Aircraft
Airbus A330-200F Takes to the Skies
Airbus’s new A330-200F freighter flew for the first time today, officially marking the start of a 180-hour flight-test and certification campaign with a fo

Airbus’s new A330-200F freighter flew for the first time today, officially marking the start of a 180-hour flight-test and certification campaign with a four-hour test mission over Toulouse, France. This milestone flight conforms to a schedule that calls for first delivery of the first production example to launch operator, Etihad Crystal Cargo, next summer.

According to Airbus, the A330-200F will offer freight customers greater range and a higher maximum payload at a lower unit cost compared with its closest competitor. The type has so far attracted firm orders for 67 airplanes from nine customers. Most recently, a 10th potential customer–Turkish Airlines–signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) covering two A330-200Fs. Airbus also claims to have attracted serious interest from other potential customers during ongoing campaigns still in progress.