A shortened, re-winged development of the A300, the A310-300 brought in a two-crew digital cockpit and composite structures that Airbus later carried into the A320 family. It flew in 1985 on two General Electric CF6-80C2A8 engines, seating 220 in typical service and up to 280 over about 9,600 km. The widebody runs 46.66 metres long on a 43.90-metre wing, cruising near 850 km/h and climbing to a 12,500-metre ceiling at weights up to 164,000 kg, with a 78-cubic-metre hold. Those cockpit and structural advances outlived the airframe itself, shaping later Airbus jets long after the -300 left production. Controllers list it as A313.
A300'ün yeni kanat ve gelişmiş aviyonikle donatılmış kısaltılmış versiyonu. A310, dijital kokpit ve kompozit malzemeler dahil olmak üzere daha sonra A320 ailesinde kullanılan birçok teknolojinin öncüsü oldu.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Airbus A310-300 typically seats 220 passengers in a two-class configuration. In a high-density single-class layout, it can carry up to 280 passengers. The cabin is 5.28 m wide, using a 2-4-2 seating arrangement in economy. The A310 was the first Airbus to use composite materials extensively in its tail section.
The Airbus A310-300 has a maximum range of approximately 9,600 km (5,185 nautical miles). The -300 variant achieved its extended range through additional fuel capacity in the tailplane trim tank and lighter-weight materials. The aircraft uses either General Electric CF6-80C2 or Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engines. It was an early beneficiary of ETOPS certification for twin-engine overwater operations.
The 767-300ER was the A310's primary competitor, offering greater range (11,065 km vs 9,600 km) and more passengers (218 vs 220 in typical layouts — roughly equivalent). The 767 proved more commercially successful with over 580 -300ER deliveries versus 85 A310-300s. Both aircraft pioneered twin-engine long-haul operations in the 1980s and 1990s, but the 767 family's broader variant range gave it a market advantage.
The A310 has a short, wide-body fuselage that appears compact relative to its diameter. It has a distinctive Airbus cockpit windshield shape and a wide-body cross-section similar to the later A330. The shorter fuselage (46.7 m) compared to the A300 (54.1 m) gives it a more compact appearance. The wingtip fences (small vertical surfaces at the wingtips) are a distinguishing feature of later A310 models.
The Airbus A310, which first flew in 1982, was the second Airbus program and was crucial in establishing Airbus as a credible competitor to Boeing. It was the first commercial aircraft to feature a two-crew digital cockpit (eliminating the flight engineer), a technology that became standard across the industry. A total of 255 A310s were delivered across all variants. Most have been retired from passenger service, though several serve as military transports and government aircraft, including the German Air Force's VIP transport fleet.