Airbus has embarked on production of major structures for the first A330-800, the smaller of the two members of the re-engined A330neo family.
Just one customer, Hawaiian Airlines, has A330-800s on order. The carrier is taking six of the type.
The airframer states that components already undergoing manufacture include the fuselage sections being built in Hamburg, the centre wing-box in Nantes, and titanium pylons in Toulouse for the type's Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines.
Korean-built sharklet wing-tips are also under construction for attachment to the wing, which is undergoing installation at Airbus's high-lift systems plant Bremen.
Airbus is aiming to commence final assembly of the A330-800 by the end of this year, ahead of first flight in 2018.
The airframer has yet to conduct the maiden flight of the larger variant, the A330-900, development of which has suffered several months of delays. The first -900 has recently been transferred to the Airbus flight-test division.
Airbus has total orders for 210 A330neos of which the -900 accounts for 204.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
