Official A330 Production/Flight Testing - 2014-2017

WIederling · Thu Dec 15, 2016 9:58 am

KarelXWB wrote:
Yep, for painting. Although unusual, in 2015 Airbus had sent an AirAsia X A330 to XFW for paint.

mismatch of vacancies and demand for painting infrastructure?

Someone83 · Fri Dec 16, 2016 8:39 am

1761 delivery flight today

Airbus A330 -202 1761 EC-MNL Iberia delivery 16dec16 TLS-MAD ex F-WWCR

KarelXWB · Fri Dec 16, 2016 8:50 am

WIederling wrote:
KarelXWB wrote:
Yep, for painting. Although unusual, in 2015 Airbus had sent an AirAsia X A330 to XFW for paint.

mismatch of vacancies and demand for painting infrastructure?

Not enough paint hangars in TLS.

Airbus is currently building two giant paint hangars to meet demand.

nimool · Fri Dec 16, 2016 9:37 am

Do we know what stage are the Avianca A332s that were meant to go fro IR? are they still stored, or getting ready for delivery for IR after the A321?

piedmontf284000 · Fri Dec 16, 2016 1:26 pm

The first A330neo is getting pushed back to 2018...

http://www.wsj.com/articles/airbus-dela ... 1481893027

KarelXWB · Fri Dec 16, 2016 2:19 pm

I heard the RR powerplant is behind schedule.

Asiaflyer · Fri Dec 16, 2016 3:08 pm

KarelXWB wrote:
I heard the RR powerplant is behind schedule.

Thats what Reuters says as well:

Airbus A330neo 6 weeks behind schedule -source - Reuters News

16-Dec-2016 15:00:16

PARIS, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Plans by Airbus <AIR.PA> to
upgrade its best-selling wide-body jet, the A330, have slipped
six weeks behind schedule due to "marginal" development delays
at engine maker Rolls-Royce <RR.L>, a source familiar with the
matter said on Friday.
Airbus declined to comment on the situation.
Rolls-Royce, whose newly developed Trent 7000 will power the
fuel-saving A330neo, was not immediately available for comment.
The Wall Street Journal earlier quoted the head of the
airplane's first customer, TAP Portugal, as saying its first
A330neo would arrive in March 2018. Airbus most recently said
the A330neo would be delivered by the end of 2017.
When it launched the A330neo in 2014, it targeted first
delivery in the fourth quarter of 2017.

Devilfish · Fri Dec 16, 2016 6:25 pm

Someone83 wrote:
1761 delivery flight today

Airbus A330-202 1761 EC-MNL Iberia delivery 16dec16 TLS-MAD ex F-WWCR

The registration reminds me that PR should have ordered this instead of their last five delivered A333s as they need not have to reconfigure their single-class frames to reduce capacity and enhance their offering. As it is, PR got old A340s while IB gets to renew its fleet. On second thought, fuel prices are on the rise again so the A338 might be a better idea (increased range) should it become available? :indifferent:

KarelXWB · Fri Dec 16, 2016 8:54 pm

The rear section for the new Beluga XL seen in TLS today:

Beluga XL by dn280tls, on Flickr

KarelXWB · Fri Dec 16, 2016 9:05 pm

Next A330 delivered:

Airbus A330 -243 1758 B-8659 Tianjin Airlines delivery 16dec16 TLS-TSN ex F-WWYG

Thunderboltdrgn · Sat Dec 17, 2016 10:07 am

KarelXWB wrote:
The rear section for the new Beluga XL seen in TLS today:

https://c2.staticflickr.com/1/740/30875775633_6837d02d20_z.jpg

The old & the new Belugas. #Airbus A330-743 #Beluga XL forward and rear sections towed to the assembly line. #avgeek

https://twitter.com/curufinwexiane/stat ... 5943183360

The old and the new by David BARRIE, on Flickr

KarelXWB · Thu Dec 22, 2016 3:17 pm

MSN 1764 delivered:

Airbus A330 -343 1764 HZ-AQ20 Saudi Arabian Airlines delivery 22dec16 TLS-JED ex F-WWCX

SQ22 · Thu Dec 22, 2016 7:58 pm

KarelXWB wrote:
MSN 1764 delivered:

Airbus A330 -343 1764 HZ-AQ20 Saudi Arabian Airlines delivery 22dec16 TLS-JED ex F-WWCX

I have the imression they are taking them so far in quite short intervals like other airlines are taking narrowbodies.

