Page 15 - AAA JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016 Online Magazine

FEATURE SINGLE AISLE

ram air exhaust system associated with the has done this in spectacular fashion with the The new winglet reduced fuel burn by up
left and right air-conditioning packs was 787 inspired Sky Interior introduced in 2010. to 1.8% and the aircraft has a 40% smaller
added. Most of the 2011 PIP is retrofitable. The treatment included modern sculpted community noise footprint and is 50% below
Split Scimitar winglets were the next sidewalls and window reveals, LED lighting CAEP/6 limits for NOx.
aerodynamic improvement and became and much larger pivoting overhead stowage Across the Atlantic the A320 has made
available from 2014. Developed by Aviation bins. An option on the NG – and standard on Airbus a household name and is the world’s
Partners the Split Scimitar winglets give the MAX – almost 90% of customers are best-selling commercial aircraft since it was
a 2% fuel saving improvement on top of specifying Sky Interior. launched, albeit by a fine margin.
the blended winglet’s 3 to 4%. Southwest And late last year Boeing introduced It is very sobering to think that the Airbus
Airlines was the first customer to fly the Space Bins on the 737 that increase bag A320 has chalked up more sales – 12,411 – than
sporting addition to the 737 on April 14, 2014. capacity by almost 50%. On the 737-800 the every other European commercial aircraft
Another major stride was the number of standard roll away bags that can combined plus every commercial model
development of the 737-900ER in 2007 for be stowed overhead jumps from 118 to 178 built by the once market leader Douglas and
Lion Air. Boeing added a flat aft pressure and on the -900 132 to 198. Space bins are McDonnell Douglas (excluding C-47s).
bulkhead, dual position tailskid, standard type available as a refit. Right aircraft and the right time would be
2 exit doors, the short field enhancements The MAX takes the 737 to an entirely a far too simple and unfair explanation and
developed in 2004, strengthened the new level. The MAX has a fuel burn rate 20% deprive Airbus of the acknowledgement of
fuselage, wing box and centre section and lower than the original 737NG and 14% lower the enormous work it has put into making the
added an option two auxiliary fuel tanks to than the current model which has the various A320 the winner that it is.
produce the ultimate model in the NG family. 2001, 2008 and 2011 improvement packages. One fact possibly best sums up the
The changes lifted the exit limit seat Changes relative to the 737NG are A320’s success when on its 25th anniversary
count by 31. MTOW jumped from 174,200lbs numerous and include: aerodynamic clean up; then Head of the A320 programme – and now
to 187,700lbs and range went out to 3,205nm advanced flight deck and display systems; Airbus advisor – Daniel Baubil told Flight
(5,935km) with 180 passengers. advanced technology winglets; CFM LEAP- International that “more than 80% of the
Improving the 737 has also been about 1B engine; Onboard Network System and Sky equipment on the A320 has been redesigned
giving the interior a makeover and Boeing Interior with larger bins. at least once.”

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