Update – Airbus lndustrie A330/340

These two aircraft are being jointly developed as virtual derivatives of each other. This serves to vastly reduce the cost of development while maximising the long-term market capability of the overall project. Both aircraft additionally will call widely upon existing Al technology and experience to better amortise the vast sums that Airbus have invested in R&D this past decade in pioneering a number of advanced technologies that are only now being incorporated on competing types.

Airbus have pioneered Fly-By-Wire (FBW) computer activated controls on their A320, advanced two crew forward facing cockpits on the A300 and A310, primary structures made of composite materials and relaxed stability via fuel transfer trim tanks in the horizontal fin and stabilizer. This latter feature was of course introduced back in the sixties aboard that wonder plane, Concorde, by the then BAC and Aerospatiale, who today live on as partners (via BAe) within the Airbus consortium.

Both the A330 and A340 will also utilise the basic fuselage assembly from the A300/310, will use a common flight deck developed directly from the A320 in addition to utilising the electronic flight controls and computers of that aircraft. Both aircraft will employ a common very high aspect low drag wing sans the pylon attachment points while flight deck crews will be common rated on both. This then should serve to not only enhance operational commonality for any carrier utilising both types but also reduce the per unit production costs at Al itself.

A330: The intercity, intercontinental “Big Twin”.

With airports the world over rapidly reaching capacity saturation, it is not difficult to see that airlines will soon have to begin to shift across to larger aircraft in order to move more people through their systems. In the USA alone, there are already 23 airports that have reached their maximum movement limits while no new reliever airports are being built to take the strain from existing overworked facilities. Europe is in a similar situation while in Australia KSA reached its theoretical maximum movements capability during 1987. Flying into Sydney nowadays almost always involves some degree of holding over one of the dreaded beacons while runway space is allocated.

The move to big twins has, of course, already arrived in the shape of substantial 1987 orders from a number of carriers, including American, for A300/310 and 767 twinjets. Another growth market for the big twin nowadays is that of the long haul specialist linking point to point routes that are uneconomic to serve with existing old generation trijets and 747 aircraft. An eventual freeing of the operational diversion criteria affecting long-range overwater twinjet operations will also greatly serve to invigorate this market in the decade ahead (refer p17 May 88 AA).

Airbus, like most industry analysts, see a continuing trend in two directions. Aircraft will continue to take over from smaller ones in the primary markets with 150 seaters replacing 120 seat aircraft and the 150 seaters in turn being replaced by aircraft of around 200 seats. Above that the existing big twins, the A300-600 and 767-300 will cater for the growth market created by the smaller 767-200, A31O and 757 twinjets. This is a natural market evolution which is stimulated by not only strong passenger growth but by an ever-worsening capability of major hub airports being able to accept additional movements.

The second factor of course is that the larger aircraft are all gaining a de facto long-range capability thanks to the ability to uplift previously unheard of quantities of fuel which in turn is being burnt by ever more fuel efficient and powerful engines. The two put together point to a bright future for such aircraft.

Essentially the A330 is a medium to long range twin seating 328 passengers in a two class layout with a max pax range of just under 5,000nm. This is several hundred nautical miles greater than that presently offered by the A300-600R and equivalent operationally to the existing ER versions of the Boeing 767-200. Typical three class configuration allows 288 seats while in a charter configuration the A330 can accommodate between 360 and 390 passengers. Obviously over the routes routinely operated by inclusive tour operators this level of uplift would provide for substantial economies of scale not presently available with existing aircraft.

Like all Al twin-aisle aircraft, the A330 has excellent underfloor freight potential. Provision exists for 30 LD3 containers or 11 standard pallets. Power will initially come from two General Electric CF6-80C2 turbofans of 64,000lb takeoff thrust though both Rolls and Pratts will be offering their respective RB211-524L of . 65,000lb and PW4000 developing 64,000lb thrust. Both these latter engines will not however be available till 1993/94. This also marks the first time a Rolls Roxce engine will

be seen aboard an Airbus product and marks a long overdue ‘marriage’ between the two companies that should also broaden the long-term customer base for the RB211.