KarelXWB · Fri Dec 23, 2016 12:40 pm

MSN 1795 emerged from paint.

1st Airbus A330 neo emerge from paint shop F-WTTN by Jujug Spotting, on Flickr

pugman211 · Fri Dec 23, 2016 3:28 pm

Suppose they may as well paint it if there's no engines ready haha. Also, nice glasses!

ikolkyo · Fri Dec 23, 2016 3:52 pm

Interesting how there is no -900 on the aircraft, not trying to look too deep into this but could this be the end of the A338?

audidudi · Fri Dec 23, 2016 4:06 pm

I'm sure this has been mentioned before, but the cockpit windows appear to have the same "racoon" design as on the A350!

PM · Fri Dec 23, 2016 4:07 pm

audidudi wrote:
I'm sure this has been mentioned before, but the cockpit windows appear to have the same "racoon" design as on the A350!

And it makes her look MEAN, doesn't it?!

817Dreamliiner · Fri Dec 23, 2016 4:08 pm

More photos:

https://twitter.com/Airbus/status/812325202474496002

AirPacific747 · Fri Dec 23, 2016 4:10 pm

audidudi wrote:
I'm sure this has been mentioned before, but the cockpit windows appear to have the same "racoon" design as on the A350!

I cheap and ugly way of trying to make it look more modern. They shouldn't have bothered since the cockpit windows have a very different shape. Or alternatively made a clean sheet design.

BravoEchoNov · Fri Dec 23, 2016 4:18 pm

I wouldn't look too deep into the lack of -900 on the aircraft. A few of the A350-900 test aircraft don't have -900 on them either.

ek17 · Fri Dec 23, 2016 4:47 pm

Another two:

http://www.airbus.com/galleries/photo-g ... lter/neo/#

I think the winglets look great on the A330, I'm also a fan of the 'racoon' mask.

ikolkyo wrote:
Interesting how there is no -900 on the aircraft, not trying to look too deep into this but could this be the end of the A338?

Some of the renderings from the day it was launched don't have it on either. I think they will go ahead with the A338 whatever as it will keep customers such as Thomas Cook interested who have a nice little fleet of A330-200s (some of which are quite old) and may not need the -300/900s capacity.

Stitch · Fri Dec 23, 2016 5:51 pm

ek17 wrote:
ikolkyo wrote:
Interesting how there is no -900 on the aircraft, not trying to look too deep into this but could this be the end of the A338?

Some of the renderings from the day it was launched don't have it on either. I think they will go ahead with the A338 whatever as it will keep customers such as Thomas Cook interested who have a nice little fleet of A330-200s (some of which are quite old) and may not need the -300/900s capacity.

There is no reason not to offer the A330-800, IMO. The changes are so minimal (fuselage length, vertical stabilizer area) that even if every customer cancelled or converted, it's a good arrow to have in the quiver for down the road as a freighter when Boeing launches the 787F and/or KC-787.

KarelXWB · Sat Dec 24, 2016 3:04 pm

Delivery #12 this month:

Airbus A330 -343 1765 B-8579 Air China delivery 24dec16 TLS-TSN ex F-WWCY

KarelXWB · Tue Dec 27, 2016 1:48 pm

And final delivery of the year:

Airbus A330 -343 1763 B-8679 Capital Airlines delivery 26dec16 TLS-CAN ex F-WWCV

KarelXWB · Thu Dec 29, 2016 10:12 am

Airbus delivered 13 A330s in December 2016:

> MSN 1765: Air China
> MSN 1764: Saudia
> MSN 1763: Capital Airlines
> MSN 1762: Singapore Air Force
> MSN 1761: Iberia
> MSN 1760: China Southern Airlines
> MSN 1759: RwandAir
> MSN 1758: Tianjin Airlines
> MSN 1757: South African Airways
> MSN 1756: Tianjin Airlines
> MSN 1754: South African Airways
> MSN 1739: Saudia
> MSN 1712: Cebu Pacific

This brings year totals to 66 deliveries, an average of 6 aircraft per month (based on a 11-month production year).

