Airbus releases fascinating time-lapse video showing how it assembles its brand new A330neo

Airbus releases fascinating time-lapse video showing how it assembles its brand new A330neo

  • The mesmerising video was filmed at the plane manufacturer’s enormous Toulouse, France, plant
  • It shows the assembly and painstaking spray painting of an A330-900 for Air Mauritius 
  • Air Mauritius is now the first Southern Hemisphere-based carrier to have an A330neo in its fleet 

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Airbus has released fascinating time-lapse footage showing the assembly process for its new A330neo aircraft.

The mesmerising video, filmed at the plane manufacturer’s plant in Toulouse, France, charts the delivery of components all the way through to fitting the fuselage together and spray-painting its livery.

The A330-900 plane in the video has now been handed over to Air Mauritius, which is leasing the aircraft.

Airbus has released fascinating time-lapse footage showing an A330neo aircraft being assembled at its plant in Toulouse 

The video charts the delivery of components all the way through to fitting the fuselage together and spray-painting its livery

The video charts the delivery of components all the way through to fitting the fuselage together and spray-painting its livery

Components for the aircraft are flown into Toulouse from the various Airbus manufacturing plants across Europe

Components for the aircraft are flown into Toulouse from the various Airbus manufacturing plants across Europe 

The fascinating video starts with the arrival of an Airbus Beluga plane, which transports the parts for the aircraft to Toulouse from various component production plants across Europe.

Two sections of fuselage are then brought in to a hangar and joined together, followed by the wings before the nose cone and tail fin are fitted.

Once assembled, the aircraft is then towed into a separate hangar where the spray painters get to work, painting it in the vibrant red Air Mauritius livery.

The next part of the video shows the plane sitting on the tarmac at the Airbus plant having had its two Rolls-Royce engines fitted.

The clip ends with the aircraft taking off, ready to be entered into service.

The plane has been given the name Aapravasi Ghat and Air Mauritius is now the first Southern Hemisphere-based carrier to have an A330neo in its fleet.

One part of the video shows the spray painters getting to work to give the plane its distinctive livery

One part of the video shows the spray painters getting to work to give the plane its distinctive livery 

The plane has been given the name Aapravasi Ghat and Air Mauritius is now the first Southern Hemisphere-based carrier to have an A330neo in its fleet

The plane has been given the name Aapravasi Ghat and Air Mauritius is now the first Southern Hemisphere-based carrier to have an A330neo in its fleet 

It will feature a two-class cabin with 28 business class seats and 260 economy seats.

The carrier will deploy the aircraft on routes connecting Mauritius to Europe (mainly London and Geneva), India and South East Asia, as well as services to regional destinations including Johannesburg, Antananarivo and Reunion Island.

The A330neo is the new generation A330, comprising two versions: the A330-800 and the slightly larger A330-900.

The Air Mauritius jet will feature a two-class cabin with 28 business class seats and 260 economy seats

The Air Mauritius jet will feature a two-class cabin with 28 business class seats and 260 economy seats

Airbus explained: ‘It builds on the proven economics, versatility and reliability of the A330 family, while reducing fuel consumption by about 25 per cent per seat versus previous generation competitor aircraft and offering an unrivalled range capability.

‘The A330neo is powered by Rolls-Royce’s latest-generation Trent 7000 engines and features a new wing with increased span and new A350 XWB-inspired Sharklets.’

Airbus currently has an order book of more than 1,700 aircraft from 120 customers to date and the A330 is the most popular in the widebody family.