Technical Advances Airbus introduced electronic flight instrument displays in the A310 flight deck that replaced many of the traditional analogue dials on the main instrument panel. The A310 "glass cockpit" used six computer-driven cathode ray tube displays to show centralized flight and navigation information and monitoring and warning data. With the A310-200, Airbus also introduced the use of lighter-weight carbon fiber reinforced plastic on secondary structures such as spoilers, airbrakes and rudder (after an earlier trial on the A300). The -300 model had an increased maximum take-off weight (337,300 lbs) and an increase in range (4,830 statute miles), provided by additional center and horizontal stabilizer fuel tanks. On the -300, Airbus first used composites on primary structures and added drag-reducing wing-tip devices that improved fuel efficiency. A310s from Pan Am  In 1991, Delta acquired the trans-Atlantic routes of a bankrupt Pan Am and became a major provider of service across the Atlantic. Assets acquired for $260 million included Pan Am's New York-Europe routes, its Frankfurt hub operation, its Miami-London and Detroit-London routes and the Pan Am Shuttle. The transaction also involved various related assets, including lease and purchase agreements for 45 aircraft. Delta acquired 21 Airbus A310s from Pan Am—the first Airbus aircraft to join the Delta fleet:
The longer range A310 -300s were powered with Pratt & Whitney PW4152 engines. Delta used the planes for trans-Atlantic service, most frequently between New York-JFK and Europe. Retirement  During a difficult economic period, Delta was forced to reduce service on its new trans-Atlantic routes and take significant steps to lower overall operating costs. In 1993, Delta retired 9 of the former Pan Am planes and replaced them with new A310-300s leased from Airbus. Delta returned the remaining 12 former Pan Am A310s to Airbus. The final 9 Airbus A310s leased by Delta exited the fleet in fiscal year 1996 (in late 1995 or early 1996), and were replaced by Boeing 767-300s. Video & Pics
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