Editing Airbus A310 (section)

=== Programme launch ===
[[File:Lufthansa and Swissair A310-200.jpg|thumb|upright|The A310-200 prototype, featuring the liveries of [[Swissair]] ''(left)'' and [[Lufthansa]] ''(right)'', the first customers.<ref name=Gunston-p89 />]]

At the April 1978 [[Hanover Air Show]], Airbus exhibited a model of the proposed A310. Its wing area, at {{cvt|219.25|m2|}} was slightly larger than that studied, at {{cvt|209|m2}}; its passenger cabin was twelve frames shorter than the A300,{{efn|The fuselage is 14 frames (7.42&nbsp;m) shorter than the A300 fuselage, but the rear bulkhead was set 2 frames farther into the tailcone, so that only 12 frames of seating capacity were lost in the shortened version.}} accommodating typical passenger loads of 195 in two-class, or 245 in all-economy.<ref name=Gunston-p89 />  However, during the next twelve months, almost every aspect was further refined. On 9 June 1978, Swissair and Lufthansa developed a joint specification for the aircraft, and within a month, announced that they would place the launch orders. On 15 March, Swissair became the first airline to place a firm order for the type, announcing that it would acquire ten aircraft, with a further ten under option, to replace its [[McDonnell Douglas DC-9]]s on its major intra-European routes.  Lufthansa was quick to place a [[United States dollar|$]]240&nbsp;million ten-aircraft order; additional orders from French operator [[Air France]] and Spanish airline [[Iberia (airline)|Iberia]] shortly followed.<ref name=Gunston-p89 />

Increasingly strong interest in the tentative airliner, coupled with the recovery of the industry during the late 1970s, contributed to Airbus deciding to put the A310 into production on 7 July 1978.<ref name=Airbus_MBI1999 /> During the latter half of 1978, an order for ten A300s was placed by independent British airline [[Laker Airways]], satisfying Airbus's demand for the placing of a British order for their aircraft.<ref name=Tech-lead />  On 1 April 1979, Lufthansa decided to raise its commitment for the type to 25 aircraft, along with 25 options.  Two days later, Dutch operator [[KLM]] signed its order for ten aircraft and ten options at [[British pound|£]]238&nbsp;million.<ref name=Gunston-p89>{{harvnb|Gunston|2009|p=89.}}</ref><ref name=A310-history1 /><ref name=A310-history2 />  On 6 July 1979, Air France announced that it had raised its order from four to thirty-five airliners.{{Citation needed|date=April 2011}}  Other airlines announcing orders for the A310 during 1979 included [[Martinair]], [[Sabena]], and [[Air Afrique]].<ref name=A310-history1>Flight International 27 October 1979 edition.</ref><ref name=A310-history2>''Airclaims Jet Programs'' 1995.</ref>

Initially, a pair of distinct versions of the A310 had been planned by Airbus; the regional A310-100, and the transcontinental A310-200.  The A310-100 featured a range of {{cvt|2000|nmi}} with 200&nbsp;passengers, whilst the A310-200 possessed a higher [[MTOW]] and centre section fuel, being able to carry the same load a further {{cvt|1000|nmi}}.<ref name=Gunston-p91>{{harvnb|Gunston|2009|p=91.}}</ref>  Basic engines offered for the type included the [[General Electric CF6]]-45B2 and [[Pratt & Whitney JT9D]]-7R4.  At one point, British engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce was openly considering offering an engine for the A310, the [[Rolls-Royce RB211|Rolls-Royce RB.207]], however, it ultimately chose to discard such efforts in favour of a smaller three-spool design, the RB.211.