Airbus A310

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Image:Royaljord.a310-300.f-odvi.750pix.jpg The Airbus A310 is a medium- to long-range widebody airliner developed from the Airbus A300 and manufactured by Airbus SAS.

Perhaps the greatest attribute of the A310 is 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 has led to the aircraft being used extensively on transatlantic routes. The A300 and A310 introduced the concept of commonality which has become one of the Airbus family's greatest marketing points - A300-600 and A310 pilots can qualify for the other aircraft with only one day of training.

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 passenger orders since the late 1990s, and only a few freighter orders remain. The A310 (along with the A300) will cease production in July of 2007. Freighter sales are to be fulfilled by a new A330-200F derivative.<ref name=fi_20060314>{{

cite web | url = http://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2006/03/14/Navigation/177/205407/Airbus+aims+to+fill+freighter+void+with+A330+derivative.html | title=Airbus aims to fill freighter void with A330 derivative | publisher=Flight International | year=March 14, 2006

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1 Beginnings
2 Models
3 Accident summary
4 Military Operators
5 Specifications (A310)
6 References
7 External links
8 Related content

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Beginnings

The aircraft was formally launched in July 1978 for Lufthansa and Swissair. A further development of the A300, the aircraft was initially designated the A300 B10. Essentially a "baby" A300, the main differences in the two aircraft are

Shortened fuselage - same cross section, providing capacity of about 200.
Redesigned wing - designed by British Aerospace who rejoined Airbus consortium
Smaller vertical fin

Image:Bangladesh.a310.arp.750pix.jpg The A310 is marketed as an excellent introduction to widebody operations for developing airlines. With the Airbus A330 now a major success, further orders for the A310 are unlikely. Between 1983 and 1997 255 A310s were delivered by Airbus. The A300 and A310 established Airbus as a major competitor to Boeing and allowed it to go ahead with the more ambitious A330/A340 family.

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Models

A310-200
The first A310 was the 162nd Airbus off the production line, the aircraft made its maiden flight in April 1982 powered by Pratt & Whitney JT9Ds. The -200 entered service with Swissair and Lufthansa a year later.
A310-300
First flown in July 1985, the -300 has an increased MTOW and an increase in range, provided by additional centre and horizontal stabilizer (trim-tank) fuel tanks. This model also introduced winglets to improve aerodynamic efficiency - since retrofitted to some -200s. The aircraft entered service in 1986, again with Swissair.
A310-C
The convertible model can be produced from either model, taking the designations A310-200C and A310-300C.
A310-F
No production freighters were produced, operators (e.g. FedEx) instead adapting ex-airline A310s.
A310 MRTT
The A310 has long been operated by many of the world's airforces as a pure transport, however some are now being converted to the Multi Role Tanker Transport configuration by EADS, providing an aerial refueling capability. Six have been ordered; four by the German Luftwaffe and two by the Canadian Forces. Deliveries began in 2004. Three are being converted at EADS' Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW) in Dresden, Germany; the other three at Lufthansa Technik in Hamburg, Germany.