The next chapter in the ever-evolving Airbus A330 story opened in 2014 with the announcement of the A330neo (new engine option), extending the life of a type that has proven itself to be a popular and versatile aircraft. It has been used to carry passengers, cargo and world leaders as well serving as a military troop transporter and air-to-air refueller. With more than 1,000 airframes delivered to 100-plus operators the A330 has truly blossomed - a far cry from the type's early days when orders were few and far between. Although the A330 first flew in 1992, its origins can be traced back to the mid-1970s. Known then as the B9, the jet was a paper study in stretching the company's existing A300 widebody fuselage. The design called for new, more powerful engines and extra fuselage barrel sections using the A300 wing. The aircraft was not intended to be the long-haul aircraft it would eventually become, mostly because twin-engine jets were not allowed to fly over the open ocean because of safety concerns. It was conceived as a replacement for the tri-jet McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and Lockheed L-1011 TriStar on transcontinental trunk routes such as New York to Los Angeles or Hong Kong to Singapore. Early projections anticipated the A330 being able to complete similar routes using 25% less fuel than its tri-jet counterparts.
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