The news article just said "the first Airbus jet and the world's first wide-bodied airliner" -- it didn't mention the number of engines. I'll fondly remember my only two A310 flights, CDG-JFK and JFK-SFO, on Pan Am, on the same day in September 1990. We were in the first row of coach, with plenty of room, and they were great flights. The "stubby" A310 reminded me of the 747SP. I've never been on an A300, and probably won't get a chance, since they are vanishing quickly from passenger service. -- Michael C. Berch mcb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx On Mar 7, 2006, at 9:10 PM, Bahadir Acuner wrote: > 747 wasn't a twin.... > > Farewell to A300/A310 family. Especially A310 which is/was one of a > kind.. > > Baha > Fan of my two cockpit visits on A310-200 and -300 :) > > -----Original Message----- > From: The Airline List [mailto:AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of > Michael C. Berch > Sent: Tuesday, March 07, 2006 6:32 PM > To: AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: Re: SFGate: Airbus Retires Oldest Model of Airliner > > Uh... perhaps both you and the news story somehow missed the Boeing > 747, which was surely the first wide-bodied airliner, and the > original "jumbo jet", which first flew on February 9, 1969, and went > into commercial service for Pan Am on Junaury 22, 1970? :-) > > -- > Michael C. Berch > mcb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx > > > On Mar 7, 2006, at 6:21 PM, Gerard M Foley wrote: >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Hough" <psa188@xxxxxxxx> >> To: <AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> >> Sent: Tuesday, March 07, 2006 6:15 PM >> Subject: SFGate: Airbus Retires Oldest Model of Airliner >> <snip> >> >> The A300, launched in May 1969, was the first Airbus jet and the >> world's >> first 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. >> >> <snip> >> >> The DC-10 entered service with AA in 1971, according to Airliners. >> The A300 may have been the world's first wide-bodied twin (the DC10 >> was initially designed as a twin, but as far as I know never built >> that way), but the DC10 body was pretty wide when I first was in >> one in 1973.