing, extended after touchdown | | | | to this size of operation." |
| to serve as lift dumpers. | | | | Singapore Airlines had been the first to deploy the |
| Engine bleed air or that from the auxiliary power unit | | | | A-310-200 on long-range overwater routes in June of |
| (APU) provided icing protection. | | | | 1985, covering the 3,250-mile sector between |
| Engine pylons were positioned further inboard then | | | | Singapore and Mauritius, although the aircraft had not |
| those of the comparable A-300, and the nacelles | | | | been EROPS-equipped, that distinction reserved for |
| protruded further forward. | | | | Pan Am, which had connected the 3,300 miles over |
| With a 144-foot span, the wings covered a | | | | the North Atlantic from New York/JFK to Hamburg |
| 2,357.3-square-foot area and had an 8.8 aspect ratio. | | | | the following April. |
| Although the A-310 retained the A-300's conventional | | | | During that year, the A-310-200 became available |
| tail, it featured a horizontal stabilizer span reduction, | | | | with wingtip fences, first deliveries of which were |
| from 55.7 to 53.4 feet, with a corresponding decease | | | | made to Thai Airways International, and the |
| from 748.1 to 688.89 square feet, while its vertical fin | | | | A-310-300 was progressively certified with uprated |
| rendered an overall aircraft height of 51.10 feet. | | | | engines and increased ranges, a 346,125-pound gross |
| Power was provided by two 48,000 thrust-pound | | | | weight producing a 5,466-mile range capability and a |
| Pratt and Whitney JT9D-7R4D1 or two 48,000 | | | | 361,560-pound gross weight producing a 5,926-mile |
| thrust-pound General Electric CF6-80A1 high bypass | | | | range, all with General Electric engines. Pratt and |
| ratio turbofans, either of which was supportable by | | | | Whitney turbofan-powered aircraft offered even |
| the existing pylons, and usable fuel totaled 14,509 US | | | | greater ranges. |
| gallons. | | | | The first EROPS-equipped A-310-300 with JT9D-7R4E |
| The hydraulically actuated tricycle undercarriage was | | | | engines, was delivered to Balair on March 21, 1986, |
| comprised of a twin-wheeled, forward-retracting, | | | | and its range capability, with 242 single-class |
| steerable nose wheel, and two, dual | | | | passengers and a 337,300-pound gross weight, |
| tandem-mounted, laterally-retracting, anti-skid, | | | | exceeded 4,500 miles. |
| Messier-Bugatti main units. Their carbon brakes | | | | By the end of that month, the A-310 fleet had |
| resulted in a 1,200-pound weight reduction. | | | | collectively logged more than 250,000 hours. |
| The smaller, lighter, and quieter Garrett GTCP | | | | A post-production cargo conversion of the |
| 331-250 auxiliary power unit offered lower fuel | | | | A-310-200, designated A-310-P2F and performed by |
| consumption than that employed by the A-300, and | | | | EADS EFW in Dresden, Germany, entailed the |
| the aircraft featured three independent, 3,000 | | | | installation of a forward, left, upward-opening door, |
| pound-per-square-inch hydraulic systems. | | | | which facilitated loading of 11 96 x 125-inch or 16 88 |
| The A-310's cockpit, based upon its predecessor's, | | | | x 125-inch main deck pallets, while three of the |
| incorporated the latest avionics technology and | | | | former and six LD3 containers could be |
| electronic displays, and traced its origin to the | | | | accommodated on the lower deck. With an |
| October 6, 1981 first forward-facing cockpit crew | | | | 89,508-pound payload and a 313,055-pound maximum |
| (FFCC) A-300 flight, which deleted the third, or flight | | | | take off weight, the freighter offered 10,665 cubic |
| engineer, position, resulting in certification to this | | | | feet of internal volume. |
| standard after a three-month, 150-hour flight text | | | | The last of the 255 A-310s produced, an A-310-300 |
| program. That aircraft thus became the first | | | | registered UK-31003, first flew on April 6, 1998 and |
| widebodied airliner to be operated by a two-person | | | | was delivered to Uzbekistan Airways two months |
| cockpit crew. | | | | later, on June 15. Although Airbus Industrie had |
| The most visually-apparent flight deck advancement, | | | | contemplated offering a shorter-fuselage version of |
| over and above the number of required crew | | | | the A-330, the A-330-500, as a potential A-310 |
| members, had been the replacement of many | | | | replacement, its range and capacity had proved too |
| traditional analog dials and instruments with six, | | | | high to assume its mission profiles. Resultantly, no |
| 27-square-millimeter, interchangeable cathode ray | | | | definitive design ever succeeded it. |
| tube (CRT) display screens to reduce both physical | | | | |