Fact file: the Airbus A330-200
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Air France passenger plane that has gone missing with 228 people on board on its way from Brazil to Paris is a four-year-old Airbus A330-200 wide-body jet.
The aircraft registered as F-GZCP. Air France is owned by Franco-Dutch airline group Air France-KLM.
Here are the main characteristics of the plane.
Aircraft details
Twin-engine, long-haul, medium-capacity passenger jet, a shortened version of the standard A330
First A330-200 put into service: 1998
Number in use worldwide: 341
Length: 58.8 meters (190 feet) long
Capacity: 253 passengers in standard configuration; 293 in a two-class configuration.
Maximum distance: Up to 7,760 miles (12,500 kilometers), allowing it to travel routes such as Paris-Singapore, Paris-Los Angeles or Dubai-London.
Airlines using it: include Air France, KLM, Northwest Airlines, Jet Airways, Turkish Airlines, Air China, China Sputhern Airlines.
Missing plane entered service 2005
Aircraft type first entered service 1998
Engines Two CF6
Manufacturer General Electric (GE.N)
Aircraft cost (list prices, 2008) $181 million
Safety record
If the missing passengers and crew are confirmed dead, it would be the worst accident involving an Airbus A330, according to the Flight Safety Foundation (http://www.aviation-safety.net).
It would also be the first fatal accident involving the A330-200, the smaller of two variants of the wide-body jet.
Seven people were killed when an A330-300 crashed during a testing flight at the planemaker's Toulouse headquarters in France in June, 1994.
Two A330-300s were destroyed on the tarmac in an attack on Sri Lanka's international airport by Tamil Tiger rebels that left 18 people dead in July 2001.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments