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Introduction The Airbus A340 is a long-range four-engine wide-body commercial passenger jet airliner. Developed and produced by Airbus Industrie,a consortium of European aerospace companies, which is now fully owned by EADS, the A340 was assembled at Toulouse, France. It seats up to 375 passengers in the standard variants and 440 in the stretched -600 series. Depending on the model, it has a range of between 6,700 to 9,000 nautical miles (12,400 to 17,000 km). It is similar in design to the twin-engined A330 with which it was concurrently designed. Its distinguishing features are four high-bypass turbofan engines and three-bogie main landing gear.
Airbus manufactured the A340 in four fuselage lengths. The initial variant, A340-300, which entered service in 1993, measured 59.39 metres (194.8 ft). The shorter -200 was developed next, and the A340-600 was a 15.91 metres (52.2 ft) stretch of the -200. The -600 was developed alongside the shorter A340-500, which would become the longest-ranged commercial airliner until the arrival of the Boeing 777-200LR. The two initial models were powered by the CFM56-5C, rated at 151 kilonewtons (34,000 lbf), while Rolls-Royce held exclusive powerplant rights to the extended-ranged and heavier -500 and -600 models, through the 267-kilonewton (60,000 lbf) Rolls-Royce Trent 500. Initial A340 versions share the fuselage and wing of the A330 while the -500/-600 models are longer and have larger wings.
Launch customers Lufthansa and Air France placed the A340 into service in March 1993. As of September 2011, 379 orders had been placed (not including private operators), of which 375 were delivered. The most common type were the A340-300 model, with 218 aircraft delivered. Lufthansa is the biggest operator of the A340, having acquired 59 aircraft. The A340 is used on long-haul, trans-oceanic routes due to its immunity from ETOPS; however, with reliability in engines improving, airlines are progressively phasing out the type in favour of more economical twinjets, such as the A330 and the Boeing 777. Airbus announced on 10 November 2011 that the A340 programme had been terminated due to lack of new orders.
Development 1.Background As Airbus designed the Airbus A300 during the 1970s, it envisioned a broad family of airliners to compete against Boeing and Douglas, two established US aerospace manufacturers. From the moment of formation, Airbus had begun studies into derivatives of the Airbus A300B in support of this long-term goal. Prior to the service introduction of the first Airbus airliners, Airbus had identified nine possible variations of the A300 known as A300B1 to B9.A 10th variation, conceived in 1973, later the first to be constructed, was designated the A300B10.It was a smaller aircraft that would be developed into the long-range Airbus A310. Airbus then focused its efforts on the single-aisle market, which resulted in the Airbus A320 family, which was the first digital fly-by-wire commercial aircraft. The decision to work on the A320, instead of a four-engine aircraft proposed by the Germans, created divisions within Airbus.As the SA or "single aisle" studies (which later became the successful Airbus A320) underwent development to challenge the successful Boeing 737 and Douglas DC-9 in the single-aisle, narrow-body airliner market, Airbus turned its focus back to the wide-body aircraft market. The A300B11,[10] a derivative of the A310, was designed upon the availability of "ten ton" engines. It would seat between 180 to 200 passengers, and have a range of 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km). It was deemed the replacement for the less-efficient Boeing 707s and Douglas DC-8s still in service.
The A300B11 was joined by another design, the A300B9, which was a larger derivative of the A300. The B9 was developed by Airbus from the early 1970s at a slow pace until the early 1980s. It was essentially a stretched A300 with the same wing, coupled with the most powerful turbofan engine at the time. It was targeted at the growing demand for high-capacity, medium-range, transcontinental trunk routes. The B9 would offer the same range and payload as the McDonnell Douglas DC-10, but would use between 25% to 38%less fuel. The B9 was therefore considered the replacement for the DC-10 and the Lockheed L-1011 Tristar. To differentiate the programme from the SA studies, the B9 and B11 were redesignated the TA9 and TA11 (TA standing for "twin aisle"), respectively.In an effort to save development costs, it was decided that the two would share the same wing and airframe; the projected savings were estimated at US$500 million (about £490 million or €495 million).The adoption of a common wing structure also had one technical advantage: the TA11's outboard engines could counteract the weight of the longer-range model by providing bending relief.Another factor was the split preference of those within Airbus and, more importantly, prospective airliner customers. Airbus vice president for strategic planning, Adam Brown, recalled,
North American operators were clearly in favour of a twin[jet], while Asians wanted a quad[jet]. In Europe, opinion was split between the two. The majority of potential customers were in favour of a quad despite the fact, in certain conditions, it is more costly to operate than a twin. They liked that it could be ferried with one engine out, and could fly 'anywhere'— ETOPS (extend-range twin-engine operations) hadn't begun then. Design effort The first specifications of the TA9 and TA11 were released in 1982.[18] While the TA9 had a range of 3,300 nautical miles (6,100 km), the TA11 range was up to 6,830 nautical miles (12,650 km).At the same time, Airbus also sketched the TA12, a twin-engine derivative of the TA11, which was optimised for flights of a 2,000 nautical miles (3,700 km) lesser range. By the time of the Paris Air Show in June 1985, more refinements had been made to the TA9 and TA11, including the adoption of the A320 flight deck, fly-by-wire (FBW) flight control system and side-stick control. The adoption of a common cockpit design across the new Airbus series allowed operators to make significant cost savings; flight crews would be able to transition from one to another after one week of training.The TA11 and TA12 would use the front and rear fuselage sections of the A310.Components across the aircraft were modular, and interchangeable with other Airbus aircraft where possible to reduce production, maintenance and operating costs. Airbus briefly considered a variable camber wing; the concept was that the wing could change its profile to produce the optimum shape for a given phase of flight. Studies were carried out by British Aerospace (BAe) at Hatfield and Bristol. Airbus estimated this would yield a 2% improvement in aerodynamic efficiency. However, the plan was later abandoned on grounds of cost and difficulty of development. The A340-200 and -300 are powered by four CFM International CFM56-5Cs. Airbus briefly entered discussions with McDonnell Douglas about teaming up to produce the planned AM 300.This aeroplane would have combined the wing of the A330 with the fuselage of the McDonnell Douglas MD-11. However, talks terminated as McDonnell insisted on the continuation of its trijet heritage. Eventually, McDonnell Douglas would merge with Boeing, contributed by the commercial failure of its MD-11 design, which competed directly with the A340. From the start, it was intended that the A340 would be powered by four CFM56-5 turbofan engines, capable of 25,000 pounds-force (110 kN). Airbus also considered a trijet due to the limited power of engines available at the time, namely the Rolls-Royce RB211-535 and Pratt & Whitney JT10D-232. On 27 January 1986, the Airbus Industrie Supervisory Board held a meeting in Munich, West Germany, after which board-chairman Franz Josef Strauß released a statement, "Airbus Industrie is now in a position to finalise the detailed technical definition of the TA9, which is now officially designated the A330, and the TA11, now called the A340, with potential launch customer airlines, and to discuss with them the terms and conditions for launch commitments".The designations were originally reversed because the airlines believed it illogical for a two-engine jet airliner to have a "4" in its name, whilst a quad-jet would not. On 12 May, Airbus sent new sale proposals to five prospective airlines including Lufthansa and Swissair. Production and testing In preparations for production of the A330/A340, Airbus's partners invested heavily in new facilities. Filton was the site of BAE's £7 million investment in a three-storey technical centre with an extra 15,000 square metres (160,000 sq ft) of floor area.BAe also spent £5 million expanding the Chester wing production plant by 14,000 m2 (150,000 sq ft) to accommodate a new production line. However, France saw the biggest changes with Aérospatiale starting construction of a new Fr.2.5 billion ($411 million) assembly plant, adjacent to Toulouse-Blagnac Airport, in Colomiers.By November 1988, the first 21 m (69 ft) pillars were erected for the new Clément Ader assembly hall.The assembly process, meanwhile, would feature increased automation with holes for the wing-fuselage mating process drilled by eight robots.The use of automation for this particular process saved Airbus 20% on labour costs and 5% on time.
