PARIS, Nov. 5, 2009 (Xinhua News Agency) -- French Airbus company lifted its new A330-200 freighter into first flight-test on Thursday, a stride for more market share.

A330-200 freighter succeed a four hour maiden flight over Toulouse, in southeast France, starting its 180 hour flight-test and certification campaign.

The group said the new plane has greater range and a higher maximum payload with much lower unit cost compared with its closest competitor, which is obviously the American plane maker Boeing. (NYSE:BA)

Specifically speaking, the mid-sized new freighter has two operational configuration and can carry more than 64 metric tonnes over 7,400 kilometers or more than 69 metric tonnes up to 5,930 kilometers non-stop flight.

"The A330-200F is the right aircraft at the right time. We are at the eve of a market recovery, and now is the time for airlines to prepare for future freight growth," John Leahy, chief operating officer of Airbus said.

In its news release, Airbus anticipated a demand of over 3,400 freighters in the next 20 years to cater for a 5.2 percent average annual growth rate.

Airbus announced the new freighter has won 67 firm orders with nine customers. The first delivery will be seen in the summer of 2010 to Etihad Crystal Cargo, a division of Etihad Airways, the national airline of United Arab Emirates.