Aircraft's payload capability of 70 tonnes is one tonne greater than expected
The A330-200F has been granted Type Certification today by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) following a successful 200-hour flight-test campaign. The trials were performed by two aircraft, covering both engine types on offer: the Pratt and Whitney PW4000 and the Rolls-Royce Trent 700.
This dedicated freighter aircraft, which is a derivative of the A330-200 passenger model, has been certified through an amendment to the existing A330-200 EASA Type Certificate granted to Airbus in 1998. This EASA award will be followed by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Type Certification.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Toulouse, Christian Favre, A330/340 Chief Engineer said: "After a very smooth and successful flight test campaign we have reached certification in line with our planning. Moreover, thanks to some design optimisation, the aircraft's payload capability of 70 tonnes is one tonne more than first expected."
He added: "With the freighter market already showing signs of recovery, rising by 20 per cent so far this year, we now have a great new aircraft to offer customers," he concluded.
The A330-200F features an optimised fuselage cross-section, offering flexibility to carry a wide variety of pallet and container sizes. The aircraft offers 30 per cent more volume than any freighter in its class, and is based on the proven and technologically-advanced A330 platform, for which Airbus has over 1,000 orders and already more than 650 aircraft in service.
Over 3,400 freighters will be needed in the next 20 years to cater for a 5.2 percent average annual growth rate. This will include around 1,600 mid-sized freighters, of which the A330-200F will play an important role.