Airbus A319
An Airbus A319 of Aeroflot approaches Düsseldorf Rhein-Ruhr Airport.
Airbus A319
The Airbus A319 is the first shortened version of the successful A320 narrowbody airliner. It seats about 124 passengers and is a competitor of the Boeing 737-300 and 737-700.
Apart from the shorter fuselage, the A319 is almost completely identical to the A320. Because it has lower weights but the same fuel capacity as its larger forerunner, it offers more range. The A319 has the same two-crew digital glass cockpit and sidestick controllers as the other A320 family members and the A330 and A340.
The A319 took off for its first flight on 25 August 1995 from Hamburg Finkenwerder in Germany. In April 1996, Swissair introduced the A319 on its network. Final assembly takes place at the Hamburg site of Airbus Deutschland.
A bizjet-version is named 'ACJ' (Airbus Corporate Jet), which first flew on 12 November 1998. It has extra fuel tanks increasing the range to 12,000 km (6,500 nm). Several countries fly the ACJ as presidential aircraft. The A319LR (Long Range) has extra fuel tanks like the ACJ has. As an airliner it can fly up to 8,300 km (4,500 nm) depending on the number of seats. Some airlines operate the A319LR in a low-density all-business class layout on intercontinental services.
Some low-cost airlines, like Easyjet and Niki, fly the A319 with smaller galleys, making room for more than the maximum of 149 seats in single-class configuration. In that case the A319 has two over-wing emergency-exits at each side of the fuselage. Safety regulations require that extra exits are necessary to guarantee that in case of an emergency all passengers can be evacuated from the aircraft within 90 seconds.
Until spring 2018 Airbus has sold almost 1,500 A319s. That is quite a success for a shortened version of an airliner. Shortened aircraft are usually not very popular with the airlines, because they are often less economical. To keep the costs of development and maintenance low, manufacturers change as little as possible, so that shortened aircraft are carrying extra weight with them from the larger aircraft they are derived from.
A319neo
In December 2010, Airbus officially launched the A319neo (New Engine Option), together with the A320neo and A321neo. It is the smallest of the A320neo Family, because Airbus doesn't develop a neo version of the A318.
Airbus offers two engine options for the A319: the CFM International LEAP-1A and the Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-JM. Like the A320neo and A321neo, the A319neo has large 'sharklets' on the wingtips to reduce drag and fuel consumption.
The A319neo first flew on 31 March 2017, with LEAP-1A turbofans. Airbus acquired joint type certification from the FAA and EASA on 21 December 2018 for the version with the CFM LEAP-1A engine option (Photo: Airbus). The original A319 is now referred to as 'A319ceo' (Current Engine Option). Airbus offers a VIP-version as 'ACJ319neo'. With only eight passengers this version can fly 12,500 km (6,750 nm) or stay in the air for 15 hours, bringing large parts of the world within non-stop range.
Airlines are not very interested in the A319neo so far. Airbus has orders for only 56 aircraft, compared with thousands for the A320neo and A321neo. The intended launch customer Qatar Airways converted an order for A319neos to A320neos. Because Airbus has taken a 50,01 per cent stake in the Bombardier CSeries, it might be even more difficult to sell the A319 to airlines. The CS300 is slightly smaller, but a new design and uses less fuel.
Airbus A319-100 Specifications
Wingspan: 34.10 m (111 ft 10 in). Length: 33.84 m (111 ft). Height: 11.76 m (38 ft 7 in).
Empty weight: 40,600 kg (89.5 lb). Max. take-off weight: 75,500 kg (166,500 lb).
Passengers: 124. Range: 3,350 - 6,800 km (1,800 - 3,700 nm). Cruise speed: 828 km/h (447 kts).
Engines: two CFM International CFM56-5B or IAE V2500-5 (98-120 kN - 22,000-27,000 lb).
Airbus A319neo Specifications
Wingspan: 33.84 m (111 ft 0 in). Length: 35.80 m (117 ft 5 in). Height: 11.76 m (38 ft 7 in).
Max. take-off weight: 75,500 kg (166,500 lb).
Passengers: 124-156. Range: 7,800 km (4,211 nm). Cruise speed: 828 km/h (447 kts). Engines: two CFM International LEAP-1A (24,500-32,900 lb - 109-146 kN) or Pratt & Whitney PW1100G (24,000–35,000 lb - 110–160 kN). (Photo: Airbus)
