The Seattle Times reports that “Airbus Will Halt Production of Airbus of Its First Airliner”, the Airbus A300/A310.
The France-based aircraft maker, a unit of European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., said the last model from its wide-bodied A300/A310 family will roll off the production line in July 2007.
The A300, launched in May 1969, was the first Airbus jet and the world’s first twin-engine wide-bodied airliner when it entered service with Air France five years later. The A310, launched in 1978, was the first to use TV-style displays in the cockpit.
But the much newer A330/A340 jets now account for most of Airbus’ wide-bodied plane sales. Airbus took just seven orders for A300/A310 models last year and none in the first two months of this year, the company said today.
