Airbus to invest $1.3 billion on new A320 engines

[News_Editor]

Airbus to invest $1.3 billion on new A320 engines

2010-12-02 01:15:00 GMT+7 (ICT)

BLAGNAC, FRANCE (BNO NEW) —Airbus on Wednesday announced its decision to upgrade the engines on its A320 aircraft that will provide reductions in noise and CO2 emissions, which has been estimated to cost the company around $1.3 billion.

Known as the A320neo, this new engine option also incorporates fuel-saving large wing tip devices called Sharklets, delivering significant fuel savings of up to 15 percent, which represents up to 3,600 tons of CO2 savings annually per A320neo.

Airbus said that A320neo customers would benefit from a double-digit reduction in NOx emissions, reduced engine noise, lower operating costs and up to 500nm (590 miles) more range or two tons more payload.

"Finding the necessary resources for the A320neo wasn't exactly a walk in the park," said Tom Enders, Airbus President and CEO.

"The enabler was to devise a stringent phasing of critical engineering assets throughout our various development programs and to optimize the management and organization of all our programs and R&T projects. Our international engineering centers, suppliers and partners play a big role in this," Enders added.

The new engine option is offered on the A321, A320 and A319 models which will require limited modifications, primarily to the wing and pylon areas. In addition, the A320neo will have over 95 percent airframe commonality with the standard A320 Family.

"We are confident that the A320neo will be a great success across all markets and with all types of operators, offering them maximum benefit with minimum change," Enders said. "We are leveraging a reliable, mature aircraft and are making it even more efficient and environmentally friendly."

The A320 is recognized as the benchmark single-aisle aircraft with over 6,700 aircraft sold, and more than 4,400 aircraft delivered to some 310 customers and operators worldwide. Iit is the world’s best-selling single-aisle aircraft family. With 99.7 per cent reliability and extended servicing periods, the A320 Family has the lowest operating costs of any single aisle aircraft, the company said.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2010-12-02

[elliss]

lets hope they stay on board . :jap: