A330-200 – Most Reliable Aircraft
Airbus A330-200 is the most modern and reliable aircraft of the time. The aircraft is benefitting the airline industry for more than 20 years. Furthermore, A330-200 is a large capacity and long-range airliner. However, the aircraft entered the service in 1998 with Korean Air. The Airbus A330-200 is a twin-aisle widebody and spacious aircraft. It has a maximum seating capacity of 406 but typically carries 210-250 passengers. The -200 variant provides a lot of personal space for passengers. It allows 18-inch wide seats in the cabin that provide comfort to the passengers even in the economy.
The stylish and classy design of the A330-200 helps reduce the effects of jetlag. It brings a high level of comfort to the passengers for having the quietest cabins. Airbus had 661 orders of the A330-200 by December 2020. Furthermore, 645 aircraft had been delivered till now with 600 in operation. Meanwhile, the -200 variant competes with the Boeing 767-300ER and the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner as well. The Airbus A330 family was the first airliner to offer a choice of three engines.
A shortened variant of A330-300
The Airbus A330-200 is the shortened variant of the A330-300. Although the -200 variant is shorter than the -300 variant, it has a longer range than the -300 variant. The A330-300 has a range of 11,750 km and A330-200 has a range of 13,450 km. The -300 variant can carry up to 280 passengers and the -200 variant can carry up to 250 passengers. The A330-200 is ten fuselages shorter than the original -300 variant. However, the length of the -200 variant is 58.82 m, while the length of the -300 variant is 63.69 m.
Specifications of A330-200
| Fuselage | 5.64 m in diameter, 5.26 m in cabin width |
| Runway | Takeoff: 9,090 ft, Landing: 5,680 ft |
| Cockpit Crew | Two |
| Seat Width | 18 inch in economy, 21 inch business |
| Range | 13,450 km |
| Capacity | 246 (36J +210Y) |
| Cargo Volume | 4673 cubic ft |
| Max. Seating | 406 |
| Cruise Speed | Mach 0.82 |
| MTOW | 533,519 lb |
| Length | 58.82 m |
| Thrust (x2) | 287-316 kN |
| OEW | 265,900 lb |
| Wingspan | 60.3 m |
| Max. Payload | 49,400 kg |
| Engines (x2) | GE CF6, PW4000, Trent 700 |
| Wing area | 361.6 m2 |
| Fuel Capacity | 139,090 L |
| Height | 17.39 m |
A330-200 – The best choice for regional airlines
The A330-200 is a highly efficient and safe aircraft. Furthermore, it offers the most spacious cabin allowing a large range of cabin interior possibilities. Airlines, as well as passengers, love the aircraft for its luxurious in-flight entertainment. Even the economy class provides comfort and relaxation during long-haul flights. In the meantime, China Eastern is the largest operator of A330-200.
Regional airlines need smaller aircraft to operate in small towns and cities. Large aircraft are sometimes uneconomical for the regional airlines as they only serve from smaller cities with less passenger traffic. However, A330-200 is the perfect choice for regional airlines as it is the shortened version in the A330 family. The aircraft even have long-range so can also operate between long-haul regional routes. Thus, all these points make A330-200 the most economical for regional airlines.
Even though A330-200 is a small aircraft, it is equipped with a fly-by-wire digital control system. This advanced system reduces cost and increases the productivity of the aircraft thus possessing higher performance. Along with the comfort of passengers, it also has fitted comfortable crew rest areas. This rest area can also be removed in a short time to optimize the aircraft for shorter routes. Hence, the aircraft is the perfect choice for regional airlines as it is loved a lot by passengers and is also cost-friendly to the airline.
Featured Image: Airbus
Written by guest writer, Faisal Bashir