British Aerospace accepted £450 million funding from the UK government, although it was well short of the £750 million originally requested.Funds from the French and German governments followed thereafter. Airbus also issued subcontracts to companies in Austria, Australia, Canada, China, Greece, Italy, India, Japan, South Korea, Portugal, the United States of America, and the former Yugoslavia. The A330 and A340 programmes were jointly launched on 5 June 1987,just prior to the Paris Air Show. The order book then stood at 130 aircraft from 10 customers, apart from the above-mentioned Lufthansa and International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC). Eighty-nine of the total orders were A340 models.Over at McDonnell Douglas, ongoing tests of the MD-11 revealed a significant shortfall in the aircraft's performance. An important prospective carrier, Singapore Airlines (SIA), required a fully laden aircraft that could fly from Singapore to Paris, against strong headwinds during mid-winter in the northern hemisphere.The MD-11, according to test results, would experience fuel starvation over the Balkans.Due to the less-than-expected performance figures, SIA cancelled its 20-aircraft MD-11 order on 2 August 1991, and ordered 20 A340-300s instead. The first flight of the A340 occurred on 21 October 1991, marking the start of a 2,000-hour test flight programme involving six aircraft. From the start, engineers noticed that the wings were not strong enough to carry the outboard engines at cruising speed without warping and fluttering. To alleviate this, an underwing bulge called a plastron was developed to correct airflow problems around the engine pylons and to add stiffness. European JAA certification was obtained on 22 December 1992; FAA followed on 27 May 1993. Entry into service and demonstration Airbus delivered the first A340, a -200, to Lufthansa on 2 February 1993.The 228-seat A340-200, named, Nürnberg, entered service on 15 March.The A340s were intended to replace aging DC-10s on the airline's Frankfurt–New York services. Meanwhile, Air France took its first A340-300 on 26 February, the first of nine it planned to operate by the end of the year. The A340 replaced the Boeing 747s on Paris–Washington D.C., flying four times weekly. Coincidentally, the first Air France A340 was the 1000th Airbus to leave the Toulouse facility since the consortium's beginning. During the Paris Air Show, on 16 June 1993, an A340-200, named The World Ranger took off for a round-the-world demonstration and publicity-stunt flight.The aircraft, carrying 22 persons, had been modified for the flight, including the addition of five center tanks. Taking off at 11:58 local time, The World Ranger made only one stop en route in Auckland, arriving back in Paris 48 hours and 22 minutes later, at 12:20. The flight broke six world records at the time. Among the six was the longest non-stop flight by an airliner, when the aircraft flew 19,277 kilometres (10,409 nmi) from Paris, arriving in Auckland in record time, keeping the record until 2005, when a Boeing 777-200LR flew from Hong Kong eastward toward London, resulting in 11,664 nautical miles (21,602 km) flown. Further developments The Airbus A340-600 was the longest commercial aircraft until 2010 when the Boeing 747-8 made its maiden flight. It is seen here at the 2006 Farnborough Airshow. During the 1990s, when airlines were looking for replacement aircraft for their 1970-era Boeing 747-100s and -200s, Airbus investigated a stretched airframe in the form of the A340-400X. This proved unpopular, as the CFM56 engines were at the limits of their growth capability and the range would have decreased to around 10,000 km (5,400 nmi). When this plan was discarded, a larger wing and engine combination was decided upon. Initially, Pratt & Whitney proposed an engine, but contract issues led Airbus to proceed with the Rolls Royce Trents in 1997.Airbus announced in April 1996 that it would offer a stretched variant, the A340-600. Airbus confirmed in January 2006 that it had studied developing an A340-600E (Enhanced). Airbus projected that it would be more fuel-efficient than earlier A340s and close the 8–9% disparity with the Boeing 777 by using a new Trent 1500 engines as well as technology from the A350 programme. At that time Airbus predicted that it would probably produce 127 A340 units through 2016, at which time production was projected to end. During the early 21st Century, sales for the A340 began to slow. On 10 November 2011, Airbus announced the end of the A340 program. At that time it indicated that all firm orders had been delivered. Operational history SriLankan Airlines was the first Asian airline to operate the Airbus A340 The A340-200 entered service in 1993 with launch customer Lufthansa, followed shortly thereafter by the -300 of Air France and the A330. Lufthansa's first A340, dubbed Nürnberg (D-AIBA),began revenue service on 15 March 1993.Air Lanka (now known as Sri Lankan Airlines) became the Asian launch customer of the Airbus A340 when the airline's first Airbus A340-300 registered (4R-ADA) was delivered in September 1994. With the introduction of higher gross weight Boeing 777s, such as the -200ER and specifically -300ER, sales of the A340 began to decline. Over the last few years[when?] the 777 has outsold the A340 by a wide margin. Although the larger GE90 engines on the 777-300ER burn considerably more fuel than the Trent 500s, using only two of them compared to four Trents has meant a typical operating cost advantage of around 8–9%. South African Airways A340-200 landing at London Heathrow Airport in 2010. In mid-2008, jet fuel prices doubled compared to the year before; consequently, the A340's fuel consumption
Books
Cabin Crew Career Guide by AeroSoft Corp Price: $10.00 USD. Approx. 2,160 words. Language: English. Published on August 26, 2013. Category: Essay. Cabin Crew Career Guide By Capt Shekhar Gupta Pragati Srivastava www.Cabin-Crew-Career-Guide.blogspot.com
Book Cabin Crew Career Guide is unpublished . You can see it because you are its author.
P - Productivity S - Speed R - Relevancy by AeroSoft Corp Price: $20.00 USD. Approx. 16,060 words. Language: English. Published on August 23, 2013. Category: Essay. How to Take Off Your Professional Career from an Average to Exceptional with the Hidden PSR in You. A Book By working CEO and Manager with Day to day and live Examples How to Fight with Global Recession. By Shekhar Gupta Surbhi Maheshwari
Group Dynamic By Sukesha Mishra by AeroSoft Corp Price: $1.99 USD. Approx. 11,660 words. Language: English. Published on August 10, 2013. Category: Essay. Groups are a fundamental part of social life. As we will see they can be very small – just two people – or very large. They can be highly rewarding to their members and to society as a whole, but there are also significant problems and dangers with them. All this makes them an essential focus for research, and action.In a group there are many unique roles members might be.Try to be in group.
Indian Food Safari by Ankita Verma by AeroSoft Corp Price: $1.99 USD. Approx. 14,620 words. Language: English. Published on August 4, 2013. Category: Fiction. Indian Food Safari is a book of desi food junction. Indian food is famous for spice and aroma .Cuisine of Indian is diverse at its geography, climate culture, colors we go on exploration work to know more about India food the methods and ingredients of North India orfood preparing style is away different from South India.
Motivation By Aakanksha Jain by AeroSoft Corp Price: $3.99 USD. Approx. 19,440 words. Language: English. Published on August 2, 2013. Category: Fiction. What is Motivation? Motivation is the answer to the question “Why we do what we do?”. The motivation theories try to figure out what the “M” is in the equation: “M motivates P” (Motivator motivates the Person). It is one of most important duty of an entrepreneur to motivate people By Aakanksha Jain
Be An Aviator not A Pilot by AeroSoft Corp Price: $1.99 USD. Approx. 4,750 words. Language: English. Published on July 24, 2013. Category: Fiction. As A Fact Out Of Every 1000 Pilots Only 1 Pilot Becomes An Airline Pilot, The Book Is All About Those 999 Pilots Only.
Pilot’s Career Guide By Niriha Khajanchi by AeroSoft Corp Price: $20.00 USD. Approx. 25,040 words. Language: English. Published on July 13, 2013. Category: Nonfiction. International Airline Pilot’s Career Guide Learn Step By Step How to Become an International Airlines Pilot By Shekhar Gupta And Niriha Khajanchi
Airbus A320 - Increased eco-efficiency, reduced noise The Airbus A320 family consists of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus. The family includes the A318, A319, A320 and A321, and the ACJ business jet. After the introduction of the A320neo, it is also named A320ceo (current engine option).Final assembly of the family in Europe takes place in Toulouse, France, and Hamburg, Germany.
