Turkish Airlines confirms that one of the two A330-200Fs it ordered last November will be the Airbus development aircraft that undertook the bulk of the type's 200h flight-test programme.
Chief executive Temel Kotil says Turkish expects to receive its two A330-200Fs in September and October, and reveals that "one of them is the testing aircraft", which made it "cheaper".
The aircraft is MSN1004, which first flew last November as a Pratt & Whitney PW4000-powered aircraft, but is being re-engined with Rolls-Royce Trent 700s for Turkish as part of its rework before delivery.
Kotil says Turkish plans to operate its A330-200F on cargo services to Asia, in particular China. The airline's current freighter fleet comprises four A310-300Fs.
Source: Flight International
