Airbus A320neo: an update of the classic

Video from the channel SkyShips en Español about Airbus A320, linked on its Above Ten Thousand entry. Duration: 9:14. Language: Spanish. Video type: Documentary.

Presentation of the Airbus A320neo, the new generation of the single-aisle A320 family: its origin, what changes from the classic model, its variants and its commercial success.

At the end of the first decade of the 21st century, with the A380 finished and the A350 in development, Airbus decided to modernise its best-selling model to compete with Boeing and with future Chinese and Russian aircraft. From 2006 it worked on the A320 Enhanced programme, which sought between 4 and 5% more efficiency through new wingtips, fuselage tweaks and reduced weight. The arrival of new engines from Pratt & Whitney and CFM International led to a more ambitious project, the "new engine option" (neo), with an expected cost of around $1 billion. The first prototype flew in 2014 and deliveries began in 2016.

More than 95% of the structure is that of the original A320. The sharklets, 2.5 m tall and about 100 kg each, derive from the A350, can also be fitted to older aircraft, are made by Korean Air's aerospace division and cut fuel consumption by 3.5% on a 2,800 km flight. The cabin introduces larger overhead bins, more efficient air conditioning, LED lighting and the Space Flex option, which adds 9 seats on the A320neo and up to 20 on the A321neo. The engines, CFM LEAP-1A or Pratt & Whitney PW1100G, have a fan of more than 2 m versus the 170 cm of the classic model. They burn 16% less fuel and cost 20% less to maintain, and cut takeoff noise from about 100 to about 85 decibels. With them the aircraft can carry 2 extra tonnes of payload or fly 950 km further. The A319neo (140-160 passengers) is barely used and the A318neo is not built. The first operator of the A320neo (165-195 passengers) was Lufthansa. The A321neo seats 240 passengers, has a maximum take-off weight of 97 tonnes and costs $129 million; its first customer was Virgin America in 2017. The A321LR, launched in 2015 with Air Lease Corporation, offers 206 seats in two classes and a range of 7,400 km; the first was delivered in 2018. By the time of its first flight, the family already had more than 1,000 orders, and today it exceeds 7,400 from more than 80 airlines.