The first member of the A320 family—the A320—was launched in March 1984, first flew on 22 February 1987, and was first delivered in 1988.The A320 family pioneered the use of digital fly-by-wire flight control systems, as well as side-stick controls, in commercial aircraft.On 1 December 2010, Airbus officially launched the new generation of the A320 family with the A320neo "New Engine Option". The new generation offers a choice of the CFM International LEAP-X or Pratt & Whitney PW1000G, combined with airframe improvements and the addition of winglets, named Sharklets by Airbus. The aircraft will deliver fuel savings of up to 15%. The A320 single-aisle jetliner is the world’s most eco-efficient single-aisle product line. It is used in a full range of services from very short-haul airline routes to intercontinental segments, on operations from challenging in-city airports to high-altitude airfields and an Antarctic ice runway, and on VVIP and government missions with the most discerning passengers. Origin:
A new programme was initiated, called Joint European Transport (JET). This was set up in June 1977, and was based at the then British Aerospace (formerly Vickers) site in Weybridge, Surrey, UK. Although the members were all of Airbus' partners, they regarded the project as a separate collaboration from Airbus. This project was considered the forerunner of Airbus A320, encompassing the 130- to 188-seat market. The programme was later transferred to Airbus, leading up to the creation of the Single-Aisle (SA) studies in 1980, led by former leader of JET programme, Derek Brown. The group looked at three different variants, covering the 125- to 180-seat market, called SA1, SA2 and SA3.
Design Effort: In February 1981, the project was re-designated A320,[21] with efforts focused on the former SA2. During the year, Airbus worked with Delta Air Lines on a 150-seat aircraft envisioned and required by the airline. The A320 would carry 150 passengers 1,860 nautical miles (3,440 km) using fuel from wing fuel tanks only.With the A320, Airbus made a controversial decision. For the first time, digital fly-by-wire (FBW) flight control system would be incorporated into a commercial airliner although it was previously successfully proven on military fighter aircraft,[24] such as the Vought F-8 Crusader. Aside from associated reduction in weight and cost, this system would provide flight envelope protection.[25] The pilot, in essence, places inputs into the flight control computer, which interprets these actions and moves the flight control surfaces. The A320 series has two variants, the A320-100 and A320-200. Only 21 A320-100s were produced;[37] these aircraft, the first to be manufactured, were only delivered to Air Inter (later acquired by Air France) and British Airways (as a result of an order from British Caledonian Airways made prior to its acquisition by British Airways). Compared to the A320-100, the primary changes on A320-200 are wingtip fences and increased fuel capacity for increased range. Indian Airlines used their first 31 A320-200s with double-bogie main landing gear for airfields with poor runway condition which a single-bogie main gear couldn't manage. Typical range with 150 passengers for the A320-200 is about 3,300 nautical miles (6,150 km). It is powered by two CFMI CFM56-5s or IAE V2500s with thrust ratings between 113 to 120 kN (25,400 to 27,000 lbf). The lowest speed an A320 can fly is approximately 207 km/h.
SETTING THE SINGLE-AISLE STANDARDS: Airbus launched its single-aisle product line with the A320, which continues to set industry standards for comfort and operating economy on short- to medium-haul routes. The A320’s advanced technology includes the extensive use of weight-saving composites, an optimised wing that is 20 per cent is more efficient than previous designs, a centralised fault display for easier troubleshooting and lower maintenance costs, along with Airbus’ fly-by-wire flight controls. Advantages of the fly-by-wire controls – which were pioneered on the A320 – are many. They provide total flight envelope and airframe structural protection for improved safety and reduced pilot workload, along improved flight smoothness and stability, and fewer mechanical parts.A320 is in widespread service around the globe on services that vary from short commuter sectors in Europe, Asia and elsewhere to trans-continental flights across the United States. The A320's flight deck is equipped with Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) with side-stick controllers. At the time of the aircraft's introduction, the behaviour of the fly-by-wire system (equipped with full flight envelope protection) was a new experience for many pilots. The A320 features an Electronic Centralised Aircraft Monitor (ECAM) which gives the flight crew information about all the systems of the aircraft. COCKPIT STANDARDISATION: In addition, fly-by-wire and cockpit standardization across the A320 is at the heart of Airbus’ commonality, which allows a pilot qualified on one Family member to fly them all, using the same type rating. Over 80 per cent of operators with 10 or more A320 Family jetliners in their fleets fly more than one model of the Airbus single-aisle product line – enabling them to benefit fully from the commonality concept through more effective scheduling of aircraft and crews. Taking the Airbus commonality one step further, an A320-rated pilot can transition to any other Airbus jetliner with reduced training (known as “Cross-crew Qualification”), and is able to operate another Airbus aircraft type while still actively flying the A320 Family (a capability called “Mixed Fleet Flying”). RANGE IMPROVEMENTS: Continuing its role as a pioneer, the A320 is the first version in Airbus’ single-aisle product line to be delivered with the new “Sharklets” large wingtip devices, which are designed to enhance the eco-efficiency and payload-range performance of the A320. The Sharklets – which completed their maiden flight outfitted on Airbus’ A320 development aircraft in November 2011 – are expected to result in at least a 3.5 percent reduced fuel burn over longer sectors, corresponding to an annual reduction in CO2emissions of around 700 tonnes per aircraft. Sharklets also are incorporated in the A320neo, Airbus’ fuel-efficient new engine option which brings enhanced range for its benchmark A320 jetliner. Sharklets derive their name from the resemblance to a shark’s fin, and are the latest component in Airbus’ ongoing continuous improvement programme for the A320. The Sharklets bring four per cent savings in overall fuel consumption on long route sectors to A320 aircraft, while also improving takeoff performance and increasing payload by as much as 450 kg. – allowing for additional range or more passengers to be carried.These devices also should allow for less thrust to be used during takeoff when runway performance is not “limiting,” thereby decreasing airport noise. In addition to their environmental benefits, the Sharklets’ aerodynamic improvements are to provide multiple advantages for operators – including increased range and payload, better takeoff performance and rate-of-climb, higher optimum altitude, reduced engine maintenance costs and higher residual aircraft value. SIMPLY THE BEST CABIN: The A320’s right-sized fuselage is seven inches wider than its competitors, enhancing comfort for passengers and increasing revenue opportunities for airlines. It enables choices of four-, five-, and six-abreast layouts with wider seats, along with opportunities for wider aisles and increased overhead storage bins. Rapid turnaround times on the ground are further facilitated by the A320’s bigger passenger and service doors. Airbus has developed a new interior for the A320 and its other family members that brings a fresh new look to the cabin, a significant increase in overhead stowage, a noticeable reduction in noise, and introduces options for ambience lighting. An added advantage is this updated interior’s lower weight. NAVIGATING THE FUTURE: The A320 numbers speak for themselves: An A320 takes off or lands somewhere in the world every 2.5 seconds of every day, more than 50 million operating cycles logged since entry-in-service, and a best-in-its-class dispatch reliability of over 99 per cent. By totally redefining the level of comfort for passengers, and delivering unmatched efficiency plus the best in technology for operators, the A320 has won a majority market share in segments that range from mainline network carriers and low-cost airlines to charter operators and leasing companies. It also has become an aircraft of choice for VIP and government transportation with the Airbus Corporate Jetliner versions. Advanced navigation technology contributes to the A320’s operational flexibility. This includes the Required Navigation Performance (RNP) capability, which reduces approach distances for landing while reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions; and the Global Position (GPS) landing system, allowing instrument-type approaches where ground stations are not available. Also offered are the Microwave Landing System (MLS) for increased approach capability in low visibility conditions; and the Future Air Navigation System (FANS) for optimised flight path and reduced aircraft spacing.
