Sat, May 02, 2009
Airbus' A330-200F program marked an important milestone with
the recent delivery of the first major fuselage section for Airbus'
new mid-size freighter. Assembled at the Airbus facility in
Hamburg, Germany, this 11.6 metre-long forward fuselage section
includes the A330-200F's large main-deck cargo door - which will
enable the jetliner to carry cargo containers and freight pallets
in a single row or in side-by-side arrangements, according to
operators' needs.
The main deck cargo door is 141 inches wide and 101 inches high,
and is a new feature for the A330 family. This same-sized door has
been used on Airbus A300 and A310 cargo aircraft.
Delivery of the A330-200F's forward fuselage section was
performed by one of the Airbus Beluga airlifters, which transported
the airframe component from Hamburg to St. Nazaire, France for
assembly of the cockpit. The completed section will then move to
Toulouse, France, where final assembly of the no. 1 A330-200F will
begin in the summer, followed by the aircraft's maiden flight later
this year.
Jürgen Karow, the head of Airbus' Long-range Programme
Centre of Excellence for fuselage and cabin, said targets have been
met for the new freighter's quality, production timing and weight -
achievements that are the result of cooperative efforts involving
the Airbus design office and manufacturing department, as well as
the associated suppliers.
The A330-200F will provide operators with a new-generation
freighter derived from the A330 jetliner family.
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