Airliner Had Been in Service Since 1982

The Airbus A-300B2 shot down in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday had been flying for Iran Air since 1982 and had logged 11,448 hours, an Airbus Industrie official said Sunday.

Robert Alizart, the firm’s director of communications, said the plane has different seating configurations, which can allow it to carry more than 300 passengers and crew. The aircraft has a range of about 2,500 miles, he said. Iran Air has five other A-300B2s in its fleet.

The A-300 was the first aircraft put into service in 1975 by Airbus Industrie, a European consortium composed of companies from France, West Germany, Britain and Spain.

Production of that class of aircraft ended in 1982, but the A-300B2 is still the most widely used Airbus plane, with more than 240 in service with airlines worldwide.