Issue 297: Talented Twin

The renaissance of the Airbus A330While orders for the new-generation composite widebody airliners have been catching the headlines in recent years, Airbus has been pleasantly surprised by the strong sales for its A330 series.

Originally launched in 1987 alongside its four-engined sibling, the A340, the A330 has now outlived production of the former and in many cases is now replacing it on longer routes as the industry moves to wholesale acceptance of long-range, twin-engined flying.

The original 295-seat A330-300, which first flew in November 1992, was joined later by the longer-range, 253-seat A330-200, which made its first flight in 1997.