PM · Thu Dec 29, 2016 12:29 pm

KarelXWB wrote:
...an average of 6 aircraft per month.

But look at the distribution! Just 2 in July and 3 in each of May and September but 7 in each of August and November and, as you say, 13 in December.

Anyway, I make it 2 x MRTT, 3 x A330F, 19 x A330-200 and 42 x A330-300.

Or, put another way, 4 x PW, 22 x GE and 40 x RR.

And 66 this year compares with 103 deliveries in 2015, 108 in 2014 and 108 in 2013. That's quite a drop.

KarelXWB · Thu Dec 29, 2016 12:37 pm

PM wrote:
KarelXWB wrote:
...an average of 6 aircraft per month.

But look at the distribution! Just 2 in July and 3 in each of May and September but 7 in each of August and November and, as you say, 13 in December.

Yep, that's how it always goes. Airbus delivered 17 A330s in December 2015, even when the production rate was much lower. They tend to save some aircraft for the end of the year.

keesje · Mon Jan 02, 2017 10:57 am

Tail design new Beluga's

WIederling · Mon Jan 02, 2017 11:13 am

keesje wrote:
Tail design new Beluga's

quite a pronounced change vs. the plain version.
complete structure and socket for the vertical tail plane has been moved up.

flee · Mon Jan 02, 2017 11:29 am

PM wrote:
KarelXWB wrote:
...an average of 6 aircraft per month.

But look at the distribution! Just 2 in July and 3 in each of May and September but 7 in each of August and November and, as you say, 13 in December.

Anyway, I make it 2 x MRTT, 3 x A330F, 19 x A330-200 and 42 x A330-300.

Or, put another way, 4 x PW, 22 x GE and 40 x RR.

And 66 this year compares with 103 deliveries in 2015, 108 in 2014 and 108 in 2013. That's quite a drop.

I think the drop was due to the arrival of the A350. It was a planned drop.

WIederling · Mon Jan 02, 2017 1:27 pm

"I think the drop was due to the arrival of the A350. It was a planned drop."

yes to planned: to 6/mo:
https://leehamnews.com/2015/08/03/airbu ... -for-a330/
and back to 7 this year:
https://airwaysmag.com/industry/airbus- ... tion-rate/

( probably no to "due to A350", more like not enough orders around to
tide over to NEO production.)

ek17 · Mon Jan 02, 2017 3:27 pm

keesje wrote:
Tail design new Beluga's

Some more information in the article here: http://www.airbus.com/presscentre/press ... -aircraft/

StTim · Mon Jan 02, 2017 4:19 pm

The bubble on the new Beluga is a metre wider than that on the current Beluga. This would allow any new frame to be an XXL!

WIederling · Mon Jan 02, 2017 5:35 pm

StTim wrote:
The bubble on the new Beluga is a metre wider than that on the current Beluga. This would allow any new frame to be an XXL!

That is known.

If you look at the tail the vertical stab socket area has been moved up by ~1m the resulting gap filled with a wedge. ( brown area above the APU cone.)
compare to the A330 tail:
http://www.eztoys.com/media/catalog/pro ... 153579.jpg

while the ST has nearly unchanged structure:
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/ ... a-Tail.JPG

Looks like the Vertical stab is positioned such that it has similar height over the cargo hold apex as on the ST.

keesje · Mon Jan 02, 2017 6:54 pm

Old artist impressions (2010) show a different tail configuartion.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BjjCMKBedF0/UYLEIUzbl5I/AAAAAAAABVs/6gZuvn0Zj4w/s1600/BELUGA_02.jpg

Mods probably a result of low speed high AoA tunnel tests.

audidudi · Mon Jan 02, 2017 7:24 pm

keesje wrote:
Old artist impressions (2010) show a different tail configuartion.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BjjCMKBedF0/UYLEIUzbl5I/AAAAAAAABVs/6gZuvn0Zj4w/s1600/BELUGA_02.jpg

Mods probably a result of low speed high AoA tunnel tests.

