AIRCRAFT
Following the success of the Airbus A321, the lengthened version of the A320, Airbus gave the go-ahead for the shortened 120-seat version, the A319, at the Paris Airshow in June 1993. This addition enabled the consortium to provide a family of maximum-commonality, single-aisle, advanced-technology airliners covering the 120-220 seat range.
The decision was made on the basis of just six orders placed by ILFC late in 1992 and the predicted better prospects of the commercial airliner market, which were certainly realised. The first A319 airline order came from French carrier Air Inter (since merged into Air France), whose order for six was announced in February 1994. Following that, Swissair, Air Canada, Lufthansa, Northwest, United, US Airways and British Airways were among the major customers that ordered the A319 (all also operate or had on order A320s).
The A319 is shortened by the removal of three frames (1.60m) of the basic A320 fuselage forward of the wing and four frames (2.13m) behind the wing. The wing and tail surfaces of the A320-200 are used on the A319, but, because of the shorter moment arm of the tail control surfaces (from the aircraft's C of G), the deflection angles or rate of movement had to be increased to get the same flying characteristics.
The MTOW (maximum takeoff weight) is reduced to 64 tonnes, reducing runway needs. Power is provided by either the General Electric CFM-56-A or the IAE V2500-A5, de-rated versions of the engines used in the A320. They should therefore suffer less wear and have a longer life.
Development costs of the A319 have been put at $275 million.
Airbus claims a commonality in the A320 family of at least 80%. Like the A321, A330 and A340, the A319 features Airbus's common two-crew glass cockpit with sidestick controllers that was first introduced on the A320. There are significant crew-training cost benefits and operational savings from this arrangement as the A319, A320 and A321 can all be flown by pilots with the same type rating, meaning that the same flight-crew pool can fly any of the three types. Further, the identical cockpits mean reduced training time for crews converting to the larger A330 and A340. Commonality also leads to greater flexibility in airline operations.
Like the A321, A319 final assembly takes place in Hamburg with DaimlerChrysler Aerospace Airbus (DASA). Final assembly of all other Airbus airliners, including the A320, takes place at Toulouse.
The A319 flew for the first time on August 25, 1995, from Hamburg. European JAA certification took place in April 1996. The first A319 delivery was to Swissair, also in April 1996.
With virtually the same fuel capacity as the A320-200, but with fewer passengers, the A319 can fly farther. With 124 passengers in a 2-class configuration, its range is 3,900 nautical miles (7200 km), the most in its class.
The A320 and A319 are the most popular variants of the A320 family. The massive easyJet order for 120 A319s plus 120 options was one the largest aircraft sales deals in recent times, rivalled only by chief competitor Ryanair's order for Boeing 737 aircraft. Deliveries to easyJet started in 2003. Their A319s have smaller galleys (as easyJet does not serve meals) and 156 seats in a single class configuration. To satisfy evacuation regulations additional over-wing exits are provided.
Currently, Northwest Airlines holds the record for the shortest scheduled A319 service. This is from Bishop International Airport in Flint, MI to Detroit Metro Airport, a distance of about 57 miles (91 km).
An A319 is used by the Escadron [Squadron] de transport, d'entraînement et de calibrage, which is in charge of transportation for France's officials.
The A319 forms the basis for the new baby of the Airbus family, the 100-seater A318 (described separately)
The A319's closest competitors are the Boeing 737-300 and 737-700.
The A319CJ is the Corporate Jet version of the aircraft, which, with up to seven auxiliary fuel tanks installed in the cargo compartment, can carry 10 passengers over distances of up to 6,900 nm (12,800 km). The first was delivered to the Italian Air Force in February 2000. Since 2003, an A319CJ has been the main presidential aircraft of Brazil. The model seats up to a maximum of 39 passengers but may be outfitted by customers into any configuration.
DaimlerChrysler, Reliance Industries, and PrivatAir of Switzerland are among the users of the A319CJ, which is also known as the ACJ, or Airbus Corporate Jet. Upon resale, the aircraft can be reconfigured as a standard A319 by removing the extra tanks, thus maximizing its resale value. The model competes with other corporate jets such as the Gulfstream V, the Boeing 737-700 based Boeing Business Jet (BBJ), and Bombardier's Global Express. (The A319CJ is described separately.)
The A319LR version features an all-business-class layout with 48 seats, specifically tailored for exclusive business class services on intercontinental routes. The A319LR, compared to the A319CJ, has four auxiliary fuel tanks instead of seven. Typical range is 4,500 nautical miles (8300 km).
Lufthansa operates a premium business service between Germany and the USA using a fleet of A319LRs operated by PrivatAir. Qatar Airways, however, fit their A319LRs with 110 standard seats.
As of November 2006, total deliveries of the A319 stand at 924.
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