https://www.engineeringnews.co.za

New versions of major airliner designs make first flights on same day

14th April 2017

By: Keith Campbell

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

     

Font size: - +

March 31 was a red-letter day in commercial aviation when two new versions of major airliners made their first flights. They were – in alphabetical order – the Airbus A319neo and the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner. The two flights took off from Hamburg, Germany, and North Charleston, in South Carolina, in the US. The A319neo is a single-aisle or narrow-body airliner, while the 787 is a twin-aisle or wide-body airliner.

The suffix ‘neo’ stands for ‘new engine option’ and the first A319neo was powered by two CFM International LEAP-1A engines. This is the third, smallest and last member of the A320neo-family of airliners, the other two being the A320neo itself and the A321neo. In addition to new-generation engines, the A320neo-family aircraft also incorporate other design refinements, including large upswept wingtips called sharklets. Airbus reports that the combination of the new engines and sharklets cuts fuel consumption by 15% and expects to increase this figure to 20% by 2020.

The Boeing 787-10 is the latest and longest version of the 787. It is 5.5 m longer than the 787-9. Boeing reports that it will be 25% more economical in fuel-per-seat terms than the types it will replace and 10% better than its competition. “The 787-10’s first flight moves us one step closer to giving our customers the most efficient airplane in its class,” states Boeing commercial airplanes president and CEO Kevin McAllister. “The airplane will give carriers added flexibility in growing their network routes and build on the overwhelming success of the 787 Dreamliner family.”

The A319neo’s first flight lasted five hours, ending with the aircraft landing in Toulouse, France. The flight test crew evaluated the general handling of the aircraft and checked its main systems. The aircraft was crewed by test pilots Michel Gagneux and Eckhard Hausser, test flight engineer Jean Michel Pin (all three on the flight deck) and, at their station in the cabin, flight test engineers Sylvie Loisel-Labaste and David O’nions. Although registered in Germany (D-AVWA), it will be based in Toulouse for its flight test programme.

The first flight of the 78710 lasted four hours and 58 minutes. During the flight, the flight controls, systems and aircraft handling qualities were evaluated. It was flown by test and evaluation pilots Tim Berg and Mike Bryan. A comprehensive flight test programme will now be carried out, leading to the first deliveries to customer airlines during the first half of next year.

The A320neo family as a whole has so far won more than 5 000 orders from more than 90 customers, taking nearly 60% of the world market. The A319neo can take up to 160 passengers (the largest member of the family, the A321neo, can take up to 240 passengers). The A319neo also offers operators improved performance at short airfields, in hot conditions and at high altitudes.

The 787-10 alone has so far won 149 orders from nine customers around the world. These are Singapore Airlines (the launch customer), All Nippon Airways, British Airways, Etihad Airlines, EVA Air, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, United Airlines and lease groups Air Lease Corporation and GE Capital Aviation.

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

Comments

Showroom

Condra Cranes
Condra Cranes

ISO-certified Condra manufactures overhead cranes, portal cranes, cantilever cranes and crane components: hoists, drives, end-carriages, brakes and...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Rentech
Rentech

Rentech provides renewable energy products and services to the local and selected African markets. Supplying inverters, lithium and lead-acid...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.101 0.149s - 137pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now