Preserved at the Civil Aviation Museum in Beijing, an Airbus A310 registered B-2301 alone tells of 40 years of cooperation between the Chinese civil aeronautical industry and the famous European manufacturer.
Photo taken on June 25, 2025 showing the first commercial Airbus A310 delivered to China, now exhibited at the Civil Aviation Museum in Beijing, Chinese capital. (Photo: Xinhua)
The inscription “China Eastern Airlines” on the fuselage, and the red and blue logo of the airline on the tail of the device remain visible, despite the past decades.
This model was the first commercial delivery of Airbus in China, made on June 25, 1985. It was received by the Shanghai branch of the China civil aviation administration (Civil Aviation Administration of China, CAAC), predecessor of China Eastern Airlines. This event thus marks the kick -off of the partnership between Airbus and the Chinese Civil Aviation sector.
This first milestone intervened in a context where the reform and the opening of China in demand in terms of air transport, both domestically and internationally. With a national fleet of just 200 aircraft, the country was looking for modern aircraft to extend its network. The Gros-Driveur A310 briefing has considerably improved the capacities, profitability and comfort of passengers on key connections between Shanghai and cities such as Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Osaka.
“This A310 marked the beginning of a success story, of an extraordinary friendship and relationship of trust between airlines and Airbus, far beyond the European aeronautical ecosystem and its Chinese counterparts, and even beyond relations between Europe and China,” says Christian Scherer, director general of Airbus Trade Air Plans.
To mark its 40 years of activity, Airbus has launched a renovation project of the History A310 registered B-2301. After 21 years of service, the plane was withdrawn from traffic in 2006. Bought by Airbus and offered to the Chinese Foundation for the scientific popularization of civil aviation, it is now exposed to the Civil Aviation Museum in Beijing, where it constitutes the largest and most precious room in the institution.
The renovation project, which concerns the cockpit, the cabin and the exterior livery of the plane, aims to offer the public immersive and educational experience, operational by 2027. Wang Yanan, aviation expert at Beihang University, indicates that the A310, once renovated, will become a vector of scientific and cultural communication, revealing the behind the scenes of the design and manufacturing of the aircraft.
Fang Zhaoya, president of China Eastern Airlines Technology Co., Ltd. And honorary advisor to the project, expresses its hope of enhanced cooperation between Airbus and China, already considering “40 new golden years of partnership”.
George XU, Executive Vice-President of Airbus and CEO of Airbus China, describes the A310 as “symbol of aeronautical cooperation between China and Europe, and the starting point of Airbus history in China”.
“In the future, Airbus remains determined to consolidate its establishment in China, to serve China, to grow alongside its civil aeronautical industry and to contribute more to its high quality development,” concludes Mr. XU.
