First customer A330neo takes flight

The first Airbus A330neo planned to be delivered to a customer has completed its first flight.
The A330-900neo wears the colours of launch customer TAP Air Portugal, and departed Airbus’s home airport of Toulouse for its 4hr 32min maiden flight on Tuesday.
Airbus says MSN1819 is the first aircraft fitted with the Airspace cabin, and is equipped with “light” flight test instrumentation to check cabin systems.
It joins two other A330neos in flight test, the first of which first flew on October 19 last year.
Delivery to TAP is planned for the northern summer, Airbus says.

Comments (8)

Trey Pohe

May 16, 2018 at 6:34 pm

How exciting!

Phil C

May 17, 2018 at 7:59 am

Hope their version of the Trent holds up for them

DaDa

May 17, 2018 at 11:28 am

Shear some of its structure weight and make a shorter version then it is an perfect NMA with a cabin that pleases everyone.

Harrison

May 17, 2018 at 12:08 pm

i hope Virgin Australia Or Qantas Order this Aircraft

Trogdor

May 18, 2018 at 9:35 am

@Harrison – I doubt that either will.
Qantas is wedded to the 787 and will either pick up A350s or 777x’s for ultra long range. Virgin could I suppose, but they need the range and capacity of the 777-300ER on their long haul routes, and I suspect would rather consolidate to a single type (again either 777 or A350) if they wanted to renew their fleet.

BC

May 18, 2018 at 5:34 pm

I think the 330neo would work for Virgin Australia. I read they’re going to offer a 251 tonne version of the 330-900 to give it enough range for LAX to the east coast of Australia. That’s all VA really need and it would mean they could standardise on the A330. I think the 777 is a bit too big for VA’s routes, particularly to Hong Kong.