Airbus has achieved certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for its latest A330neo product enhancement enabling longer range: the 251 metric tonne Maximum-Take-Off Weight (MTOW) variant of the A330-900. With more range and even better economics, the new variant now offers a significant 650-nautical mile boost in range – or six tonnes more payload – when compared with the A330-900’s current 242-tonne version.
This increase in range responds to evolving market needs, enabling airlines to benefit from the unique economics of the A330neo for even longer missions – flying efficiently on routes from 20mn to over 17 hours. It also means that now the A330neo Family offers airlines even more flexibility with a wide range of certified MTOW options, ranging from 200 to 251 tonnes.
Corsair will be the first airline to operate this most capable A330neo.
Overall, the new MTOW option makes the A330-900 the perfect fit for longer trans-Pacific or Asia-Europe routes.
To achieve the 251t capability, Airbus has retained 99% spares commonality, with the MTOW increase achieved through a combination of weight-neutral structural reinforcements and landing gear adaptations. Modifications to the nose and main landing gear have also enabled Airbus engineers to extend their time-before-overhaul (TBO), prolonging the previous 10-year interval to a new 12-year timeframe, thus resulting in significant maintenance savings.