Airliners.net Civil Aviation: France Would Trade Subsidies For Tanker Deal

Airliners.net Civil Aviation: France Would Trade Subsidies For Tanker Deal: "The KC-330, on the other hand is a much larger airplane in many ways. Comparing the version of each plane to be used, the weight difference is almost 100,000 pounds greater on an empty A332 vs an empty 762. The A332 is about 34 feet longer and has about 41 feet more wingspan than the 762. With the 767, nearly all current hangars work and would only require a higher tail door since the tail is higher up, with 41 feet greater wingspan, the KC-330 would require new hangars - the 767 already pushes it (but in most hangars it fits) since even it has 26 feet more of wingspan than the KC-135. Most everything else remains the same, nothing else major required. Extra weight is not always good for a tanker. Sure it can carry more, but it also consumes more fuel due to its heavier weight. When the whole purpose for existence is transfer fuel, this is not always a good thing. It's not so simple, there are trade offs and they do want this tanker, like the KC-10, to have a lot of cargo capacity so the 330 wins there. At one time the 747 was studied as a tanker, it can carry massive amounts of fuel and cargo vs. a KC-135, but it was deemed too big to be a tanker. My point being, as you say, the bigger the tanker does not always mean the better the tanker."