Obviously a lot can change in six years!

pugman211 · Mon Jan 02, 2017 10:47 pm

Wow, nearly everything has grown by 1 metre on the XL. It will be impressive to see Airbus squeeze 2 A350 wings in together. :crowded:

ikolkyo · Tue Jan 03, 2017 2:05 am

pugman211 wrote:
Wow, nearly everything has grown by 1 metre on the XL. It will be impressive to see Airbus squeeze 2 A350 wings in together.

That's the whole reason they are even making the XL, don't think it will be difficult.

WIederling · Tue Jan 03, 2017 10:27 am

pugman211 wrote:
Wow, nearly everything has grown by 1 metre on the XL. It will be impressive to see Airbus squeeze 2 A350 wings in together.

looks like there is less tapering in the tail than on the ST too.
i.e. not only do you have more diameter and a longer hold available
you also can push the same items further into the tail.

Interesting to see the design approach differences in these special item lifters.

hehe:
Can we extrapolate future design variation scope ( like a larger A350 for example ) from
the changes in hold dimensions?

pugman211 · Tue Jan 03, 2017 11:10 am

ikolkyo wrote:
pugman211 wrote:
Wow, nearly everything has grown by 1 metre on the XL. It will be impressive to see Airbus squeeze 2 A350 wings in together.

That's the whole reason they are even making the XL, don't think it will be difficult.

I know that's the whole point of the XL, I'm just saying that they can barely squeeze a single A350 wing diagonally in the ST, so you would think they would need more than an extra metre of width to fit 2 A350 wings horizontally.

StTim · Tue Jan 03, 2017 11:15 am

I did see some drawings showing the two wings in the new Beluga. Can't find them now of course.

WIederling · Tue Jan 03, 2017 11:40 am

StTim wrote:
I did see some drawings showing the two wings in the new Beluga. Can't find them now of course.

http://de.tinypic.com/view.php?pic=mtp7 ... GuMPx3zFjI

probably taken from this Airbus pdf:
https://www.docdroid.net/lnjo/new-beluga.pdf.html

KarelXWB · Tue Jan 03, 2017 11:43 am

StTim wrote:
I did see some drawings showing the two wings in the new Beluga. Can't find them now of course.

I guess you meant this slide:

StTim · Tue Jan 03, 2017 11:57 am

That is the one - it explains why the taper starts further back - to give that vital room for the wing root.

trex8 · Wed Jan 04, 2017 3:04 am

Aren't the wings made in Broughton??

pugman211 · Wed Jan 04, 2017 5:36 am

trex8 wrote:
Aren't the wings made in Broughton??

Yes, the wings are made in Broughton. They are then flown to Bremen to finish completion I.e, internal systems, flaps, slats, spoilers etc.

trex8 · Wed Jan 04, 2017 12:11 pm

pugman211 wrote:
trex8 wrote:
Aren't the wings made in Broughton??

Yes, the wings are made in Broughton. They are then flown to Bremen to finish completion I.e, internal systems, flaps, slats, spoilers etc.

Thought I saw a program about Broughton and A350 production where the wings were flown directly to Toulouse in the Guppy.

StTim · Wed Jan 04, 2017 12:19 pm

The Guppy retired long before the A350 was a twinkle in John Leahys eye.

trex8 · Wed Jan 04, 2017 1:02 pm

StTim wrote:
The Guppy retired long before the A350 was a twinkle in John Leahys eye.

Mea culpa. I meant the A300 based beluga. Or maybe it was an A380 wing I saw.

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