In the early 1980s airport platforms became increasingly dominated by widebody airliners, like here at London Gatwick.
Chronology of widebody airliners (4)
1981-1985
1981
= March 17, 1981 =
McDonnell Douglas delivers the first KC-10A to the US Air Force.
= August 4, 1981 =
The first Boeing 767 is rolled out from the final assembly bay in the 747/767 plant in Everett, Washington.
= September 26, 1981 =
The Boeing 767 completes its initial flight, lasting 2 hours and 4 minutes.
= December 7, 1981 =
Lockheed announces officially to end the production of the TriStar in 1984.
1982
= February 16, 1982 =
Airbus rolls out the first A310 from the factory.
= April 3, 1982 =
The Airbus A310 makes its first flight. The aircraft is back in Toulouse after 3 hours and 15 minutes.
= May 27, 1982 =
The first Boeing 767 with a two-crew-member flight deck made its initial flight.
= July 30, 1982 =
Type certificate awarded 767 by FAA.
Boeing 767 at Farnborough 1982
= August 19, 1982 =
Boeing delivers the first 767 to United Airlines.
= September 8, 1982 =
United Airlines begins commercial service with the Boeing 767 on the Chicago to Denver route.
= September 21, 1982 =
Boeing rolls out the first 747-300.
= October 5, 1982 =
The Boeing 747-300 makes its first flight.
1983
= January 1983 =
Boeing announces the 767ER (extended range).
= March 11, 1983 =
The Airbus A310 receives the certificate of airworthiness from the German and French aviation authorities.
Airbus A310 during route proving at Amsterdam Schiphol
= March 29, 1983 =
Airbus delivers the first A310-200 aircraft to Lufthansa and Swissair.
= March 23, 1983 =
The Boeing 747-300 enters commercial service with Swissair.
= April 10, 1983 =
Lufthansa introduces the Airbus A310 in revenue service.
= April 21, 1983 =
The Airbus A310 begins commercial service with Swissair.
= June 10, 1983 =
KLM receives its first Airbus A310. The airline cannot operate the aircraft yet, because of a conflict with its pilots and flight engineers about operating the aircraft with a two-man cockpit. The airliners are introduced in service later in 1983.
= July 8, 1983 =
The Airbus A300-600 makes its first flight.
= July 22, 1983 =
The FAA clears the way for pilots to fly both of the 757 and 767, after passing a type-rating test for either of the airliners.
= September 29, 1983 =
Japan Airlines becomes launch customer for the 767-300.
1984
= January 27, 1984 =
End of the production of the Lockheed TriStar after 250 aircraft have been built.
= August 1, 1984 =
Lockheed delivers the last Lockheed TriStar built, a L1011-500, to the Algerian Government.
1985
= May 29, 1985 =
The Boeing 767 receives approval from the Federal Aviation Administration for 120-minute ETOPS flights. ETOPS stands for extended-range two-engine operations.
= July 8, 1985 =
The long-distance version of the Airbus A310, the A310-300, flies for the first time.
1976-1980
 - -
1986-1990
| 
. .
