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Aviation History
1989
1989 - 1166.PDF
Airbus decides on A320 stretch by David Learmount in Toulouse Airbus Industrie's supervisory board decides this week whether or not to approve the stretched A320 project—a 186-seat aircraft which will probably be called the A320-300. The aircraft's technical speci fication, the market, and the manufacturer's production capability are all defined and are being put to the board on April 28. The board has to decide whether to give its marketing teams the go-ahead to make firm offers to potential custom ers. A launch will depend on the response to these offers, but few at Airbus doubt that the response will provide the neces sary impetus. The official launch may therefore come at the Paris Air Show in June. The A320 Stretch cannot be made available before 1994 because of Airbus' workload on the A330/A340 programme and orders in hand for the A320-200. All A320 Stretch decisions must adhere to the principle that, apart from the additional cabin capacity, nothing else changes unless it is essential. Development is being funded entirely by the Airbus partners, so investment must be kept low. The engines will be uprated versions of those offered on the A320-200: the 29,0001b-thrust General Electric/Snecma CFM 56-5B, and the uprated Inter national Aero Engines (IAE) V2500-A5 (see story this page). The undercarriage will be based on the same forging, but machined differently to give higher strength. The centre- fuselage structure will have to be strengthened. Maximum range with full passenger load is given as 2,400 n.m. Increases in seating capac ity and cargo volume compared with the A320-200 are 24 per cent and 40 per cent respectively. While the standard two-class A320-200 seats 156, the Stretch will seat 186. The Stretch has a full- economy capacity of 200 passengers at 32in seatpitch and an exit-restricted legal maximum of 220 seats. Technical and market studies for the A320 Stretch are complete. Marketing vice- president David Jennings says that Airbus has "talked at length with certain key airlines in the A320 Stretch relative DOC per seat +* ffi t-pe r $ if, 0 n p 1 n •% CO £ Datum Mixed-class seating,500 n.m. sector +7% +11% +11 % +8% +13% A320 Stretch 186 A320-200 150 737-400 144 757-400 192 757-200 198 MD-88 144 Airbus claims to be kind to Boeing's 757 in its calculations last 18 months. There are more than enough [airlines] to come to the party." Lufthansa has made it clear that it is one of the potential buyers of A320 Stretch, but Airbus says any purchase by the German flag-carrier will be in addition to its 18 firm orders for A320-200s. Airbus estimates the market for its A320 Stretch at up to 400 units, with possibly 50 of those being option conversions from the standard A320. The effect, therefore, is to increase the total A320 market by about 350 units. Europe and North Amer ica are reckoned to be the main markets, with A320-200 oper ators being the purchasers. Although the Boeing 757 is IAE plans uprated V2500 turbofan International Aero Engines (IAE) is developing a 28,0001b-thrust version of its V2500 turbofan to power the Airbus Stretch and, possibly, the McDonnell Douglas MD-90. The five-nation consortium is hoping to achieve certification of the engine by June 1992. The new engine, desig nated V2500-A5, will have the same-sized fan as the existing 25,0001b-thrust Al unit, but will have increased core airflow and improved internal aerodynamics. The news comes from an IAE camp where the sense of relief at recent V2500 sales successes is palpable. Com pany president Nick Tomas- setti says: "Our programme made a dramatic turnaround in 1988. I think the fact that we are here when people were saying we would not be here speaks for itself." Certification of the V2500-powered A320 is due this week, following 602 test hours in 291 flights. IAE says that the -A5 is primarily intended for the stretched "A320-300", but would be available to -200 oper ators if required. The engines have full installation common ality and identical nacelles. Both versions are being offered to McDonnell Douglas for the MD-91/92, as an alternative to propfan power, and a decision on the aircraft's future is expected mid-1989. Tomassetti says that IAE has no plans to offer an A340 engine because it would clash with consortium members Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce's interests. (Both IAE partner companies believe that the four-engined A340 will Revised low-pressure compressor ^^ aerodynamics for higher flow Combustor optimised for increased core flow Optimised high-pressure turbine aerodynamics for increased core flow Upgraded blade and vane material • FADEC software changed for higher thrust rating "JfitfT C Reed Business Publishing 1£
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