AIRCRAFT
Shortly after its first aircraft, the widebody A300 was launched, Airbus Industrie began to investigate a number of future derivatives. These were designated from A300B5 onwards. By 1974 interest was centered on the B9, a fuselage-stretched variant; the B10, a fuselage-shortened version, and the B11, with an enlarged wing and four engines. Of this trio, the B9 and B11 became the subject of further evolution under the TA9 and TA11 designations (now the A330 and A340), while the B10 was launched as the A310.Interest in a short/medium-range, medium-capacity transport crystallized in the mid-1970s as several European airlines indicated a need for such an aircraft for service from 1983 onwards. To meet this need, Airbus made a launch decision in July 1978, at which time "pre-contracts" were obtained from Swissair, Lufthansa and Air France.
The A310 was not finally defined until the end of 1978, when the fuselage length was set at 13 frames fewer than the basic A300. Additionally, some re-profiling of the rear fuselage was decided upon to allow seating to extend two seat rows farther aft. These changes would give the model an overall capacity of around 200 to 230 passengers.
The wing is structurally similar to that of the A300, but aerodynamically is completely new, taking advantage of extensive development work by British Aerospace at Hatfield. It has a higher aspect ratio and is of smaller span and area.
With government approval, British Aerospace, which had meanwhile absorbed the original Hawker Siddeley share in the A300, became a full partner in Airbus Industrie on January 1, 1979, with a 20% share, and that was reflected in the work-sharing on the A310, with participation by Aérospatiale, MBB, CASA and Fokker on a basis similar to that for the A300.
Other significant changes to the A310 were new and smaller horizontal tail surfaces, a smaller vertical fin, fly-by-wire outboard spoilers, a two-crew EFIS (Electronic Flight Instrument System) flightdeck, and engine pylons that were common to both engine options.
Short- and medium-range versions of the A310 were initially designated A310-100 and A310-200, at maximum takeoff weights of 266,755 lb. (121,000 kg.) and 291,010 lb (132,000 kg), respectively. The A310-100 version was dropped, however, and the A310-200 was developed to have optional higher weights of 305,560 lb (138,600 kg) and 313,055 lb (142,000 kg), with a fuel capacity of 12,077 Imp. gal. (54,900 liter) in all versions. The first A310 flew at Toulouse on April 3, 1982, and the second on May 13, 1982, both powered by Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7R4 engines. The third aircraft, flown on August 5, 1982, had General Electric CF6-80A3 engines.
The A310-200, the standard passenger version, was certificated in France and West Germany on March 11, 1983, in the UK in January, 1984, and in the US early in 1985. First deliveries to Swissair and Lufthansa were made on March 29, 1983, and first revenue services were flown on April 12 and 21, 1983.
To extend the range of the basic aircraft, the A310-300 was developed with a tailplane trim tank to increase fuel capacity by 7000kg (15,430lb), and with optional underfloor tanks. One of the main strong points of the A310 was that of range. The A310-300's range exceeds all A300 models and the -200 exceeds all A300 models in range except the A300-600. This quality led to the aircraft being used extensively on transatlantic routes.
To improve aerodynamic efficiency, the A310-300 has small delta-shaped wingtip fences, a feature that was retrofitted to some A310-200s.
The first A310-300, with Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7R4E engines, flew on July 8, 1985, gained French and German certification on December 5, 1985, and was delivered to Swissair on December 17, 1985. The A310-300 with General Electric CF6-80C2 engines was certificated in April 1986 and with PW4152 turbofans in June, 1987. The A310-300 is available at maximum weights ranging from 330,695 to 361,560 lb (150,000 to 164,000 kg).
Pratt & Whitney engine options for the A310 have progressed from the JT9D-7R4D1 at 48,000 lb (21,773 kg) thrust to the JT9D-7R4E1 at 50,000 lb (22,680 kg) thrust, and more recently for both the -200 and -300 the PW4152 at 52,000 lb (23,587 kg) thrust or PW4156A at 56,000 lb (25,454 kg) thrust.
General Electric has its CF6-80A3 at 50,000 lb (22,680 kg) thrust, and for both the A310-200 and -300 the CF6-80C2A2 at 53,500 lb (24,318 kg) thrust or -80C2A8 at 59,000 lb (26,818 kg).
The A310 was the first Western aircraft to be given Russian State Aviation Register certification, which happened in October 1991.
The A310-200C is a convertible passenger/freighter version, which first entered service in 1984 with Dutch operator Martinair.
The A310-200F freighter is available new-built or as a conversion of existing aircraft. Deutsche Airbus (now part of EADS) converted 13 ex-Lufthansa A310s to A310-200Fs for Federal Express. The conversion includes a 3.5m x 2.5m cargo door and a reinforced floor, and provided FedEx with a 25-ton cargo carrying capacity for its internal US routes.
The A310 has long been operated as a pure transport by many of the world's air forces, including those of Belgium, Canada (which uses the designation CC-150 Polaris), France, Germany and Thailand, but some of these airplanes are now being converted to the "Multi Role Tanker Transport" (A310 MRTT) configuration by EADS, providing an aerial refueling capability. Six have been ordered, four by the German Luftwaffe and two by Canada. Deliveries began in 2004. Half of the conversions are being done at EADS' Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW) in Dresden, Germany; the other half at Lufthansa Technik in Hamburg, Germany.
Primary users of the A310 are FedEx (59), Air India (19), Pakistan International Airlines (13), and Air Transat (11).
The A300 and A310 introduced the concept of commonality which became one of the family's greatest marketing points: A300-600 and A310 pilots can qualify for the other aircraft with only one day of training.
The A310 was marketed as an excellent introduction to widebody operations for developing airlines, but like its sister aircraft, the Airbus A300, the A310 is reaching the end of its market life as a passenger and cargo aircraft. There have been no new A310 orders since the late 1990s, and only a few A300 orders remain. With the more advanced Airbus A330 now a major success, further orders for the A310 are unlikely. The A300/A310 production line will close in July 2007.
Airbus has been studying an A310 follow-on. It will probably be based on a shorter version of the A330, dubbed the "A330-100," with a 200-passenger capacity. Freighter sales are to be fulfilled by a new A330-200F derivative.
The A300 and A310, Airbus's first two aircraft, established Airbus as a major competitor to Boeing and, along with the success of the A320 family, allowed it to go ahead with the more ambitious A330 and A340 family.
In March 2006 Airbus announced the closure in 2007 of the A300 and A310 line, making these planes the first Airbus aircraft to be discontinued. Airbus has announced a support package to keep A310s flying commercially until at least 2025.
As of November 2006, total deliveries of the A310 stand at 255.
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