Aircraft
Airbus Starts Final Assembly of Heavyweight A330
First production airplane to go to Delta Air Lines during next year's second quarter
Delta Air Lines’ first A330 with a 242-metric-ton mtow sits ready for final assembly at station 35 at Airbus’s Toulouse final assembly hall. (Photo: Airbus)
Delta Air Lines’ first A330 with a 242-metric-ton mtow sits ready for final assembly at station 35 at Airbus’s Toulouse final assembly hall. (Photo: Airbus)

Airbus has begun final assembly of its first A330 with a new 242-metric-ton maximum takeoff-weight (mtow) capability at its factory in Toulouse, France, the company announced on Thursday. Now undergoing structural assembly before the cabin integration phase, the airplane will participate in certification flight trials, according to Airbus, while the company assembles a second aircraft for entry into service with launch customer Delta Air Lines during next year’s second quarter.