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Aviation History
1982
1982 - 2409.PDF
Commercial aircraft of the world further weight saving, as will changes to the electrical system and the new APU. In theory, the -600 features can also be applied to the A300B2, but deliveries of the B2 have now effectively come to an end and the once proposed A300B2-600 is, in practice, no longer on offer. Delivery positions for A300B4s are still available, not least because of slow-downs and the demise of Laker, but it is anticipated that the A300-600 will eventually become the standard aircraft. Programme Status: total orders*, 252 in cluding (GE> 209 and (P&W) 34. Options, 69. Deliveries, 190. Production rate including A310 5 per month. 'Includes some airlines which have not made an engine choice. A310. Flight-testing of the A310, which began on April 3, is now running some three weeks ahead of schedule using three aircraft. Like Boeing, Airbus is claiming significant improvements on fuel burn, altitude, and range performance, and reductions in empty weight over initial specifications. The A300/A310 look like be coming the standard European trunk-line aircraft and have also made considerable progress in other markets outside the USA. The A310 and 767 are both designed around similar airline requirements but the result has been aircraft based on rather different solutions. The A310 has the smaller wing, is rather lighter, but makes use of the eight/nine abreast cabin cross-section of the A300B2/B4. It can accept standard widebodied LD3 containers in the lower hold but does have more marked taper at either end of the fuselage. Almost all performance com parisons with the 767 result in heated arguments and led to sharp exchanges of views at the recent Farnborough Show. In the end the market will have to determine which is the best all-round performer. Becent reports suggest that Airbus is asking higher prices for the A310 than Boeing is for the 767, but even this is open to debate, as is the question of the total financial package including interest. All the initial customers for the A310 have chosen either the General Electric CF6-80A1 or Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7R4D1 and certification of the two options is pro ceeding in parallel. Airbus claims, how ever, that its new engine pylons can accept all types of powerplant including the Rolls-Royce RB.211-524D4. The order from Libyan Arab for six A300s and four A310s may therefore give Rolls the chance it has been looking for, because Col Ghadaffi is persona non grata to the USA and an export licence for the CF6 or JT9D has so far been refused. The eventual Libyan requirement may be for up to 30 aircraft, so certification of the Rolls option could be cost-effective. Much to its credit, Airbus has established for itself a reputation for product develop ment and several weight options for the A310 are already on firm offer. The com pany would, however, also like to proceed to the extended-range A310-300 for which data is provided for the first time in the tables. This aircraft would use fuel tanks in the horizontal tail to boost volumetric capacity and, perhaps more significantly, use the fuel to modify the centre of gravity position in cruise to minimise trim drag. This would help to offset those advantages on fuel efficiency or range claimed by Boeing. An important question for both Boeing and Airbus is whether the certification and regulatory authorities would allow long, over-water operations with twin-eng ined aircraft. Quite apart from passenger reaction, it seems that the engine manu facturers still have some way to go before the reliability evidence becomes over whelming. Programme Status: total orders*, 102 in cluding (GE) 48 and (P&W) 41. Options, 90. Deliveries, 0. Production rate including A310 five per month. 'Includes some airlines which have not made an engine choice. A320. There is no doubt that Airbus Industrie would like to go ahead with the 150-170 seat A320 for airline deliveries in 1986-87. The present poor state of airline finances, slack traffic, a pause in fuel price increases, and doubts about a suitable engine are, however, holding the project back. In June last year Air France placed "orders" for 25 A320s with "options" on a further 25 and although the "deadline" for go-ahead has passed, the commitment apparently remains firm. The manufac- Airbus says that the A300 production rate will not increase to the rate originally planned FLIGHT International, 23 October 1982 1179
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