Airbus A310 Aircraft History, Variants, and Ongoing Service

Introduction to the Airbus A310

The Airbus A310 is a wide-body twin-engine airliner that was manufactured by Airbus Industrie between 1982 and 1998. A total of 255 A310s were produced during this time, making it one of Airbus' most successful wide-body aircraft. The A310 was developed as a smaller derivative of the wide-body A300 and helped establish Airbus in the marketplace by competing directly with Boeing's 767 and McDonnell Douglas' DC-10.

The A310 quickly proved popular with airlines around the world thanks to its excellent fuel efficiency, operational flexibility, and spacious passenger cabin. Key operators of the A310 have included Air France, Lufthansa, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines, Air Canada, and many others. The aircraft continues to reliably serve airlines and passengers today, even as newer wide-body aircraft like the A330 and A350 enter airline fleets.

Development History of the Airbus A310

The origins of the A310 reach back to the 1970s when Airbus began studying derivatives of the A300 that could expand their portfolio. Airlines were demanding smaller wide-body aircraft that could serve longer routes than narrow-bodies, so Airbus saw an opportunity. Engineers opted for a smaller wing and simplified use of composite materials to create a lighter airframe that could fly longer routes. The goal was to carry 200 passengers up to 5,000 nm.

Formal launch of the A310 program came in 1978 with orders from Lufthansa and Swissair. This marked the first time Airbus launched a variant that wasn't specifically requested by an airline partner. The first prototype A310-200 took flight in April 1982 powered by General Electric CF6 engines. It received joint French and German certification in March 1983 right on schedule.

Early on, the A310 faced limited demand due to airline preferences for larger wide-bodies like the Boeing 767. But Airbus continued investing in improvements, including increased range and an enhanced variant with higher gross weights. This made the A310 an extremely capable and efficient medium-to-long haul aircraft throughout its service life.

Key Variants of the Airbus A310 Aircraft

Over its production history from 1983 to 1998, the Airbus A310 was manufactured in a number of different variants:

A310-200

This was the initial production variant of the A310 and first entered service with Swissair in 1983. It featured a range of up to 5,950 km and was powered by GE CF6 or Pratt & Whitney JT9D engines. A total of 109 A310-200s were built.

A310-300

Introduced in 1985, the A310-300 incorporated a number of enhancements including increased fuel capacity and higher gross weights. Range increased to 6,800 km enabling more route flexibility. A total of 183 -300s were manufactured by Airbus.

A310-200C

The A310-200C was a convertible (combi) version capable of carrying both passengers and cargo on the main deck. A large cargo door allowed loading of standard pallets and containers. 31 of these combo A310s were delivered.

A310-300C

Similar to the -200C model, the A310-300C was the convertible version based on the higher gross weight -300 variant. This enabled even more cargo and greater range in mixed operations. Airbus built 12 of these aircraft.

In the early 1990s, Airbus also studied developing longer-range variants like the A310-300ER and ultra-long-range A310-300-900, but these never advanced beyond concept stages as focus shifted to the new A330 and A340.

passenger Cabin and Flight Deck

One of the standout features of the Airbus A310 is its spacious and comfortable passenger cabin. The aircraft typically seats 200 to 220 passengers in a single economy class layout with seven-abreast seating. For increased comfort on long flights, airlines often chose a six-abreast 2-4-2 configuration instead.

The passenger cabin features generous overhead bins and lavatories, high ceilings, and an efficient circular cross-section that maximizes space. The A310 was among the first airliners to feature a modern glass cockpit with electronic flight instrument system (EFIS) flight displays.

The two-crew flight deck includes five interchangeable CRT screens that can be configured based on operator preference. Dual autopilots with CAT III auto-landing capability automated much of the workload during flight. Overall, the A310 brought an excellent balance of automation, comfort, and efficiency when it debuted in the early 1980s.

Flying Range and Performance

From the beginning, the Airbus A310's mission was to provide excellent range and fuel efficiency for an aircraft of its size. With the A310-300 variant, Airbus exceeded 6,800 km (3,700 nm) in range allowing nonstop service on routes like London to Delhi or New York to Honolulu.

Its smaller size compared to early wide-bodies like the 747 allowed airlines to right-size capacity on medium-to-long haul routes. Excellent cruise speeds up to Mach 0.80 also supported efficient scheduling. Fuel burn per seat mile was over 15% lower than larger contemporaries in the 1980s.

Even with only two engines, the A310 proved itself to be a reliable long-haul aircraft capable of efficient Extended-range Twin-engine Operations (ETOPS) over water. Its dispatch reliability consistently exceeded 99% throughout its service life.

End of Production and Ongoing Service

The final Airbus A310 rolled out of the manufacturer's assembly lines in 1998 after a 16-year run. By this time, Airbus was focused on launching even more advanced designs like the A330 and A340. Updated engine options from GE and P&W continued improving the A310's efficiency and range throughout the 1990s.

Today, the worldwide A310 passenger fleet has declined to just over 60 aircraft still in service. But its reliability and low operating costs have allowed to aircraft to continue serving operators focusing on value. Primary users include Air Transat, Mahan Air, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, and the Iranian government.

Over 110 A310s have also been converted to freighter configuration and continue hauling cargo worldwide. It remains one of the most popular wide-body freighter conversions despite newer designs. The A310 is sure to continue serving operators with low overhead for many more years thanks to Airbus' strong design back in the 1980s.

FAQs

How many Airbus A310s were built?

A total of 255 Airbus A310s were built between 1983 and 1998 across all variants including the A310-200 and A310-300.

What was the range of the A310?

The range of the A310-300 variant was over 6,800 km or 3,700 nm, allowing nonstop service on many long-haul routes.

What engines were used on the A310?

The A310 was powered by General Electric CF6 engines or Pratt & Whitney JT9D engines, providing excellent efficiency and reliability.

How many passengers could the A310 carry?

In a single class layout, the A310 could seat up to 220 passengers. For increased comfort on long flights, a 220 seat configuration was common.

When did Airbus stop producing the A310?

The final A310 was manufactured in 1998 after the model had been in production for 16 years from 1982 to 1998.