Jetstar Japan (Tokyo-Narita) has taken delivery of its first Airbus A320 aircraft equipped with Sharklet fuel saving wing tip devices, becoming the first Japanese carrier for the type.
Sharklets are an option on new-build A320 Family aircraft, and standard on all members of the A320neo Family. The new wingtip devices measure 2.4 metres tall, replacing A320โs current wingtip fence. They offer the flexibility to A320 Family operators of either adding around 100 nautical miles more range or increased payload capability of up to 450 kilogrammes.
Jetstar Japan started operations on July 3, 2012. The company is a joint venture between the QANTAS Group, Japan Airlines (JAL), Mitsubishi Corporation and Century Tokyo Leasing Corporation. Jetstar Japan operates an all-Airbus fleet of seven leased A320s, and this will grow to 24 aircraft by the end of 2014.
Copyright Photo: Airbus. A320-232 JA08JJ (msn 5492) is the first with the new enhancement.
Avianca (Colombia) (Bogota) has taken delivery of its first Sharklet equipped A320 becoming the first Latin American carrier to take benefit of the new fuel-saving wing-tip devices. A320-214 N477AV (msn 5477), powered by CFM engines, was delivered in Toulouse, France on February 12.
Sharklets are made from light-weight composites and are 2.4 meters tall. They are an option on new-build A320 Family aircraft and allow Airbusโ airline customers to reduce fuel burn by up to four per cent and CO2 emissions by approximately 1,000 tons per aircraft and year. Sharklets offer operators the flexibility of either adding an additional 100 nautical miles range or increased payload capability of up to 450 kilograms.
Avianca currently operates 98 A320 Family aircraft, and has 70 on order with the option to be Sharklet equipped. Sharklets are standard on all members of the A320neo Family. In 2012, Avianca placed an order for 33 A320neo aircraft along with 18 incremental A320ceos. With nearly an all-Airbus fleet, AviancaTaca has purchased 190 aircraft and has a backlog of 74 Airbus aircraft.
Air Arabia (airarabia.com) (Sharjah, UAE) on January 24 took delivery of its first Airbus A320 with the new Sharklets wing tip device.ย Airbus delivered the first Sharklet equipped A320 in the Middle East to Air Arabia, which becomes the first operator in the region of the new fuel-saving large wing tip devices.
The company issued this statement:
Air Arabia, the first and largest low cost carrier in the Middle East and North Africa, announced that it has taken delivery of its first Sharklet equipped Airbus A320 aircraft. Air Arabia becomes the first airline in the Middle East to take delivery of Sharklet equipped Airbus A320, further enabling the airline to achieve increased operational efficiency.
Sharklets are an option on new-build Airbus A320 Family aircraft, which are equipped with fuel-saving large wing tip devices. Sharklets are made from light-weight composites, and the newly designed wing-tip devices reduce fuel burn and emissions by improving the aerodynamics of the aircraft significantly.
The delivery of the new aircraft marks yet another step in Air Arabiaโs fleet expansion strategy, while creating the industry’s most modern fleet. The new aircraft has gone straight into service across Air Arabiaโs network of 82 destinations.
โWe are extremely proud to become the first airline in the Middle East region to take delivery of an A320 fitted with Airbusโ new, fuel saving Sharklets,โ said Adel Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer, Air Arabia. โAir Arabia has a long-standing commitment to operational efficiency and fuel saving. These new wing tip devices will contribute to fulfilling our goal of becoming one of the worldโs most efficient and innovative low cost airlines.โ
โAs a strong advocate for the A320 family, it is fitting that Air Arabia has become the first carrier in the region to benefit from the four per cent fuel saving our new Sharklets deliver,โ said John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer, Customers, Airbus. โAir Arabia, with their Sharklet-equipped A320s, can now assure their passengers that they are also travelling on board the worldโs most environmentally friendly single-aisle aircraft.โ
Air Arabia has now received 15 of the 44 A320 aircraft it has ordered from Airbus in 2007. The delivery of the 44 new aircraft will be completed by 2016, and will more than double the size of Air Arabiaโs fleet. It expects to take delivery of seven new A320 aircraft in 2013.
The A320 Family is the worldโs best-selling and most modern single aisle aircraft Family.ย All Air Arabia aircraft cabin interiors are fitted with a world-class comfort seats offering highest seat pitch of any economy cabin across the globe and therefore, offering passengers extra leg room to sit back and relax during their flight.
Copyright Photo: Airbus. Airbus A320-214 F-WWIM became A6-ANO on its delivery.
Cebu Pacific Air (Manila) took delivery of its first A320 equipped with Sharklets today (January 21) during a ceremony in Manila, becoming the first operator of the new fuel-saving wing tip devices in the Philippines. Previously A320-214 RP-C3272 (msn 5442) was formally handed over at Toulouse on January 18.
Sharklets are newly designed wing-tip devices allowing airlines to reduce fuel burn by up to 4% on longer sectors. They are an option on new-build A320 Family aircraft, and are standard on all members of the A320neo Family. Cebu Pacific Air today operates 34 A320 Family aircraft, and has 48 more on order for future delivery, comprising 18 A320ceo and 30 A321neo.
