Page 16 - AAA JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016 Online Magazine

FEATURE SINGLE AISLE

And he added that over 100 separate year in the A320ceo alone, protecting that International Aero Engines with 13 models of
pieces of equipment have been redesigned technological lead. the CFM56-5 series engine and six variants
alone since 2006. Not that it needed to be. “There is no question we had the baseline of the V2500 to match the four models of the
The drive to better the A320 for its customers right from the start,” said A320 Family A320 family.
and to keep ahead of the competition has Marketing Director Arnaud Demeusois last Broadly the engine makers have grown the
been the catalyst for a relentless focus on year. “The A320ceo entered service with 68 thrust by more than 30% and decreased fuel
improvement that has kept the A320 as the tonnes MTOW, and a corresponding range burn by 4.5 to 5% on the A320ceo since EIS.
world’s best seller. of 1,800nm (3,333km) and today we get up The dramatic Sharklet was launched
The A320 started out well ahead of the to 78 tonnes MTOW, which when added to at the 2009 Dubai Air Show with Air New
pack and it needed to as the competition – 737 other improvements translates into 3,300nm Zealand the launch customer. At the
Classic series and the MD80 series – were well (6,111km) range.” handover of the first Sharklet equipped
entrenched, well understood and well liked. On the A321ceo Demeusois says it A320 on December 21st, 2012 Airbus Chief
The A320 brought together all the lessons entered service with 83 tonnes MTOW with Operating Officer-Customers said that the
of past commercial mistakes of under-sizing a 2,200nm (4,074km) maximum passenger 2.4m tall Sharklet would “deliver a fuel burn
and combined them with a giant leap to be range with our typical performance rules. reduction of 4%.”
the first commercial aircraft with digital “Today, the A321ceo offers 93.5 tonnes Demeusois says the Sharklet adds either
fly-by-wire. Then president of Airbus Roger MTOW. With the benefits of sharklets around 100nm (186km) more range or an
Béteille told Flight International, “perhaps we and other fuel burn reduction features increased payload capability of up to 450kg
were too bold – we had no choice. Either we mentioned, the corresponding maximum (992lbs). In 2013 Airbus launched a retrofit
were going to be first with new technologies passenger range is 3,200nm (5,926km).” programme to be available from 2015.
or we could not expect to be in the market.” Robust partners for Airbus have been Reliability of the A320 has also crept up
Now Airbus invests €300 million a the engine suppliers CFM International and from 99% for the initial 1,000 airframes to
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