Airbus Updates No.3775

 

Royal Canadian Air Force secures A330s for MRTT conversion

A330 Freighter© EFW

22.08.2022 - 16:42 UTC

The Royal Canadian Air Force (CFC, Winnipeg Int'l) (RCAF) has secured two civilian A330-200s for conversion into A330-200(MRTT)s via a USD102 million dollar deal between the Canadian government and the International Airfinance Corporation (IAFC). The pair are the first of six incoming planes that will replace and renew the capability currently provided by five RCAF A310-300s (also known as CC150 Polaris aircraft).

IAFC won the contract for the procurement and preparation of the two A330s that will join the Strategic Tanker Transport Capability fleet. The Canadian government has already outlined plans to acquire a further four multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) aircraft as part of that country's "Strong, Secure, Engaged" defence policy to lock in future air-to-air refuelling capability.

The five RCAF A310s, of which three are MRTTs, are all well into their fourth decade of flying and have flown for the RCAF since the early 1990s. The aircraft type currently provides the bulk of the RCAF's existing air-to-air refuelling capabilities as well as transporting military personnel, and cargo, and conducting medical evacuations.

The two incoming A330s were manufactured in 2015. However, neither the government nor IAFC were available to comment on the jets' exact identities. In 2021, Boeing (BOE, Washington National) was told by the Canadian government that their competing offer, the B767-2C(KC-46A) Pegasus, a militarized variant of the B767, did not meet the RCAF's requirements.

"The Government of Canada is committed to providing the Canadian Armed Forces with the equipment they need at the best value for money. We look forward to accepting these two aircraft as they represent an important first step in eventually replacing the capability currently provided by the CC150 Polaris fleet,” said Canada's defence minister, Anita Anand.

The Canadian government expects the two A330s to enter service in the 2023 Northern Hemisphere winter. The planes are currently configured to fly passengers only and need modification to military specifications. Before the conversion is complete, the aircraft may operate passenger and cargo flights for the RCAF. According to the RCAF's existing agreements, Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) will undertake all necessary modifications.

The Canadian government was not immediately available to comment on the identity of the procured aircraft.

Airbus Updates No.3804

 

PIA Pakistan to auction off A310s, seized A300

PIA - Pakistan International Airbus A310-300© Tis Meyer / PlanePics.org

14.03.2022 - 04:03 UTC

PIA - Pakistan International Airlines (PK, Islamabad Quaid-e-Azam Int'l) has put two of its derelict/mothballed A310-300s up for sale alongside an A300B4(F) seized from AirACT (9T, Istanbul Atatürk) in 2010 for unpaid fees to PIA Engineering.

Tender documentation shows the aircraft involved are:

• A310-300 AP-BGN (msn 676);
• A310-300 AP-BEG (msn 653);
• A300B4(F) TC-ACY (msn 107).

All three planes are non-runners, are stored at Karachi Int'l, and are being sold on a voetstoots (as-is/where-is) basis.

Ahead of the March 29 auction at 1400L (0900Z), bidders must put down a PKR500,000 rupee (USD2,800) refundable deposit. On-site inspection will be carried out on March 28. Successful bidders will have 30 days to remove the aircraft.

Airbus Updates No.2928

 

Former Nigeria Airways A310 Burns Down In Belgium

In a shocking incident, a former Nigeria Airways A310 has burned down in Gilly, Belgium. The aircraft has been parked in the city since 1999 after it was impounded in Brussels for unpaid fees. The plane was later converted and served in several non-flying roles, including as a restaurant, bar, and more.

The former Nigeria Airways plane was moved to Gilly in 1999 and has since served many non-flying roles. Photo: Jmh2o via Wikimedia Commons

Sudden fire

According to a report from Aviation24, the aircraft burned down on Tuesday. The fire started in the evening and quickly became violent, causing the tail of the aircraft to collapse. Firefighters and emergency services quickly reached the site to contain the fire and no one was injured. However, the aircraft itself seems to be burnt beyond salvaging.

A video of the incident was later posted on Twitter, showing the extent of the fire and emergency services near the site. The plane was not in commercial use at this time.

The famous Airbus A310, an ex-Nigeria Airways aircraft located on a terrain near Gilly – close to Charleroi – burned down this evening.

In 1999, the aircraft “landed” on the terrain & had several functions during her post-flight career.

Credit:aviation24_be #avgeek #aviation pic.twitter.com/oK9TIN5vEe

— FL360aero (@fl360aero) November 17, 2020

The aircraft was most recently owned by a French company which purchased it last year. The company planned to dismantle the aircraft by 2020 but delays pushed the project to January 2021. It’s unclear what the company will do now that the plane has suffered significant damage.

Why was the plane there?

It might seem strange why a Nigeria Airways A310 is stored in a small town in Belgium. The aircraft actually has a long and fascinating history. Originally registered 5N-AUG, the aircraft was delivered to Nigeria Airways in 1984, flying long-haul services. The plane was impounded in the 1990s in Brussels after the airline refused to pay maintenance costs, according to Independent.

The plane served as a restaurant and bar for many years. Photo: Jmh2o via Wikimedia Commons

After a court battle, the maintenance company received ownership of the plane, which it sold to a company in Gilly. The plane was then converted for non-flying use (removing the engines and propping it up) in 1999.

