The first A320neo airliner prototype lifted off today from Toulouse-Blagnac Airport France at 12 noon local time on its maiden flight lasti...
The first A320neo airliner prototype lifted off today from Toulouse-Blagnac Airport France at 12 noon local time on its maiden flight lasting around two and a half hours.
The aircraft was flown by Airbus Experimental Test Pilots Philippe Pellerin and Etienne Miche de Malleray, accompanied by Test-Flight Engineer Jean-Paul Lambert. The flight profile were monitored by the Flight-Test Engineers Manfred Birnfeld and Sandra Bour-Schaeffer.
The assembly of the aircraft, MSN6101 with registration F-WNEO, began in March 2014 and was rolled outin July.
During the flight, which took the aircraft around southern France, the crew explored the aircraft’s flight envelope and systems operation, while the progress was monitored by experts on the ground in real-time via a direct telemetry link.
The Airbus A320neo (new engine option) features two new engine choices, Sharklets fuel-saving wingtip devices and a further optimised cabin to deliver unbeatable efficiency and comfort.
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| Sharklet fuel saving winglet |
The two latest-generation engine choices are CFM International’s LEAP-1A and the Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1100G-JM Geared Turbofan Engine.
The A320neo was powered by PW1100G-JM engines, lifted off from Blagnac, weighing 60 tonnes.
The A320neo with Pratt & Whitney engines will be the first variant in the Neo Family to receive type certification followed by its entry into airline service in the 4th quarter of 2015 with launch customer Qatar Airways.
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| PW-1100G-JM Geared Turbofan Engine |
The A320neo Family, encompassing the A319neo, A320neo and A321neo, seating up to 160, 189 and 240 passengers respectively, is the world's best-selling single-aisle family.
A320neo has won over 3,200 orders from 60 customers, representing a 60% market share.