Niriha Khajanchi [ MBA Aviation ] Project Manager www.AeroSoftCorp.com niriha.aerosoft@gmail.com aerosoft.niriha@gmail.com Web Site : www.asiaticair.co.in www.asiaticair.in
Airbus A320 family
The Airbus A320 family consists of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus. The family includes the A318, A319, A320 and A321, and the ACJ business jet. After the introduction of the A320neo, it is also named A320ceo (current engine option). Final assembly of the family in Europe takes place in Toulouse, France, and Hamburg, Germany. Since 2009, a plant in Tianjin in the People's Republic of China has also started producing aircraft for Chinese airlines. In April 2013, Airbus has started construction work on a new production facility for the 319, 320, and 321 variants in Mobile, Alabama. The aircraft family can accommodate up to 220 passengers and has a range of 3,100 to 12,000 km (1,700 to 6,500 nmi), depending on model.
The first member of the A320 family—the A320—was launched in March 1984, first flew on 22 February 1987, and was first delivered in 1988. The family was soon extended to include the A321 (first delivered 1994), the A319 (1996), and the A318 (2003). The A320 family pioneered the use of digital fly-by-wire flight control systems, as well as side-stick controls, in commercial aircraft. There has been a continuous improvement process since introduction.
On 1 December 2010, Airbus officially launched the new generation of the A320 family with the A320neo "New Engine Option". The new generation offers a choice of the CFM International LEAP-X or Pratt & Whitney PW1000G, combined with airframe improvements and the addition of winglets, named Sharklets by Airbus. The aircraft will deliver fuel savings of up to 15%. Virgin America will be the launch customer for the aircraft in spring of 2016. As of 31 December 2011, a total of 1,196 A320neo family aircraft have been ordered by 21 airlines making it the fastest ever selling commercial aircraft.
As of December 2012, a total of 5,402 Airbus A320 family aircraft have been delivered, of which 5,234 are in service. In addition, another 3,629 airliners are on firm order. It ranked as the world's fastest-selling jet airliner family according to records from 2005 to 2007, and as the best-selling single-generation aircraft programme. The A320 family has proved popular with airlines, specifically low-cost carriers (LCC). British LCC EasyJet purchased A319s, and A320s, to replace its Boeing 737 fleet. The family's direct competitors are the Boeing 737, 717, 757 and the McDonnell Douglas MD-80.
Contents
1 Development
1.1 Origins
1.2 Design effort
1.3 Production, testing and demonstration
1.4 Fuselage length variants
1.4.1 A321 development
1.4.2 A319 development
1.4.3 A318 development
1.5 A320 Enhanced family
1.6 New Engine Option: A320neo
2 Design
2.1 Airframe
2.2 Flight deck and avionics
2.3 Engines
3 Operational history
3.1 Competition
3.2 Replacement airliner
4 Variants
4.1 Overview
4.2 A320
4.3 A321
4.4 A319
4.4.1 A319CJ
4.5 A318
4.6 Freighter
5 Orders and deliveries
6 Accidents and incidents
7 Specifications
7.1 Engines
Development
Origins
When Airbus designed the Airbus A300 during the late 1960s and early 1970s, it envisioned a broad family of airliners with which to compete against Boeing and Douglas, two established US aerospace manufacturers. From the moment of formation, Airbus had begun studies into derivatives of the Airbus A300B in support of this long term goal. Prior to the service introduction of the first Airbus airliners, engineers within Airbus had identified nine possible variations of the A300 known as A300B1 to B9. A 10th variation, conceived in 1973, later the first to be constructed, was designated the A300B10. It was a smaller aircraft which would be developed into the long-range Airbus A310. Airbus then focused its efforts on the single-aisle market, which was dominated by the Boeing 737 and McDonnell Douglas DC-9.
Plans from a number of European aircraft manufacturers called for a successor to the relatively successful BAC One-Eleven, and to replace the Boeing 737-200 and DC-9. Germany's MBB (Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm), British Aircraft Corporation, Sweden's Saab and CASA worked on the EUROPLANE, a 180- to 200-seat aircraft. It was abandoned after intruding on A310 specifications. VFW-Fokker, Dornier and Hawker Siddeley worked on a number of 150-seat designs.
Alongside BAe (who at the time were not part of Airbus) were MBB, Fokker-VFW and Aérospatiale. The design within the JET study that was carried forward was the JET2 (163 passengers), which then became the Airbus S.A1/2/3 series (Single Aisle), before settling on the A320 name for its launch in 1984.
The Hawker Siddeley team had previously produced a design called the HS.134 "Airbus" in 1965, an evolution of the HS.121 (formerly DH.121) Trident, which shared much of the general arrangement of the later JET3 study design. The name "Airbus" at the time referred to a BEA requirement, rather than to the later international programme.
Design effort
A new programme was initiated subsequently, called Joint European Transport (JET). This was set up in June 1977, and was based at the then British Aerospace (formerly Vickers) site in Weybridge, Surrey, UK. Although the members were all of Airbus' partners, they regarded the project as a separate collaboration from Airbus. This project was considered the forerunner of Airbus A320, encompassing the 130- to 188-seat market, powered by two CFM56s. It would have a cruise speed of Mach 0.84 (faster than Boeing 737). The programme was later transferred to Airbus, leading up to the creation of the Single-Aisle (SA) studies in 1980, led by former leader of JET programme, Derek Brown. The group looked at three different variants, covering the 125- to 180-seat market, called SA1, SA2 and SA3. Although unaware at the time, the consortium was producing the blueprints for the A319, A320 and A321, respectively. The single-aisle programme created divisions within Airbus about whether to design a shorter-range twinjet than a longer-range quadjet wanted by the West Germans, particularly Lufthansa. However, works proceeded, and the German carrier would eventually order the twinjet.
In February 1981, the project was re-designated A320, with efforts focused on the former SA2. During the year, Airbus worked with Delta Air Lines on a 150-seat aircraft envisioned and required by the airline. The A320 would carry 150 passengers 1,860 nautical miles (3,440 km) using fuel from wing fuel tanks only. The Dash 200 had more fuel through the activation of centre fuel tank, increasing fuel capacity from 3,429 imperial gallons (15,590 L) to 5,154 imperial gallons (23,430 L). enabling to fly up to 2,850 nautical miles (5,280 km). The aircraft would measure 118 feet 3 inches (36.04 m) and 128 feet 9 inches (39.24 m), respectively. Airbus then had to decide on a cross-section for the A320. It considered a fuselage diameter of "the Boeing 707 and 727, or do something better". It eventually settled on a wider diameter, with the internal width at 3.7 metres (12 ft 2 in), compared to 3.45 metres (11 ft 4 in) of the Boeing aircraft. Although heavier, this specification allowed the aircraft to compete more effectively with the 737. The A320 wing went through several stages of design, finally settling on 33.91 metres (111 feet 3 inches). It is longer and thinner, offering better aerodynamic efficiency because of higher aspect ratio than the competition, namely the 737 and MD-80.
With the A320, Airbus made a controversial decision. For the first time, digital fly-by-wire (FBW) flight control system would be incorporated into a commercial airliner, although it was previously successfully proven on military fighter aircraft, such as the Vought F-8 Crusader. Aside from associated reduction in weight and cost, this system would provide flight envelope protection. The pilot, in essence, places inputs into the flight control computer, which interprets these actions and moves the flight control surfaces. FBW also allows Airbus to make flying characteristics similar to later models, such as the Airbus A330, A340, A380, and the upcoming A350. It would feature side-stick control for the first time on a commercial aircraft. Bernard Ziegler, son of the former Airbus CEO, Henri Ziegler, was the initiator of the aircraft's revolutionary fly-by-wire flight controls with side-stick cockpit controller and full glass cockpit. He successfully convinced aviation authorities of the concept's validity.