First fight of the A330 is scheduled for June 1992 with an entry to service in September the following year. Airbus presently hold 41 commitments on the A330 and 103 against the A340 though in the long term Al feel that both types will sell fairly equally.

A340: The ultra long haul specialist.

The second member of the Airbus new twin aisle family is the ultra long-range A340. This aircraft is designed for one purpose only, to serve the ultra long haul thin routes presently uneconomic with existing trijets and 747 aircraft.

Obviously Al appreciate that some portion of this projected market will be absorbed by the presence of the long haul twinjet FAAICAO EROPS limitations are relaxed: though in this eventuality, they are not unduly concerned as again they have their A330 to more than cater for this market if an operator should wish to remain with the twinjet.

An EROPS qualified twinjet though is a far more technically demanding animal than a four engined 747 or A340 due to the number of redundant systems and additional support features that it must have prior to gaining an EROPS capable certification. This is one reason why Lufthansa, an airline of superb technical qualification, specifically decided against buying twinjets for extended range overwater operations. Lufthansa simply decided that the additional complexity of the EROPS twin did not warrant

the potential for delay that a late departure would make through the route network when a satisfactory alternative was available in the A340. Indeed it will in time be interesting to see just how many other carriers follow Lufthansa’s line of thought.

The A340 will come in two versions. An ultra long-range A340-200 and the standard fuselage long-range A340-300. The -200 is 8 frames shorter than its longer brother and can uplift 262 Pax in a standard 3 class layout with a maximum commercially viable range out to an amazing 7450nm. Just to put this figure into some form of perspective, it is worth considering that from London, the only areas that the A340 cannot fly to non stop is into the eastern reaches of Indonesia, New Guinea, Australasia, the South Pacific and the southem tip of South America. Certainly one stop to anywhere in Europe from this part of the world is a breeze while non stop from Australia to North America is just as possible. First flight of the A340-200 will be in October 1991 for an entry to service in August 1992.

The 300 on the other hand trades a measure of range for additional uplift and thus employs the same fuselage as the A330 twinjet. Maximum range, with a full passenger payload of 295 in a three class layout, is still a stunning 6,670nm. Like the A330, the A340 also has an excellent underfloor freight capability with the -200 uplifting up to 26 LD38 or 9 pallets and the 300 carrying 32 LD38 or 11 pallets. Both versions will also be available in a Combi configuration. First flight of the A340-300 will be in April 1991 with service entry in May 1992.

Power will be supplied by four CFM56-5C-1s of initially 31,200lb takeoff thrust though increases out to 33,000lb wil ultimately be available, claim CFM. At present the A340 is not being offered with the IAE V2500 as this engine cannot be uprated to provide the required power within the next five years.

Airbus are hoping to be able to replace many of the world’s ageing fleet of 220 L1011 Tristars, 360 DC-10s and the several hundred early build 747s that will be reaching their twentieth birthday come the early to mid nineties. Al also foresee a sizeable market for this aircraft offering long haul city pairs that are presently not possible due to the non availability of long- range aircraft or existing equipment being too large to justify such a service. With international primary hubs becoming ever more congested, there is also a growing opinion that many more international sectors between secondary ports will also be necessary in the years ahead as an augment to the very large 747. Directly linking secondary city pairs will also serve to stimulate traffic from those regions through an improved access to faster and non stop services. Therefore Al ironically see both the A330 and the A340 as being excellent partners for the Boeing 747 in the decades ahead.

Both aircraft feature the same interior flexibility that has long been a hallmark of both the A300 and A310. A first class cabin to 747 standards on aircraft operating over these very long route profiles is a must, believe Airbus, and something that, as Qantas knows, cannot be adequately provided for with the 767. Additional work is also going into making the interior more flexible in terms of varied placement of toilets and galleys. The capability for quickly changing an aircraft’s basic configuration should be the prerogative of the airline, claim Airbus.

That Airbus Industrie have come of age is no argument, that they will have quadrupled their annual production rate of airframes by 1992 is pre-ordained, and that the A330 and A340 will eventually become the flagships of European aeronautical excellence is beyond doubt.