The first Airbus A330-900neo for Delta Air Lines completed its first test flight after departing from Toulouse-Blagnac Airport.
The aircraft with test registration F-WWKF took off from the Airbus facilities in Toulouse and spend five hours and 46 minutes in the air.
During the first 2 hours of flight, the aircraft flew at low altitude (12,000 ft) over the Pyrenees. Then they flow to La Rochelle and climbed the aircraft to 31,000 ft and then to 41,000 ft.
Delta will be the launch customer for the Airbus A330-900neo in the US. In total, the airline ordered 35 of this type of aircraft. The delivery will take place later this month and the first commercial route will be Seattle -Shanghai Pudong in July.
The configuration of this new aircraft will have in total 281 seats, including 29 business class suites, 28 premium economy seats, 56 extra-legroom economy and 168 economy seats.
Feature Image by Clément Alloing
Is there anyway to visually distinguish the 333neo from the classic 333? It looks like the front windscreen is different and perhaps the engines. Anything else?
Airbus has cleaned up the aerodynamics and added a new wing to the aircraft as well as the new engines you mentioned. Updated systems are also present whilst using the same A330 cockpit. I’ll do a post in the future of “What’s the difference between the A330 and A330neo” and “What’s the difference between the 777 and 777X”.