During the A320 development programme, Airbus considered propfan technology, backed by Lufthansa. At the time unproven, it was essentially a fan placed outside the engine nacelle, offering speed of a turbofan at turboprops economics; eventually, Airbus stuck with turbofans. Power on the A320 would be supplied by two CFM56-5-A1s rated at 25,000 lbf (112.5 kN). It was the only available engine at launch until the IAE V2500, offered by International Aero Engines, a group composed of Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Whitney, Japanese Aero Engines Corporation, Fiat and MTU Aero Engines (MTU). The first V2500 variant, the V2500-A1, has a thrust output of 25,000 pounds-force (110 kN), hence the name, and is marginally more efficient than the CFM56, with specific fuel consumption at 0.560, compared to 0.591 of the CFM56.
Production, testing and demonstration
Production of the A320 was postponed for a number of reasons. From the start, the UK, France and West Germany wanted the responsibility of final assembly and the associated duties. These disputes were known as "work-share arguments", driven by, apart from money, prestige. The Germans requested an increased work-share of 40%, while the British wanted the major responsibilities to be swapped around to give partners production and research and development (R&D) experience. In the end, British work-share was increased from that of the two previous Airbuses, while virtually no changes took place for the other three major member-countries. Another contributing factor was launch aid, or subsidies, for the aerospace companies from their respective governments. France was willing to commit, while the Germans were more cautious. The UK government, on the other hand, were unwilling to provide funding for the tooling requested by British Aerospace (BAe). Estimated at £250 million, it was postponed for three years until 1 March 1984, when an announcement was made about the deal between government and manufacturer. The agreement dictates that £50 million would be paid whether the A320 would fly or not, while the rest would be paid as a levy of each aircraft sold.
The programme was launched the following day off the back of orders for 96 aircraft from five customers. Air France was the first customer for the type, having placed an order for 50 aircraft, split evenly between firm and options, between 16 A320-100s and 34 -200s. However, British Caledonian was the first to place a firm order for seven back in October 1983. Cyprus Airways became the first to place order for V2500-powered A320s in November 1984. Pan Am also selected V2500 when it requested 16 firm orders and 34 options in January 1985, as did Inex Adria. The most significant order was to come, when Northwest Airlines placed an order for 100 A320s in October 1986, later confirmed at the 1990 Farnborough Airshow, powered by CFM56.
The first Airbus A320 was rolled out on 14 February 1987 amid dry ice and laser beams as part of a spectacular unveiling ceremony. A number of high-profile figures were present, including the Prince and Princess of Wales. The first flight came on 22 February, during which the aircraft flew for 3 hours 23 minutes. The flight marked the beginning of a flight test programme involving 1,200 airborne hours on 530 flights. European Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) certification was received on 26 February 1988. The first A320 delivery was to Air France on 26 March 1988.
On 26 June 1988, a chartered Air France Airbus A320-111 (F-GFKC) crashed into trees at the end of runway at Mulhouse-Habsheim Airport. Three out of 130 passengers were killed. Another A320, flown by Indian Airlines, crashed landed short of the airport runway in Bangalore. The ensuing fire contributed to the casualty count of ninety-two, out of 146 on board. The press and media later questioned the fly-by-wire flight control system. Subsequent investigations by commission of inquiry found "no malfunction of the aircraft or its equipment which could have contributed towards a reduction in safety or an increase in the crew's workload during the final flight phase ... the response of the engines was normal and in compliance with certification requirement".
As of 2009, Airbus required about eight months to build an A320.Components from various Airbus plants are transported to the final assembly plant at Hamburg Finkenwerder for the A318/A319/A321 and to Toulouse Blagnac for the A320. Nearly all assemblies are moved using Airbus' A300-600ST Beluga outsized transporters. Airbus A320s sold to Chinese airlines scheduled for delivery between 2009 and 2012 are being assembled in Tianjin, People's Republic of China.
Fuselage length variants
A321 developpment
The first derivative of the A320 is the Airbus A321, also known as the Stretched A320, A320-500 and A325. Its launch came on 24 November 1988 after commitments for 183 aircraft from 10 customers were secured. The aircraft would be a minimum-changed derivative, apart from a number of minor modifications to the wing, and the fuselage stretch itself. The wing would incorporate double-slotted flaps and minor trailing edge modifications, increasing the wing area from 124 m2 (1,330 sq ft) to 128 m2 (1,380 sq ft). The fuselage was lengthened by four plugs (two ahead and two behind the wings), giving the A321 an overall length of 6.94 metres (22 ft 9 in) longer than the A320. The length increase required the overwing exits of the A320 to be enlarged and repositioned in front of and behind the wings. The centre fuselage and undercarriage were reinforced to accommodate the increase in maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 9,600kg (21,200 lb), taking the MTOW to 83,000 kg (183,000 lb).
Final assembly for the A321 would be, as a first for any Airbus, carried out in Germany (then West Germany). This came after a dispute between the French, who claimed the move would incur $150 million, €135 million in unnecessary expenditure associated with the new plant, and the Germans, arguing it would be more productive for Airbus in the long run. The second production line was located at Hamburg, which would also produce the smaller Airbus A319 and A318. For the first time, Airbus entered the bond market, through which it raised $480 million, €475 million to finance development costs. An additional $180 million, €175 million was loaned from European Investment Bank and private investors. The maiden flight of the Airbus A321 came on 11 March 1993, when the prototype, registration F-WWIA, flew with IAE V2500 engines; the second prototype, equipped with CFM56-5B turbofans, flew in May. Lufthansa and Alitalia were the first to order the stretched Airbuses, with 20 and 40 aircraft requested, respectively. The first of Lufthansa's V2500-A5-powered A321s arrived on 27 January 1994, while over at Alitalia, the first CFM56-5B-powered aircraft was delivered on 22 March.
A319 development
The A319 is the next derivative of the baseline A320. The design is a "shrink" with its origins in the 130- to 140-seat SA1, part of the Single-Aisle studies. The SA1 was shelved as the consortium concentrated on its bigger siblings. After healthy sales of the A320/A321, Airbus turned its focus back to what was then known as the A320M-7, meaning A320 minus seven fuselage frames. It would provide direct competition for the Boeing 737-300/-700. The shrink was achieved though the removal of four fuselage frames fore and three aft the wing, cutting the overal length by 3.73 metres (12 ft 3 in). Consequently, the number of overwing exits were reduced from four to two. The bulk-cargo door was replaced by an aft container door, which can take in reduced height LD3-46 containers. Minor software programming were made to accommodate the different handling characteristics; otherwise the aircraft is largely unchanged. Power is provided by the CFM56-5A or V2500-A5, derated to 98 kN (22,000 lbf), with option for 105 kN (24,000 lbf) thrust.
Airbus began offering the new model from 22 May 1992, with the actual launch occurring 10 June 1993; the A319's first customer is ILFC, who signed for 6 aircraft. The development cost was $275 million, €250 million. On 23 March 1995, the first A319 underwent final assembly at Airbus' German plant in Hamburg, where the A321s are assembled. It was rolled out on 24 August, with the maiden flight the following day. The certification programme would take 350 airborne hours involving two aircraft; certification for the CFM56-5B6/2-equipped variant was granted in April 1996, after which qualification for the V2524-A5 started the following month. Delivery of the first A319, to Swissair, took place on 25 April 1996, entering service by month's end. In January 1997, an A319 broke a record during a delivery flight by flying 3,588 nautical miles (6,645 km) the great circle route to Winnipeg, Manitoba from Hamburg, in 9 hours 5 minutes. Sales of the A319 would overtake that of the A321, amassing 1,470 order compared to 932; it has proved popular with low-cost airlines such as EasyJet, who has orders for 172, with 172 delivered.
A318 development
The A318 was born out of mid-1990 studies between Aviation Industries of China (AVIC), Singapore Technologies Aerospace, Alenia and Airbus on a 95- to 125-seat aircraft project. The programme was called the AE31X, and covers the 95-seat AE316 and 115- to 125-seat AE317. The former would have an overall length of 31.3 m (102 ft 8 in), while the AE317 is longer by 3.2 m (10 ft 6 in), at 34.5 m (113 ft 2 in). The engines would be supplied from two BMW Rolls-Royce BR715s, CFM56-9s, or the Pratt & Whitney PW6000s; with the MTOW of 53.3 t (118,000 lb) for the smaller version and 58 t (130,000 lb) for the AE317, the thrust requirement were 77.9–84.6 kN (17,500–19,000 lbf) and 84.6–91.2 kN (19,000–20,500 lbf), respectively. Range was settled at 5,200 km (2,800 nmi) and 5,800 km (3,100 nmi) for the high gross weights of both variants. Both share a wingspan of 31.0 m (101 ft 8 in) and a flight deck similar to that of the A320 family. Costing $2 billion, €1.85 billion to develop, aircraft production to take place in China.