Sharklets are made from light-weight composites and are 2.4 meters tall. Cutting airlinesโ fuel bills by around four percent, Sharklets offer the flexibility to A320 Family operators of either adding around 100 nautical miles more range or allowing increased payload capability of up to 450 kilograms.
Cebu Pacific is one of the leading low cost carriers in the Asian region. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network covering 32 destinations in the Philippines and 21 business and leisure destinations across Asia (see route map below).
AirAsia (AirAsia.com) (Malaysia) (Kuala Lumpur) yesterday (December 21) received its first Airbus A320-200 with the new Sharklets winglet. The pictured A320-216 F-WWIC (msn 5428) became 9M-AQQ on the handover. 9M-AQQ is also painted in the new 2012 livery for AirAsia. It becomes the first A320 with Sharklets to enter revenue service. Airbus issued the following statement:
Airbus has delivered the first A320 equipped with Sharklets to AirAsia, which becomes the first operator of the new fuel-saving large wing tip devices. Sharklets are an option on new-build A320 Family aircraft, and are standard on all members of the A320neo Family.
Sharklets are made from light-weight composites and are 2.4 meters tall. These newly designed wing-tip devices reduce fuel burn and emissions by improving the aerodynamics of the aircraft significantly. Cutting airlinesโ fuel bills by around four percent, Sharklets will offer the flexibility to A320 Family operators of either adding around 100 nautical miles more range or allowing increased payload capability of up to 450 kilograms.
โWe are extremely proud to be the first airline in the world to take delivery of an A320 fitted with Airbusโ new, fuel saving Sharklets,โ said Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, Group Chief Executive Officer of AirAsiaย . โAirAsia has a long-standing, special relationship with Airbus and as we grow our network with our all A320 fleet, these new wing tip devices will contribute to fulfilling our goal of being the most efficient, innovative low cost airline in the world.โ
โAs our biggest A320 Family airline customer, itโs very fitting that AirAsia is the first carrier to benefit from the four percent fuel saving our new Sharklets deliver,โ said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers. โAirAsiaโs vision is to make is possible for everyone to fly and now with their Sharklet-equipped A320s they can assure their passengers that they are also travelling on board the worldโs most environmentally friendly single-aisle aircraft.โ
Due to the very strong customer demand for Sharklets, all Airbusโ single-aisle final assembly lines (FALs) will be engaged in building A320 Family aircraft with Sharklets. These FALs are located in Toulouse (France), Hamburg (Germany) and Tianjin (China) and will soon be followed by an additional A320 FAL in Mobile (Alabama, USA).
AirAsia, the largest low cost airline in Asia is also Airbusโ largest A320 Family airline customer. The carrier recently placed a new order with Airbus on the 13th December 2012 for 100 more A320 Family aircraft including 36 A320ceo aircraft with Sharklets. Altogether, AirAsia has ordered 475 single aisle aircraft from Airbus, comprising 264 A320neo and 211 A320ceo. Over 100 aircraft have already been delivered to the airline and are flying out of its bases in Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Manila and Tokyo.
AirAsia (AirAsia.com)ย (Malaysia) (Kuala Lumpur) and Airbus have announced that the airline will become the first operator of the A320 with “Sharklets” when they take delivery of the first A320 equipped with these fuel-saving wing-tip devices at the end of this year. The aircraft exhibited on static and flying display at the ILA Berlin Air Show is the flight test aircraft for CFM engines and will also be delivered to AirAsia in 2013.
AirAsia is also expected to place a new, additional order for more A320s.
Qatar Airways (Doha) later this year will take delivery of the first new A320 with Sharklets. The pictured A320-232 with the test registration of F-WWBG (msn 5182) will be delivered as A7-AHV. It will also be the first A320 delivery with the new Sharklet wingtip design.
According to Airbus, “Several A320 Family aircraft have been in the certification flight-test campaign since May 2012 and will last around 600 flight hours. These Sharklet tests follow the successful โearly flight-testโ campaign with Airbusโ A320 msn 001 test aircraft.
In total, seven new-build A320 Family aircraft fitted with both CFM56 and V2500 engine types will test the production-standard Sharklets. The results of the tests will lead up to the certification of these fuel-saving devices on each combination of aircraft model and engine selection. The first member of the family to enter service with Sharklets will be the CFM56-powered A320, from the fourth quarter of 2012.
Sharklets, which have been specially designed for the Airbus A320 Family, will reduce fuel burn by up to 3.5 percent, giving an annual CO2 reduction of around 700 tonnes per aircraft. This is equivalent to the CO2 produced by around 200 cars annually. Sharklets are now offered as an option on new-build aircraft, and are standard on the A320neo Family.”
Copyright Photo: Yvan Panas. F-WWBG arrives back at Toulouse.
Please click on the AG icon for a direct link to the Finnair photo gallery.
Finnair (Helsinki) has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) for five Airbus A321s equipped with the new fuel-saving Sharklet wing tip devices, becoming the worldโs first airline to commit to the A321 with Sharklets. The increased eco-efficiency of the A321 with Sharklets will offer Finnair a four per cent fuel saving on specific Finnair routes compared to todayโs aircraft.
Deliveries of A321s with Sharklets are scheduled to begin in 2013.
You must be logged in to post a comment.