AIR WIKI

 

The A330-300 is based on a stretched A300 fuselage 63.69 m (208 ft 11 in) long but with new wings, stabilisers and fly-by-wire systems. The −300 carries 295 passengers in a three-class cabin layout, 335 in two-class, or up to 440 in an all-economy layout. It has a range of 10,500 km (5,700 nmi). It has a large cargo capacity, comparable to that of early Boeing 747s. It is powered by the choice of two General Electric CF6-80E, Pratt & Whitney PW4000, or Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines, all of which are ETOPS-180 rated. The −300 entered service in January 1994.

In 2010 Airbus offered a new version of the −300 with the maximum gross weight increased by two tonnes to 235t. This enabled 120 nmi extension of the range as well as 1.2t increase in payload. In mid-2012, Airbus proposed another increase of the maximum gross weight to 240 t. It is planned to be implemented by mid-2015. This −300 version will have the range extended by 400 nmi and will carry 5 t more payload. It will include engine and aerodynamic improvements reducing its fuel burn by about 2%. In November 2012 it was further announced that the gross weight will increase to 242 t, while the range will be extended by 500 nautical miles (930 km) (over 235 t model) to 6,100 nautical miles (11,300 km). Airbus is also planning to activate the central fuel tank for the first time for the −300 model.