Simultaneously, Airbus was developing Airbus A318. In early 1998, Airbus revealed its considerations of designing a 100-seat aircraft based on the A320; by September 1998, the project AE31X terminated, after which Airbus officially announced an aircraft of its own, the A318, at that year's Farnborough Airshow. The aircraft is the smallest, or "baby", of the A320 family, and therefore the smallest Airbus. Ironically, it was developed at the same time as the largest commercial aircraft in history, the Airbus A3XX (later renamed Airbus A380). First called A319M5 in as early as March 1995, it was shorter by 0.79-metre (2 ft 7 in) ahead of the wing and 1.6 metres (5 ft 3 in) behind. These cuts reduced passenger capacity from 124 on the A319 to 107 passengers in a two-class layout. Range was 5,700 kilometres (3,100 nmi), or 5,950 kilometres (3,210 nmi) with upcoming sharklets.
The 107-seater was launched on 26 April 1999 with the options and orders count at 109 aircraft. After three years of design, the maiden flight took place at Hamburg on 15 January 2002. Tests on the lead engine, the Pratt & Whitney PW6000, revealed worse-than-expected fuel consumption. Consequently, Pratt & Whitney abandoned the five-stage high pressure compressor (HPC) for the MTU-designed six-stage HPC. The 129 order book for the A318 shrunk to 80 largely because of switches to other A320 family members. After 17 months of flight certification, during which 850 hours and 350 flights were accumulated, JAA certification was obtained for the CFM56-powered variant on 23 May 2003. On 22 July 2003, first delivery for launch customer Frontier Airlines occurred,[70] entering service before the end of the month.
A320 Enhanced family
A320 Enhanced family (or A320E family) is the working title for a series of improvements to the A320 family. The improvements include engine improvements, aerodynamic refinements, such as adding large curved winglets (Sharklets), weight savings, and a new cabin.
In 2006, Airbus tested three styles of winglet intended to counteract the wing's induced drag and wingtip vortices more effectively than the previous wingtip fence. The first design type to be tested was developed by Airbus and was based on work done by the AWIATOR programme. The second type of winglet incorporated a more blended design and was designed by Winglet Technology LLC, a company based in Wichita, Kansas. Two aircraft were used in the flight test evaluation campaign – the prototype A320, which have been retained by Airbus for testing, and a new build aircraft which was fitted with both types of winglets before it was delivered to JetBlue Airways.
Despite the anticipated efficiency gains and development work, Airbus announced that the new winglets will not be offered to customers, claiming that the weight of the modifications required would negate any aerodynamic benefits. Instead, on 17 December 2008, Airbus announced it was to begin flight testing an existing blended winglet design developed by Aviation Partners as part of an A320 modernisation programme using the prototype A320.
On 15 November 2009, Airbus announced future additions of Sharklets to A320s commencing in 2012 with launch customer Air New Zealand.These Airbus winglets, which are 2.4 metres (7 ft 10 in) tall and weigh 200 kilograms (440 lb),would reduce fuel burn by 3.5% and offer increases in payload of 500 kilograms (1,100 lb), or range by 100 nautical miles (185 km) at the original payload. This corresponds to an annual CO2 reduction of around 700 tonnes per aircraft, saving operators US$220,000 per aircraft per year. The Sharklets are to be manufactured and distributed by Korean Air Aerospace Division.
The cabin was fitted to more than 600 aircraft (as of March 2009) since 2007. Airbus claims it offers better luggage storage and a quieter cabin, packaged with a more modern look and feel. Additionally, improved cabin efficiency by a new galley concept, reduced weight, improved ergonomics and food hygiene and recycling requirements. LED ambience lighting is optionally available. Anytime LEDs are used for the Passenger Service Unit (PSU) and passengers can get information with touchscreen displays. Older A320 series aircraft can be updated.
New Engine Option: A320neo
Airbus is working on offering a new engine for the A320 known as the new engine option (neo). The choice for new engines include the CFM International LEAP-X and the Pratt & Whitney PW1100G. Though the new engines will burn 16% less fuel, the actual fuel gain on an A320 installation will be slightly less, since 1–2% is typically lost upon installation on an existing aircraft. This means an additional range of 950 km (510 nmi), or 2 t (4,400 lb) of extra payload. The A320neo will also include some modifications to the wing, mainly the installation of blended winglets called"Sharklets"
Airbus' CEO said to be "comfortable" with the projections of 20% lower maintenance cost for the Pratt & Whitney's PW1000G family, compared with today's engines. Airbus is targeting 2016 for the first delivery and plans to deliver 4,000 A320neo over 15 years. Virgin America became the launch customer with a firm order of 30 A320neo aircraft as a part of a 60 aircraft order on 17 January 2011. In January 2011 IndiGo reached a tentative agreement with Airbus to order 150 A320neo aircraft along with 30 more A320s.
At the 2011 Paris Air Show, Airbus announced firm orders from GECAS, Scandinavian Airlines System, TransAsia Airways, LAN Airlines and GoAir along with major orders from Indian low-cost carrier IndiGo for 150 aircraft and Malaysian low-cost carrier AirAsia for 200 A320neo, the largest commercial aviation order at the time. In total the A320neo received a combined 667 commitments worth US$60.9 billion. American Airlines ordered its first Airbus aircraft with an order for 130 A320neo airliners on 20 July 2011. By the end of 2011, Airbus had received 1,196 firm orders for the A320neo family making it the fastest selling commercial aircraft in history. On 15 March 2013, it was reported that Turkish Airlines had placed a firm order for 82 A320 aircraft with 35 options; the firm order has 25 A321, four A320neo, and 53 A321neo airliners.
Design
The Airbus A320 family are narrow-body (single-aisle) aircraft with a retractable tricycle landing gear and are powered by two wing pylon-mounted turbofan engines.
Airframe
The Airbus A320 family are low-wing cantilever monoplanes with a conventional tail unit with a single vertical stabilizer and rudder. Wing swept back at 25 degrees, optimised for maximum operating Mach number 0.82, built by British Aerospace (BAe). Compared to other airliners of the same class, the A320 features a wider single-aisle cabin of 155.5 inches (3.95 m) outside diameter, compared to 148 inches (3.8 m) of the Boeing 737 and 131.6 inches (3.34 m) of the Boeing 717, and larger overhead bins. In addition, the aircraft has a cargo hold equipped with large doors to assist in expedient loading and unloading of goods.
The Airbus A320 is the first narrow body airliner to use a significant amount of the structure made from composite material. Its tail assembly made almost entirely of such material by CASA, who also builds the elevators, main landing gear doors, and rear fuselage parts.
Flight deck and avionics
The A320 was the first civil airliner to include a full digital fly-by-wire flight control system. Its design also included a full glass cockpit rather than the hybrid versions found in previous airliners. Digital head-up displays are available.
The A320's flight deck is equipped with Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) with side-stick controllers. At the time of the aircraft's introduction, the behaviour of the fly-by-wire system (equipped with full flight envelope protection) was a new experience for many pilots. The A320 features an Electronic Centralised Aircraft Monitor (ECAM) which gives the flight crew information about all the systems of the aircraft. With the exception of the very earliest A320s, most can be upgraded to the latest avionics standards, keeping the aircraft advanced even after two decades in service.
Early A320 planes used the Intel 80186 and Motorola 68010, in 1988 Intel 80286 family CPUs. The flight management computer contained six CPUs, running in three logical pairs, with 2.5 megabytes of memory.
