Country of origin:

International Consortium

Description:

Commercial airliner

Power Plant:

Two 22,000 lbst CFMI CFM56-5A or IAE V2500A-5 turbofans

Specifications:

History:

In mid 1993 Airbus Industrie launched what it described as the A319, a 130 seat derivative of the A320, planning to commence deliveries to customers in 1996. Power plant was to be either the CFMI CFM56-5B5 or the Aero Engine V2500-A5 turbofan. The prototype, which seated 124, commenced the flight test programme at Toulouse, France after earlier being rolled out of the Daimler-Benz Aerospace Airbus Otto Lillienthal plant at Hamburg, Germany.

First variant in the series was the A319-100 which had, compared to the A320, a shortened fuselage, being seven frames shorter, length being 3.73 m (12 ft 3 in) less at 33.84 m (111 ft). This shortening was done by removing a 1.6 m (5 ft 3 in) plug [four fuselage frames] forward of the wing, and a 2.13 m (7 ft) plug [three fuselage frames] aft of the wing. The wing was the same as the A320 but the spoilers inboard were deleted. Engines were de-rated versions of those installed on the A320, providing 22,000 lbst compared to 23,500 lbst. A typical aircraft had a flight crew of two with 124 passengers in a two-class layout.

A corporate business model was available, initially known as the A319CJ but later as the A319ACJ, this model having a max take-off weight of 75,500 kg (166,500 lb) and a range of 7,800 km (4,849 miles). With twelve passengers range was increased to 8,700 km (5,406 miles). The longest flight of this model was in June 1999 from Santiago in Chile to Le Bourget in Paris when an A319ACJ covered 12,825 km (7,969 miles) with a crew of six in 15 hrs 10 mins.

Aimed at the low-capacity part of the market, the A319 – later supplemented by the A318 – meant that Airbus Industrie had an almost complete range of aircraft to meet airline demands in this class. First customers were Lufthansa, Air Inter, Swissair and ILFC, a leasing company. Commonality was important in the Company’s philosophy, the A320 cockpit becoming the standard for all aircraft in the series, including up to the twin-aisle A330 / A340, this being said to provide a marketing advantage in a difficult market. System changes were basically related to software changes to provide for different handling characteristics produced by the shorter fuselage. Overwing exits were reduced to one, the rear bulk-cargo door was deleted, and a new door was fitted able to accommodate LD3-46 containers.

The A319 had longer range than the A320 variant as it had the same fuel capacity and a lower take-off weight. An additional auxiliary fuel tank could be installed in the forward end of the aft hold, increasing range by 2,000 km (1,243 miles) to 5,550 km (3,449 miles). The A319 had full electronic control of ailerons, elevators, spoilers, flaps and leading-edge slats. Composite materials were used extensively, including CFRP, fibreglass-reinforced plastic, which was used in the wing leading-edges, undercarriage doors, fuselage belly fairing, fin leading-edge, fin fuselage fairing, rudder tail plane, elevators etc.

Final assembly took place at Hamburg in Germany. The prototype F-WWDB (c/n 546) made its first flight at Hamburg-Finkenwerder on 25 August 1995. Sales have been good and, in addition to airline users, two examples of the A319ACJ configured for 50 passengers were supplied to the Italian Air Force for VIP use. One of the largest operators was Easyjet. By late 2006 orders stood at 1,290 with 906 delivered.

First of the type to be operated in this region was imported in early 2007, this being an Airbus A319ACJ, based on the standard 319, which was leased from CIT Aerospace by Skytraders, a Bankstown, NSW operator, for the company’s contract to operate services between Hobart, TAS and the new ice runway at Casey Station in the Antarctic on behalf of the Australian Government Antarctic Division.  This aircraft, an A319-115LR, became VH-VHD (c/n 1999) on 16 February 2007 to Skytraders. It was joined by A319-132LR VH-VCJ (c/n 1880 – ex SX-DGH) on 17 December 2012 for Skytraders.