Airbus A310 cabin layout
The Airbus A310 is a twin-engine passenger airliner designed for medium and long-range aviation. It is highly valued for its high levels of comfort and safety. Being developed in the 80s of the last century, it is still very popular with domestic and foreign air carriers, despite the fact that production ended in 1997. In addition to passenger models, the concern has also developed several cargo and military modifications.
The Airbus 310 differs from its prototype in a shorter fuselage, which allows you to take on board more passengers (from 205 to 280 people depending on the modification) with luggage, an upgraded chassis based on carbon fibers and a carbon fiber tail fin. The flight range is 5,550-9600 km at a maximum altitude of 12 km. The aircraft is controlled by two crew members and moves at a cruising speed of 860 km/h. Aircraft dimensions: length - 46.66 m, wingspan - 43.89 m, height - 15.8 m, cabin width - 5.28 m, weight - 160-164 tons.
Cargo modifications allow you to transport up to 43 tons of cargo. For military needs, the Airbus 310 MRTT (Multi Role Tanker Transport) model was developed, which can be used both as a cargo transport vessel and as a tanker aircraft. It is equipped with additional fuel tanks, a special fuel supply system, military equipment and more. Also, it has more reinforced wings that can withstand heavy loads.
The most important difference of the Airbus 310-300 is the presence of one additional fuel tank with a volume of more than 6 thousand liters, which, together with an automated fuel supply system, allows achieving the best balancing performance. Airbus flies on Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7R4 engines, and since 1985 on General Electric CF6-80C2.
The passenger cabin of the Airbus A310
The cabin configuration assumes a convenient location for more than two hundred passengers. The layout of the cabin is traditional in three rows, which is somewhat inconvenient for the placement and movement of passengers during flights. To date, four rows of two seats have been recognized as the most convenient configuration. In addition to this point, the Airbus A310 is recognized as one of the most comfortable air vehicles.
Airbus A310 cabin photo
A specially designed system for maintaining optimal pressure in the cabin and an air conditioning system help maintain optimally comfortable oxygen and temperature levels.
Flight comfort is traditionally divided into three main classes: economy, business and first classes. The most demanded and popular is the economy class, and therefore the number of seats in it occupies about 80% of all passenger seats. Next in size is the business, and then the first, where the number of seats does not exceed ten. In all classes, the seats are ergonomic, and the distance between the seats allows people to sit comfortably for a rest during a long flight.
Airbus A310 safety
Airbus, despite its long history of operation, is recognized as one of the safest aircraft. A total of 12 incidents were recorded in which these aircraft were involved. The overwhelming majority of the causes of the disaster were the human factor (pilot errors). In three cases, the landing gear was damaged during landing, but no one was injured. Judging by these statistics, the plane is really reliable and safe.
However, experts have identified the safest places in the cabin. They are located at the very beginning of the cabin or its middle. Passengers in the tail compartment note slight discomfort during the landing of the vessel. Places 22A, 22C, 22H and 22K, located directly near the emergency exits, are recognized as the safest. However, this is a general criterion for aircraft of other aircraft designers.
History of creation
The history of the Airbus brand began in 1975, when the A300 model was developed. It is the brainchild of one of the world's largest aircraft companies, which was created in 1960 by the merger of several aircraft manufacturers from Europe. Legally, it is registered in France and is a joint stock company.
The need to create a new, more spacious aircraft for medium and long distances arose when the ships could not cope with the passenger flow, and their operation became unprofitable. In addition, they did not meet the requirements for flight comfort. And in 1978, a new model A310 was created, which was a modification of the A300.
The new Airbus A310 was distinguished by economical fuel consumption, which made it possible to reduce the cost of tickets. This was achieved not only by installing a more advanced fuel supply system, but also by new aerodynamic properties of the aircraft, as well as by reducing the overall weight.
Already in 1982, the debut flight of the Airbus 310-200 took place, and a year later it flew under the Lufthansa and Swissair brands. In 1986, the model was improved: a side door was added and the carrying capacity was increased, allowing it to carry 40.3 tons of cargo, cargo A310-200F. In 1995, the aircraft was converted for military use, becoming an MMRT tanker transport aircraft.
During mass production from 1985 to 1997, a total of 261 pieces of various modifications were produced. Officially, the production of these popular aircraft ended in 2007, while de facto no aircraft have been produced since 1993. Morally and physically obsolete, they give way to a new modification of the Airbus A330.
Airbus in the modern market
Various models of Airbus aircraft are in high demand in the market. They are readily bought by large and medium-sized air carriers, since they are relatively affordable, while being reliable and safe. The "newer" model, the higher the price. For example, for the A318 they are asking for about $70 million, while for the A380 it is already $415 million.
Today, Boeing and Airbus are the masters of the sky, so they constantly offer more and more advanced ships. Airbus almost every month patents new inventions of navigation devices, which is slowly but surely tearing off a part of the market from competitors. The main focus of the company's activity is the development of fundamentally new equipment that will minimize the risks of air crashes and the possibility of switching to a new type of fuel, more economical and cleaner.
Watch a video about the Airbus A310
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