Airbus A330 News
Airbus A330-800neo makes first flight
- 6 November 2018 -
The first A330-800neo (MSN1888) has taken off for its maiden flight from Toulouse Blagnac Airport today at 10:31am local time. During the successful flight, which lasted about four hours, the aircraft flew over south-western France.
The cockpit crew comprised: experimental test pilots Malcolm Ridley and François Barre plus test-flight engineer Ludovic Girard. The A330-800’s certification development programme needs around 300 flight-test hours. Certification is expected in 2019.
Airbus claims a 14 per cent lower fuel consumption for the A330neo compared with the A330ceo. At the moment Airbus has no firm orders for the A330-800, but there are purchase intentions signed by Uganda Airlines (2) and Kuwait Airways (8). The A330-800neo is powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines.
Airbus has received over 1,700 orders from 120 customers for the whole A330 Family so far. More than 1,400 A330s are currently flying worldwide. (Photo: Airbus)