Newer Airbus feature LCD (liquid crystal display) units in the flight deck of its A318, A319, A320, and A321 flight decks instead of the original CRT (cathode ray tube) displays. These include the main displays and the backup artificial horizon, which was an analogue display prior to this. LCDs weigh less and produce less heat than CRT displays.
Engines
Three suppliers provide turbofan engines for the A320 series: CFM International with their CFM56, International Aero Engines, offering the V2500 and Pratt & Whitney whose PW6000 engines are only available for the A318 variant.
Operational history
The Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) issued the type certificate for the A320 on 26 February 1988. After entering the market in March 1988 with Air France and Ansett, the former Australian domestic airline, Airbus then expanded the A320 family rapidly, launching the 185-seat A321 in 1989 and first delivered it in 1994; launching the 124-seat A319 in 1993 and delivering it in 1996; and launching the 107-seat A318 in 1999 with first deliveries in 2003.
Competition
The A320 family was developed to compete with the Boeing 737 Classics (-300/-400/-500) and the McDonnell Douglas MD-80/90 series, and has since faced challenges from the Boeing 737 Next Generation (-600/-700/-800/-900) and the Boeing 717 during its two decades in service. As of 2010, as well as the Boeing 737, the A320 family faces competition from Embraer's E-195 (to the A318), and the CSeries being developed by Bombardier[104] to the A318/A319.
Airbus has delivered 5,402 A320 series aircraft since their certification/first delivery in early 1988, with another 3,629 on firm order (as of 31 December 2012). In comparison, Boeing has shipped 7,425 737s since late 1967, with 5,919 of those deliveries since March 1988, and has a further 3,074 on firm order (as of 31 December 2012).
Replacement airliner
Airbus was studying a future replacement for the A320 series, tentatively dubbed NSR, for "New Short-Range aircraft". The follow-on aircraft to replace the A320 was named A30X. Airbus North America President Barry Eccleston states that the earliest the aircraft could be available is 2017. In January 2010, John Leahy, Airbus's chief operating officer Customers, stated that any all new single-aisle aircraft is unlikely to be constructed before 2024/2025.
Variants
Overview
The baseline A320 has given rise to a family of aircraft which share a common design but with passenger capacity ranges from 100, on the A318, to 220, on the A321. They compete with the Boeing 737, 757-200, and 717. Because the four variants share the same flight deck, all have the same pilot type rating. Today all variants are available as corporate jets. US Airways is the largest airline operator of A320 family of aircraft in North America with 240 as of December 2012.
Technically, the name "A320" only refers to the original mid-sized aircraft, but it is often informally used to indicate any of the A318/A319/A320/A321 family. All variants are able to be ETOPS (Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards) certified.
A320
The A320 series has two variants, the A320-100 and A320-200. Only 21 A320-100s were produced; these aircraft, the first to be manufactured, were only delivered to Air Inter (later acquired by Air France) and British Airways (as a result of an order from British Caledonian Airways made prior to its acquisition by British Airways). Compared to the A320-100, the primary changes on A320-200 are wingtip fences and increased fuel capacity for increased range. Indian Airlines used their first 31 A320-200s with double-bogie main landing gear for airfields with poor runway condition which a single-bogie main gear couldn't manage. Typical range with 150 passengers for the A320-200 is about 3,300 nautical miles (6,150 km). It is powered by two CFMI CFM56-5s or IAE V2500s with thrust ratings between 113 to 120 kN (25,400 to 27,000 lbf). The lowest speed an A320 can fly is approximately 207 km/h.
A total of 2,860 of the A320 model have been delivered, with 2,752 remaining on order as of 31 December 2011. The direct Boeing competitor is the 737-800.
A321
The Airbus A321 is a stretched first derivative of the standard A320. The variant was launched in 1988, when the A320 began operations. Compared with the A320, the A321's major change is the stretched fuselage, which is lengthened by 6.94 metres (22 ft 9 in); the A321 is the largest of the A320 family. This is achieved by adding a front plug immediately forward of wing 4.27 m (14 ft 0 in), and a 2.67 m (8 ft 9 in) rear plug. To maintain performance, double-slotted flaps were included, in addition to increasing the wing area by 4 m2 (43 sq ft), to 128 m2 (1,380 sq ft). Other minor modifications were made to accommodate the A321-100's 9,600 kg (21,200 lb) increase in maximum takeoff weight to 83,000 kg (183,000 lb).[47] The maiden flight of the first of two prototypes came on 11 March 1993.[51] The A321-100 entered service in 1994.
The basic A321-100 features a reduction in range compared to the A320 as extra fuel tankage was not added to the initial design to compensate for the extra weight. To overcome this Airbus launched the heavier and longer range A321-200 development in 1995 which has a full-passenger transcontinental US range. This is achieved through higher thrust engines (V2533-A5 or CFM56-5B3), minor structural strengthening, and an increase in fuel capacity with the installation of one or two optional 2,990 L (790 US gal) tanks in the rear underfloor hold. The additional fuel tankage increases the total fuel capacity of this model to 30,030 L (7,930 US gal). These modifications also increased the maximum takeoff weight of the A321-200 to 93,400 kg (206,000 lb). This variant first flew in December 1996. Its direct competitor is the 757-200 and the 737-900/900ER.
A319
The A319 is a shortened, minimum-change version of the A320. Also known as the A320M-7 (A320 "minus seven frames"), it is 3.73 metres (12 ft 3 in) shorter than the A320; four frames fore of the wing and three frames aft of the wing were removed. This allows the number of emergency exits to be reduced to six. With virtually the same fuel capacity as the A320-200, and fewer passengers, the range with 124 passengers in a two-class configuration extends to 6,650 km (3,590 nmi), or 6,850 km (3,700 nmi) with the "Sharklets". Four propulsion options available on the A319 are the 23,040-pound-force (102.5 kN) V2522-A5 and 24,800-pound-force (110 kN) V2527M-A5 from IAE, or the 22,000-pound-force (98 kN) CFM56-5B/A and 27,000-pound-force (120 kN) CFM56-5B7. Although identical to those of the A320, these engines are derated because of the A319's lower MTOW.
The A319 was developed at the request of Steven Udvar-Hazy, the former president and CEO of ILFC according to The New York Times. The A319's launch customer, in fact, was ILFC, which had placed an order for 6 A319s by 1993. Anticipating further orders by Swissair and Alitalia, Airbus decided to launch the programme on 10 June 1993. Final assembly of the first A319 began on 23 March 1995.
A319CJ
The A319CJ is the corporate jet version of the A319. It incorporates removable extra fuel tanks which are installed in the cargo compartment, and an increased service ceiling of 41,000 feet (12,000 m). Range with 8 passengers' payload and the standard four auxiliary fuel tanks is 6,000 nautical miles (11,100 km). Upon resale the aircraft can be reconfigured as a standard A319 by removing its extra tanks and corporate cabin outfit, thus maximising its resale value. It is also known as the ACJ, or Airbus Corporate Jet. Producer is Airbus Executive and Private Aviation, it is a part of Airbus S.A.S., an EADS company.
The aircraft seats up to 39 passengers but may be outfitted by the customers into any configuration. DC Aviation and Reliance Industries are among its users. The A319CJ competes with other corporate jets such as the Gulfstream V, the Boeing 737-700-based Boeing Business Jet (BBJ), and Bombardier's Global Express. It is powered by the same engine types as the A320.
The A319CJ is used by the Escadron de transport, d'entraînement et de calibrage which is in charge of transportation for France's officials and also by the Flugbereitschaft of the German Air Force for transportation of Germany's officials. An ACJ serves as a presidential or official aircraft of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine and Venezuela.
A318
Main article: Airbus A318
The Airbus A318 is the smallest member of the Airbus A320 family. The A318 carries up to 132 passengers and has a maximum range of 3,100 nmi (5,700 km; 3,600 mi). The aircraft entered service in July 2003 with Frontier Airlines, and shares a common type rating with all other Airbus A320 family variants, allowing existing A320 family pilots to fly the aircraft without the need for further training. It is the largest commercial aircraft certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency for steep approach operations, allowing flights at airports such as London City Airport. Relative to other Airbus A320 family variants, the A318 has sold in only small numbers with total orders for only 81 aircraft placed by 31 December 2012.