Since its conversion, the plane has served as a popular cafe, Italian restaurant, bar, and discotheque. At one time, the plane’s belly served as a cocktail bar for 220 guests, while the wings were a makeshift terrace.

After 20 years, the aircraft was once again put on sale in 2019 for €100,000 ($118,800), with double the cost to dismantle and transport the aircraft. As mentioned earlier, a French company did end up purchasing the aircraft and planned to dismantle it. Considering the sad events of this week, it seems unlikely we will see this plane in use again.

Converted planes

While the A310 in Gilly won’t be in use any longer, the trend of converted planes has become quite popular in the last few years. Retired aircraft have found themselves serving as waterparks, hotels, and restaurants all over the world.

Most recently, British Airways opted to preserve one of its 747s as a film set. From the famous 747 Jumbo Stay hotel in Stokhomn to Wings and Waves Waterpark in Oregon, retired aircraft have found interesting second lives! 

Airbus Updates No.2604

Hailing the A310’s lasting legacy

Airbus invented the original widebody twinjet more than half a century ago, so it seems appropriate that a Toulouse product looks set to be the first of the breed to become extinct.

But it is not the original design, the 250-seat A300 that is likely to go first, but the one that followed. Introduced in 1983, the 200-seat A310 signalled the start of Airbus’s ambition to create an extended family of aircraft that would become central to its product development and marketing success over the coming decades.

Source: Airbus

While the retirement of Air Transat’s last A310s at the end of March does not warrant an obituary just yet, the type’s removal from Canadian skies leaves just seven flying as passenger aircraft, predominantly in Iran. Four more are still flying as freighters and 17 in non-commercial roles.

In sales terms, the A310 could not be classed a huge success, racking up just 255 orders. But the twinjet provided Airbus with a crucial counter to Boeing’s me-too widebody twin, the 767-200, as well as the 757 narrowbody, which offered highly competitive economics and flexibility.

Although derived from the A300, the A310 was more than a simple shrink. It featured an advanced wing design and introduced electrical signalling on secondary flight controls.

A key advance that debuted on the A310 was Airbus’s first “electronic” flightdeck featuring CRT displays. This design would provide the foundation for the epoch-making A320 flightdeck that arrived five years later and continues to be offered today.

So the A310 may be close to disappearing from airport terminals, but its legacy lives on.

Airbus Updates No.2590

Canada's Air Transat retires A310-300s

Air Transat Airbus A310-300 © Tis Meyer / PlanePics.org

02.04.2020 - 07:06 UTC

Air Transat (TS, Montréal Trudeau) retired all three of its remaining A310-300(ET)s at the end of March.

The type's last revenue flight was operated on March 30, when C-GSAT (msn 600) flew from Porto via Halifax to Toronto Pearson. The aircraft subsequently joined the other two A310s, C-GPAT (msn 597) and C-GTSY (msn 447), in storage at Montréal Mirabel.

The airline has since confirmed in a statement to ch-aviation that the A310-300s have indeed been permanently withdrawn from service and will not be reactivated after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Air Transat was planning to retire the A310s over the coming months as its new A321-200neo(LR)s deliver from Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac).

According to the ch-aviation fleets advanced module, the three A310-300s are 29.7 years old on average and are owned by Air Transat. The carrier also operates twelve A321-200s, three A321neo(LR)s, sixteen A330-200s, four A330-300s, and five B737-800s.

Airbus Updates No.2429

FedEx Express ends A310-300(F) operations

FedEx Express Airbus A300-600F © Tis Meyer / PlanePics.org

07.01.2020 - 01:15 UTC

FedEx Express (FX, Memphis Int'l) ended A310-300(F) operations on January 4, 2020, and has ferried all remaining aircraft of the type to Victorville for scrapping.

Flightradar24 ADS-B data indicates that the cargo specialist's last revenue flight with the type was operated with N808FD (msn 439) as flight FX854 from Sioux Falls to Memphis Int'l on the morning of January 4. The aircraft was then ferried to Victorville later the same day.

FedEx Express retired two A310-300(F)s shortly before the end of 2019, with N809FD (msn 449) ferried from Nashville Int'l to Victorville on December 28 and N811FD (msn 457) from Memphis on December 26.

Following the retirement of the A310s, FedEx continues to operate sixty-seven A300-600(F)s, 111 B757-200(PF)s, eighty-two B767-300(F)s, forty-three B777-Fs, fifteen DC-10-10(F)s, thirteen DC-10-30(F)s, and fifty-six MD-11(F)s, the ch-aviation fleets advanced module shows.

Airbus Updates No.2227

Air Transat schedules last A310 ops for early 2Q20

Air Transat Airbus A310-300 © Tis Meyer / PlanePics.org

19.07.2019 - 08:31 UTC

Air Transat (TS, Montréal Trudeau) has scheduled the last A310-300 flights for April 27, 2020, ch-aviation schedule analysis has revealed.

As first reported by Airways Magazine, the Canadian carrier plans to operate the type for the last time on a scheduled charter flight from Roatán to Montréal Trudeau and on a regular service from Paris CDG to Québec.

According to the ch-aviation fleets advanced module, Air Transat currently operates six A310-300s, which are 29 years old on average. The airline owns all six units. The A310s are being replaced by A321-200neo(LR)s, of which Air Transat already operates two and has a further thirteen on order from AerCap.

The carrier's fleet also includes four A321-200s, sixteen A330-200s, four A330-300s, one B737-700, and five B737-800s.