Editing Airbus A330 (section)

===Background===
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin-left:1em; text-align: center; font-size:95%"
|+Airbus jetliners, 1974–1994
|-
!style="text-align: left" |Model
![[Airbus A300|A300]]
![[Airbus A310|A310]]
![[Airbus A320 family|A320]]
!A330
![[Airbus A340|A340]]
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left" |'''Introduced'''
| 1974
| 1983
| 1988
| 1994
| 1993
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left" |'''Body'''
| Wide
| Wide
| Narrow
| Wide
| Wide
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left" |'''Engines'''
| 2
| 2
| 2
| 2
| 4
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left" |'''Range'''
| style="font-size: 85%"|{{cvt|4,050|nmi|disp=br()}}
| style="font-size: 85%"|{{cvt|4,350|nmi|disp=br()}}
| style="font-size: 85%"|{{cvt|3,000|nmi|disp=br()}}
| style="font-size: 85%"|{{cvt|6,350|nmi|disp=br()}} <!-- -300 -->
| style="font-size: 85%"|{{cvt|7,300|nmi|disp=br()}} <!-- -300 -->
|}
[[File:A330 and A340 Seating Capacity vs Range.svg|thumb|A330 and A340 seating and range comparison]]

Airbus's first airliner, the A300, was envisioned as part of a diverse family of commercial aircraft. Pursuing this goal, studies began in the early 1970s into derivatives of the A300.{{sfn|Norris|Wagner|2001|pp=9–18}}{{sfn|Wensveen|2007|p=63}} Before introducing the A300, Airbus identified nine possible variations designated B1 through B9.{{sfn|Gunston|2009|p=183}} A tenth variant, the A300B10, was conceived in 1973 and developed into the longer-range [[Airbus A310]].{{sfn|Norris|Wagner|2001|pp=18–19}} Airbus then focused its efforts on single-aisle (SA) studies, conceiving a family of airliners later known as the [[Airbus A320 family]], the first commercial aircraft with digital [[fly-by-wire]] controls. During these studies Airbus turned its focus back to the wide-body aircraft market, simultaneously working on both projects.{{sfn|Norris|Wagner|2001|pp=18–19}}

In the mid 1970s, Airbus began development of the A300B9, a larger derivative of the A300, which would eventually become the A330. The B9 was essentially a lengthened A300 with the same wing, coupled with the most powerful [[turbofan]] engines available. It was targeted at the growing demand for high-capacity, medium-range, transcontinental trunk routes.{{sfn|Norris|Wagner|2001|pp=22–23}} Offering the same range and payload as the [[McDonnell Douglas DC-10]] but with 25 per cent better fuel efficiency,{{sfn|Norris|Wagner|2001|pp=22–23}} the B9 was seen as a viable replacement for the DC-10 and the [[Lockheed L-1011 TriStar]] trijets.<ref>{{cite magazine |date=11–17 October 1981 |title=Commercial Aircraft of the World part 2 |magazine=Flight International |issue=3780 |volume=120 |page=1155 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1981/1981%20-%203243.html |access-date=23 January 2011 |issn=0161-7370 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513191110/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1981/1981%20-%203243.html |archive-date=2013-05-13}}</ref> It was also considered as a medium-ranged successor to the A300.{{sfn|Norris|Wagner|2001|p=23}}

At the same time, a 200-seat four-engine version, the B11 (which would eventually become the A340) was also under development.<ref name="Eden p.30">{{harnvb|Eden|2008|p=30}}</ref> The B11 was originally planned to take the place of narrow-body [[Boeing 707]]s and [[Douglas DC-8]]s then in commercial use, but would later evolve to target the long-range, wide-body [[trijet]] replacement market.{{sfn|Norris|Wagner|2001|p=23}} To differentiate from the SA series, the B9 and B11 were re-designated as the TA9 and TA11, with TA standing for "twin aisle".<ref name="Eden p.30" /> Development costs were reduced by the two aircraft using the same [[fuselage]] and wing, with projected savings of US$500&nbsp;million. Another factor was the split preference of those within Airbus and, more importantly, those of prospective customers; twinjets were favoured in North America, quad-jets desired in Asia, and operators had mixed views in Europe.{{sfn|Norris|Wagner|2001|pp=22–23}} Airbus ultimately found that most potential customers favoured four engines for their exemption from existing twinjet range restrictions and their ability to be ferried with one inactive engine.<ref name=kingsley>{{Cite magazine |title=Airbus A330/A340 |magazine=Flight International |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1997/1997%20-%202917.html |last=Kingsley-Jones |first=Max |date=4 November 1997 |access-date=26 January 2011 |page=29 |issn=0161-7370}}</ref> As a result, development plans prioritised the four-engined TA11 ahead of the TA9.<ref name=kingsley />