Airbus A300 Spotting Guide, Tips for Spotters, Characteristics and Photographs

Airbus A300 of American Airlines

The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range wide-body twin-engine jet airliner that was developed and manufactured by Airbus.

It was formally announced in 1969, and had its first flight in October of 1972. Air France, the launch customer for the A300, introduced the type into service in May of 1974.

The A300 was the world's first twin-engined widebody airliner. It was also the first aircraft produced by Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace manufacturers, now a subsidiary of the Airbus Group.

The A300 can typically seat 266 passengers in a two-class layout, with a maximum range of 4,070 nautical miles (7,540 km) when fully loaded, depending on model.

Airbus A300 Models

The A300 was produced in four models:

A300-B1
A300-B2
A300-B4
A300-600

A total of 561 A300s were built by Airbus between 1971 and 2007.

Airbus A3xx Series Evolution

The A300 was the basis of these models:

Stretched into 2-engine Airbus A330
Stretched into the 4-engine Airbus A340
Shortened into the Airbus A310

Airbus A300 Spotting Tips

The A300 has a longer fuselage compared to the smaller A310. When looking at the A310 from the side (see image below), note that it has only two doors; the A300 has three doors on each side.

The chart below shows a side-by-side comparison of the Airbus A300 and A310

The chart below shows how similar the Airbus A300 (top) and the A330 (bottom) are in overall appearance. One significant difference is between the wings and under the fuselage. The A300 is smooth under the fuselage, whereas the A330 features a bulge in that area.

The chart below shows how similar the Airbus A300 and the A330 are in overall appearance. One significant difference is between the wings and under the fuselage. The A300 is smooth under the fuselage, whereas the A330 features a bulge in that area.

Airbus A300 Photographs

UPS Airbus A300F4-622R, registration N124UP, parked at the DFW Airport in Texas (Staff Photo)

Egyptair Cargo Airbus A300-B4 200, SU-GAC, New Valley (Photo by DELEHELLE Eric)

DHL Airbus A300, D-AEAR, at Châteauroux-Centre "Marcel Dassault" Airport in 2021
(Photo by DELEHELLE Eric)

Eastern Airlines Airbus A300

FedEX Airbus A300F-605R on final approach

Airbus A300B, msn 238, ex-Pan American Airways N210PA, preserved and on display at Aeroscopia Toulouse (Photo by DELEHELLE Eric)

Airbus Airliners Parked at Storage Facilities in U.S.A. Desert

Commercial airliners have limited lifespans, even the huge Airbus A300. Ultimately, they must be retired from service, stored in "airplane boneyards" or graveyards, and finally dismantled and scrapped.

Jetliners eventually reach end-of-life due to airframe wear and/or obsolescence. Some jetliners are temporarily taken off flying status, and must be stored in a environment that is conducive to preservation. Others are kept for spare parts for flying aircraft.

To protect airliners during their storage from wind and sun damage, engines and windows are tightly covered with white, reflective materials. A sealed airliner can thus be stored safely, for years, until the time comes to return it to active duty, or salvage. Eventually, all airliners are removed permanently from service and must be "disposed" of.

In the past year, we have spotted a variety of Boeing and Airbus aircraft in various boneyards in the western U.S., including:

Also available is information on airliner boneyards in Europe, the UK, Australia, Russia and other locations around the world.

... and view photos of commercial airliner boneyards at www.AirplaneBoneyards.com

Airbus A300-B4-203 of DHL, registration N365DH (foreground), in desert storage at the Kingman Airport in Kingman, Arizona, USA (Staff Photo)
View similar photos at AirplaneBoneyards.com