Freighter
A programme to convert A320 and A321 aircraft into freighters was set up by Airbus Freighter Conversion GmbH. Airframes would be converted by EADS EFW in Dresden, Germany, and Zhukovsky, Russia. The launch customer AerCap signed a firm contract on 16 July 2008 to convert 30 of AerCap's passenger A320/A321s into A320/A321P2F (passenger to freighter). However, on 3 June 2011, Airbus announced all partners would end the passenger to freighter programme, citing high demand for used airframes for passenger service.
Orders and deliveries
Orders Deliveries
Type Total Backlog Total 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988
A318 79 0 79 1 2 2 2 6 13 17 8 9 10 9
A319 1,521 155 1,366 9 38 47 51 88 98 105 137 142 87 72 85 89 112 88 53 47 18
A320 6,210 2,936 3,274 82 332 306 297 221 209 194 164 121 101 119 116 119 101 101 80 58 38 34 48 71 111 119 58 58 16
A321 1,595 802 793 22 83 66 51 87 66 51 30 17 35 33 35 49 28 33 35 22 16 22 16
Total 9,405 3,889 5,516 114 455 421 401 402 386 367 339 289 233 233 236 257 241 222 168 127 72 56 64 71 111 119 58 58 16
Data through end of March 2013. Updated on 05 April 2013.
Accidents and incidents
Accidents and incidents involving the Airbus A320 family
For the entire A320 family there have been 59 aviation occurrences, including 23 hull-loss accidents with a total of 789 fatalities as of April 2012. There have been 50 incidents of glass cockpit blackout.
Specifications
Airbus A320 family
A318-100 A319-100 / A319LR / A319CJ A320-200 A321-200
Cockpit crew Two
Seating capacity 132 (1-class, maximum)
117 (1-class, typical)
107 (2-class, typical) 156 (1-class, maximum)
134 (1-class, typical)
124 (2-class, typical) 180 (1-class, maximum)
164 (1-class, typical)
150 (2-class, typical) 220 (1-class, maximum)
199 (1-class, typical)
185 (2-class, typical)
Seat Pitch 29 in (74 cm) & 30 in (76 cm) (1-class, maximum)
32 in (81 cm) (1-class, typical)
38 in (97 cm) & 32 in (81 cm) (2-class, typical) 28 in (71 cm) & 30 in (76 cm) (1-class, maximum)
32 in (81 cm) (1-class, typical)
36 in (91 cm) & 32 in (81 cm) (2-class, typical) 28 in (71 cm) & 29 in (74 cm) (1-class, maximum)
32 in (81 cm) (1-class, typical)
36 in (91 cm) & 32 in (81 cm) (2-class, typical)
Cargo capacity 21.21 m3 (749 cu ft) 27.62 m3 (975 cu ft)
4× LD3-46 37.41 m3 (1,321 cu ft)
7× LD3-46 51.73 m3 (1,827 cu ft)
10× LD3-46
Length 31.44 m (103 ft 2 in) 33.84 m (111 ft 0 in) 37.57 m (123 ft 3 in) 44.51 m (146 ft 0 in)
Wingspan 34.10 m (111 ft 11 in)
Wing area 122.6 m2 (1,320 sq ft)
Wing sweepback 25 degrees
Tail height 12.51 m (41 ft 1 in) 11.76 m (38 ft 7 in)
Cabin width 3.70 m (12 ft 2 in)
Fuselage width 3.95 m (13 ft 0 in)
Fuselage height 4.14 m (13 ft 7 in)
Operating empty weight 39,500 kg (87,000 lb) 40,800 kg (90,000 lb) 42,600 kg (94,000 lb) 48,500 kg (107,000 lb)
Maximum zero-fuel weight (MZFW) 54,500 kg (120,000 lb) 58,500 kg (129,000 lb) 62,500 kg (138,000 lb) 73,800 kg (163,000 lb)
Maximum take-off weight (MTOW) 68 t (150,000 lb) 75.5 t (166,000 lb) 78 t (170,000 lb) 93.5 t (206,000 lb)
Cruising speed Mach 0.78 (828 km/h/511 mph at 11,000 m/36,000 ft)
Maximum speed Mach 0.82 (871 km/h/537 mph at 11,000 m/36,000 ft)
Maximum range, fully loaded 3,100 nmi (5,700 km; 3,600 mi) 3,600 nmi (6,700 km; 4,100 mi),
3,700 nmi (6,900 km; 4,300 mi) with sharklets
LR: 5,600 nmi (10,400 km; 6,400 mi)
CJ: 6,500 nmi (12,000 km; 7,500 mi) 3,200 nmi (5,900 km; 3,700 mi),
3,300 nmi (6,100 km; 3,800 mi) with sharklets 3,000 nmi (5,600 km; 3,500 mi),
3,220 nmi (5,960 km; 3,710 mi) with sharklets and newer engines[132]
Takeoff distance at MTOW
(sea level, ISA) 1,828 m (5,997 ft) 2,164 m (7,100 ft) 2,090 m (6,860 ft) 2,560 m (8,400 ft)
Maximum fuel capacity 24,210 L (5,330 imp gal; 6,400 US gal) 24,210 L (5,330 imp gal; 6,400 US gal) standard
30,190 L (6,640 imp gal; 7,980 US gal) optional 24,050 L (5,290 imp gal; 6,350 US gal) standard
30,030 L (6,610 imp gal; 7,930 US gal) optional
Service ceiling 12,000 m (39,000 ft)
A319 CJ: 12,500 m (41,000 ft)
Engines (×2) CFM International CFM56-5 series
Pratt & Whitney PW6000 series IAE V2500 series
Thrust (×2) 96–106 kN (22,000–24,000 lbf) 98–120 kN (22,000–27,000 lbf) 111–120 kN (25,000–27,000 lbf) 133–147 kN (30,000–33,000 lbf)
Source: Airbus, Airliners.net, Pratt & Whitney
Engines
Aircraft Model Certification Date Engines[139]
A318-111 23 May 2003 CFM56-5B8/P
A318-112 23 May 2003 CFM56-5B9/P
A318-121 21 December 2005 PW6122A
A318-122 21 December 2005 PW6124A
A319-111 10 April 1996 CFM56-5B5 or 5B5/P
A319-112 10 April 1996 CFM56-5B6 or 5B6/P or 5B6/2P
A319-113 31 May 1996 CFM56-5A4 or 5A4/F
A319-114 31 May 1996 CFM56-5A5 or 5A5/F
A319-115 30 July 1999 CFM56-5B7 or 5B7/P
A319-131 18 December 1996 IAE Model V2522-A5
A319-132 18 December 1996 IAE Model V2524-A5
A319-133 30 July 1999 IAE Model V2527M-A5
A320-111 26 February 1988 CFM56-5A1 or 5A1/F
A320-211 8 November 1988 CFM56-5A1 or 5A1/F
A320-212 20 November 1990 CFM56-5A3
A320-214 10 March 1995 CFM56-5B4 or 5B4/P or 5B4/2P
A320-216 14 June 2006 CFM56-5B6
A320-231 20 April 1989 IAE Model V2500-A1
A320-232 28 September 1993 IAE Model V2527-A5
A320-233 12 June 1996 IAE Model V2527E-A5
A321-111 27 May 1995 CFM56-5B1 or 5B1/P or 5B1/2P
A321-112 15 February 1995 CFM56-5B2 or 5B2/P
A321-131 17 December 1993 IAE Model V2530-A5
A321-211 20 March 1997 CFM56-5B3 or 5B3/P or 5B3/2P
A321-212 31 August 2001 CFM56-5B1 or 5B1/P or 5B1/2P
A321-213 31 August 2001 CFM56-5B2 or 5B2/P
A321-231 20 March 1997 IAE Model V2533-A5
A321-232 31 August 2001 IAE Model V2530-A5
