Aircraft Asset Assessment: A310-300

Market Presence. The A310-300 at least features a two-person cockpit though it lacks the sophistication of the later Airbus product range. The powerplants remained reasonably competitive until recently but the interior continues to offer marketing opportunities for large and small operators. Operational flexibility of the A310-300 varies considerably depending on the MTOW and whether additional fuel tanks are fitted in the lower cargo hold. With a MTOW of 164 tonnes, the highest available, the A310-300, has transatlantic capability while lesser weights still permit versatile operation in Eastern Europe and Asia. The CF6 powers the majority of A310-300s. The CF6-80C2A8 is the more favoured CF6 derivative in terms of performance. The competition to the A310-300 primarily stemmed from the B767-200ER and the larger widebodies have diverted some of the attention away from the A310.