F-WUAB
| Company type | Prototype aircraft |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | October 28, 1972 (first flight) |
| Headquarters | Toulouse , France |
| Products | Airbus A300 prototype aircraft |
F-WUAB (subsequently known as F-OCAZ) represents the inaugural prototype of the Airbus A300, constructed by Airbus and acknowledged as the very first Airbus A300 ever created.
Assembly and Initial Flight
The prototype was assembled at Airbus's Aérospatiale site located in Toulouse, France, and completed its first flight on October 28, 1972.
Equipped with two General Electric CF6-50A engines, the aircraft had a maximum takeoff weight of .
The A300B1 introduced several pioneering features to the aviation sector: it was the initial twin-engine wide-body airliner, the first commercial airplane to utilize composite materials, and the earliest model to employ center-of-gravity management. Additionally, in 1977, it became the first aircraft certified for Extended Operations (ETOPS). The F-WUAB accommodated up to 300 passengers.
Operating under the registration F-WUAB, it functioned as a test platform until September 1973, when Airbus Industries updated its registration to F-OCAZ.
Conservation
After serving Airbus Industries as a test aircraft for two years, it was retired on August 27, 1974. While partially dismantled, significant parts—including a segment of the fuselage, the right wing, and one engine—were preserved and are exhibited at the Deutsches Museum in Munich, Bavaria, Germany.