A.330mrtt

[Stafsels]

Quick question: what is the most correct way to describe the aircraft from the MMU?
I see both KC-30A as A-330MRTT.

Thanks and greetings!

Stafsels

[Bennie]

Quick question: what is the most correct way to describe the aircraft from the MMU?
I see both KC-30A as A-330MRTT.

Thanks and greetings!

Stafsels

The RNLAF website suggests A330 MRTT:

https://www.defensie.nl/onderwerpen/int ... liegtuigen

[frankvhemert]

Scramble database has them as A330-243MRTT, but it is up to you how you put them down...KC-30A is in my eyes also correct
Regards
Frank

[Gerard]

KC-30A is invented by the RAAF.
I recently spoke to someone working at the MMU and they don‘t even know the name KC-30A!

[frank kramer]

Perhaps because it was identified earlier as KC-30M instead of KC-30A?

Also, A330-(243)MRTT is an Airbus identifier, that does not preclude any military operator from identifying its aircraft differently: KC-30A, KC-330A, Voyager, Phénix, etc.

https://www.ed.nl/eindhoven/kolonel-van ... ~afbb6bee/

So, I guess there is no "official" denominator, it merely depends on your own preference.

Comes to mind: the Dutch operated the Fokker F.27-300M (9: C-4/C-12), but called them "Troopships" (and 3 F.27-100's that were called "Friendships", C-1/C-3). So in those days, both identifiers were seemingly correct there.

[Bennie]

Perhaps because it was identified earlier as KC-30M instead of KC-30A?

Comes to mind: the Dutch operated the Fokker F.27-300M (9: C-4/C-12), but called them "Troopships" (and 3 F.27-100's that were called "Friendships", C-1/C-3). So in those days, both identifiers were seemingly correct there.

AFAIK, there was an interior (and exterior) difference between the two F-27 models (seats/no seats, side cargo door/no side cargo door).

[nils]

in a leaked note, Belgium is making changes ot its Strategic plan "Horizon 2030".
one proposition is the investment in an additional A330-MRTT.

https://twitter.com/Stoonbrace/status/1 ... 4289472514

[frank kramer]

Reacting to Bennie:
Yeah, that's correct, but that's not what I meant. What I meant was that the producer's identifier was F.27-XXX and that of the KLu was Troopship or Friendship, and both versions were generally accepted as being correct and used indifferently.

[Flyboy]

Maybe someone can check the airworthynes documents. That would give the propper name used by the authorities

[Worldnis]

After seeing the 'A330-200MRTT' name during a MMU presentation in October 21, I changed using this. While earlier using KC-30M which I recall was used also by the unit before it was formally stood up at Eindhoven. Airbus is also using A330 MRTT commercially. In A330-243 the 243 looks more like a version number used by Airbus (alternatively Boeing uses two-character customer id's on their aircraft types.... Boeing 777-306 where '06' is the Boeing customer number or K2 for KLM/Transavia 737's)

[frank kramer]

243 is indeed the Airbus version number, but it is linked to a particular configuration, not to a particular customer, as was the case with Boeing. Amongst other differences, the generic-200 series A330’s are shorter than the -300 series. As the version of the MRTT used by the MMU actually IS a -243 MRTT by configuration, it could well be used as a denominator. For the record, Boeing stopped using the indicators for the customers somwhere in 2018 or 2019. So, the last delivered Transavia and KLM B737’s were known to Boeing as B737-800, not B737-8K2 or -806 (this version never existed in the first place). Same goes for the B777-300’s operated by KLM: the first 16 or so are -306ER, the last are -300ER

[Archer]

Re: Boeing customer numbers. '06' was the KLM customer number, 'K2' Transavia's customer number, but the 737NG fleet for both were delivered to 737-8K2 spec to simplify exchanges between the two fleets. I guess Boeing ran out of options for the two-character customer numbers, leading to the later 777-300s that have been delivered.

As for the A330 MRTT, only Australia uses the KC-30A designation, the UK MRTTs are officially known as either Voyager KC2 or Voyager KC3 depending on fit. The official type designation is (in most cases) A330-243, see the registration details for the G-VYGJ to G-VYGM registered pseudo-civil Voyagers.

As for the F.27/Friendship debate, they were only 'known as' either Friendships or Troopships, the official designation was still F.27-something. The UK military is (as far as I know) the only Air Force that prefers names for their types. In all other instances, a name is just a colloqial way of referring to a type. Usually the manufacturer chooses a name, or not, based on marketing preferences, but there are also many examples of companies, countries or groups coming up with differing names.

[pjotrtje]

The last two digits after the Airbus subtype (A320-271, A330-243) denominate the engine on the aircraft. It’s got nothing to do with version or customer. See https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus