Airbus freighter makes maiden flight

AIRBUS                      LOGISTICS                 MANUFACTURING

Global - Airbus will deliver the first of its new freight cargo to Etihad Crystal Cargo early next year, the company said after the freighter's maiden flight last week.

The new aircraft took a maiden four-hour flight over Toulouse on Thursday.

The A330-200F is touted to offer freight customers greater ranger and a higher maximum payload with much lower unit costs compared to Boeing, the company said in a release. The aircraft can carry more than 64 metric tonnes over 4,000 nautical miles/7,400km, or more than 69 metric tonnes up to 3,200 nautical miles/5,930km non stop. The aircraft also boasts an optimised fuselage cross-section, and has the interior flexibility to carry a wide variety of pallet and container sizes for maximum interlining capability, totally 30% more volume than any freighter in its class, Airbus said.

The aircraft has already locked in 67 firm orders with nine customers, with the first three to be delivered to Etihad Crystal Cargo in the summer of 2010.

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