Orders for more than 1,400 A330s and A340s has been the Airbus reward for 15 years of continuous innovation, including the introduction of A340-600-technology flight deck, cabin, systems and structures upgrades across the range in 2002-04.
According to A330/A340 product marketing director Alan Pardoe, the latest developments cover new cargo loading arrangements and extended maintenance inspection intervals, as well as the promise of increased A330-200 range or payload under a higher maximum takeoff weight, reduced drag and improved extended-range twin-engine operations performance.
The current A330/A340 order backlog stands at more than 400, with the 1,000th example having been rolled out earlier this year. The European manufacturer counts Singapore Airlines and Swiss alongside five Middle East carriers as new A330-300 customers or operators replacing Boeing 777s or smaller A330-200s. In addition, Airbus is preparing for a rerun of the U.S. Air Force KC-45 aerial-refueling (AR) tanker competition and continuing tests of the A330 multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) being developed for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).
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