Airbus A310 Factory Livery 1/50th Scale Solid Model

The Airbus A310 is a wide-body airliner designed and manufactured by Airbus Industrie GIE, then a consortium of European aerospace manufacturers. Airbus had identified a demand for an aircraft smaller than the A300, the first twin-jet wide-body. On 7 July 1978, the A310 (initially the A300B10) was launched with orders from Swissair and Lufthansa. On 3 April 1982, the first prototype conducted its maiden flight, and the A310 received its type certificate on 11 March 1983.

Keeping the same eight-abreast cross-section, the A310 is 6.95 m (22 ft 10 in) shorter than the initial A300 variants, has a smaller wing, down from 260 to 219 m² (2,800 to 2,360 sq ft), and a longer flying range up to 5,150 nautical miles(9,540 km; 5,930 mi). The A310 introduced a two-crew glass cockpit, later adopted for the A300-600 with a common type rating. It was powered by the same General Electric CF6-80 or Pratt & Whitney JT9D then PW4000 turbofan jet engines. It can seat 220 passengers in two classes, or 240 in all-economy. It has overwing exits between the two main front and rear door pairs.

In April 1983, the aircraft entered revenue service with Swissair, and competed with the Boeing 767-200, introduced six months before. Its longer range and ETOPScertification allowed it to be operated on transatlantic flights. It was also available as a cargo aircraft and in military variants: the A310 MRT (multi-role transport), which was further developed into the A310 MRTT (multi-role tanker transport). The aircraft was replaced by the larger Airbus A330-200. Production ended after 255 aircraft were produced, with the final A310 being delivered in June 1998.