Airbus A300B2/B4 . Airbus A300B2/B4

Airbus Industries was formed in 1970 as a multinational effort between Germany, England and France to create a high-capacity twin-jet transport (this developed into the A300). Today Airbus Industries has become the world's second largest manufacturer manufacturer of civil airliners.  Two prototype A300B1s were built, the first of these flying from Toulouse, France on October 28 1972, the second on February 5 the next year. The General Electric CF6 was the power plant choice for initial A300s. Following the prototype A300B1s was the 2.65m  longer A300B2, the first production version which first flew in April 1974. The B2 entered service with Air France on May 23, 1974. Airbus A300 Zero-G: converted for astronaut training by Novespace, Sogerma and CNES (French space travel agency) Production of the A300B2/B4 ceased in May 1984, with manufacture switching to the improved A300-600.

 

Developing nation:	Europe
Manufacturer/designer:	EADS - Airbus Industries.
Production line:	Toulouse-Blagnac, France.
Type aircraft:	Medium range wide body airliner.
First flight:	- A300B1, October 28th, 1972. F-WUAB.
First delivery:	May 23, 1974. by Air France.
	Airbus A300B2-200
Cockpit crew:	Two pilots and a flight engineer.
Passengers single class:	270 - 336.
Passengers two class:	- 20 business class. - 230 economy class.
Cabin length:	40,70 m.
Cabin diameter:	5,28 m.
Cargo volume:	- Maine deck 304,6 m³. - Under floor 70,8 m³. - Total load 391,4 m³.
LD3 containers in belly:	20.
Standard 2.24m x 3.17m pallets:	- in belly 4, with 8 LD3 Containers. - main cargo deck of freighter 21.
Wing span:	44,84 m.
Wing area:	260 m².
Wing sweep:	28 degrees.
Fuselage length:	53,62 m.
Fuselage diameter:	5,64 m.
Height:	16,53 m.
Wheelbase:	18,62 m.
Track:	9,60 m.
Engines:	- Two General Electric CF6-50Cs rated 227 kN. - Pratt & Whitney JT9D-9 turbofans rated 236 kN.
Weight:	- Empty: 85.910 Kg. - Max. payload: 37.980 Kg.
Max. take off weight:	136.985 Kg.
Max. landing weight:	130.000 Kg.
Cruise speed:	854 km/h.
Max. speed:	889 km/h.
Service ceiling:	10.058 m.
Max. range:	6.300 km.

                                                        * Generally similar to the Airbus A300B2-200 except in the following particulars.

Production:

Airbus A300B2 and B4 orders stood at 249 when production was completed in 1984. Approximately 198 in service at late 2004.

18 Airbus A300B2/B4 written-of by accidents:

• March 17, 1982.    F-BVGK    Airbus A300B4-203    Air France    crashed in the take-off at Sana'a, Yemen none fatalities / 124 on board.

• December 18, 1983.    OY-KAA    Airbus A300B4-120    Malaysian Airline System    crashed during final approach in heavy rain at Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, none fatalities / 247 on board.

• September 29, 1986.    VT-ELV    Airbus A300B2-1C    Indian Airlines    crashed in take-off after collision with a bird at Chennai, India none fatalities / 196 on board.

• September 21, 1987.    SU-BCA    Airbus A300B4-203    Egypt Air    during touch-and-go training touched down 700 m past the runway threshold at Luxor, Egypt 5 fatalities / 5 on board.

• July 3, 1988.    EP-IBU    Airbus A300B2-203    Iran Air   shot-down en route in the Strait of Hormuz  by missiles, fired by the US Navy cruiser USS Vincennes. 290 fatalities / 290 on board.

• September 28, 1992    AP-BCP    Airbus A300B4-203    PIA-Pakistan International Airways    the Airbus A300 crashed into a steep cloud-covered hillside 20 Km from Katmandu, Nepal.

• April 24, 1993.    F-BUAE    Airbus A300B2-1C    Air Inter    Hit light pole during pushback at Montpellier-Frejorgues Airport, France; damaged beyond repair. 0 fatalities / 324 on board.

• November 15, 1993.    VT-EDV    Airbus A300B2-101    Air India    executed forced landing in an open paddy field about 23 kilometers from Tirupati airport, India 0 fatalities / 262 on board.

• October 22, 1994.    HS-THO    Airbus A300B4-103    Thai airways International    hit by a MD-11 Thai Airways during a engine run-up at Bangkok International Airport, Thailand. The Airbus A300 was damaged beyond repair.

• December 26, 1994.    F-GBEC    Airbus A300B2-1C    Air France    this Airbus was Hijacked by 4 members of the Groupe Islamique Armée, The aircraft was stormed, causing substantial damage to the cockpit at Marseille-Marignane Airport, France. 7 fatalities / 170 on board.

• May 17, 1996.    TC-ALP    Airbus A300B4-203    Air Alfa    Cabin fire on ground; the Airbus burned out at Istanbul, Turkey. 0 fatalities / ? on board.

• September 26, 1997.    PK-GAI    Airbus A300B4-220    Garuda Indonesia Airways    crashed 32 Km from Medan Indonesia. 234 fatalities / 234 on board.

• February 2, 2000.    EP-IBR    Airbus A300B2-203    Iran Air    Collision on the ground with a C-130 Hercules both aircraft were destroyed by fire, Tehran, Iran. 0 fatalities / ? on board.

• February 12, 2000.    TU-TAT    Airbus A300B4-203    Air Afrique    written-off at Dakar, Senegal after undercarriage problems during taxiing, a fire broke out and the A300 fuselage was damaged. 0 fatalities / 182 on board.

• October 17, 2001    AP-BCJ    Airbus A300B4-203    PIA-Pakistan International Airways    written-off at Dubai ,United Arabs Emirates the right hand main gear collapsed as it touched down. 0 fatalities / 205 on board.

• March 8, 2002.    VT-EFW    Airbus A300B2-101    Indian Airlines     at Delhi-Indira Gandhi International Airport, India a maintenance crew lost control of the aircraft and it went straight through the airport perimeter wall next to the hangars. The nose wheel collapsed and the aircraft nose dived into the ground. 0 fatalities / 5 on board.

• November 22, 2003.    OO-DLL    Airbus A300B4-203F    European Air Transport for DHL    hit by a SAM-7 surface-to-air missile while climbing through 8000 feet shortly after departure from Baghdad. The missile struck the wing and penetrated the no. 1A fuel tank. Fuel ignited, burning away a large portion of the wing. The pilots landed the A300 save. 0 fatalities / 3 on board.

• March 1, 2004.    AP-BBA    Airbus A300B4-203    PIA-Pakistan International Airways    Suffered serious damage to its undercarriage and engines when it aborted a take off from Jeddah due to nose gear tire failures. 0 fatalities / ? on board.