Business Aviation

The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus. The family includes the A318, A319, A320, and A321, as well as the ACJ business jet.

The first member of the A320 family, the A320, was launched in March 1984, first flew on 22 February 1987, and was first delivered in 1988. The family was soon extended to include the A321 (first delivered 1994), the A319 (1996), and the A318 (2003). The A320 family pioneered the use of digital fly-by-wire flight control systems in commercial aircraft. Although there has been a continuous improvement process since introduction, currently the A320 Enhanced program includes greater improvements. The Airbus A320 family has over 4,200 aircraft built and an additional 2,300 aircraft on order as of March 2010. According to Airbus, it ranked as the world's fastest-selling jet airliner family according to records from 2005 to 2007, and as the best-selling single generation aircraft programme.

The A319 is a shortened, minimum change version of the A320. With virtually the same fuel capacity as the A320-200, and fewer passengers, the range with 124 passengers in a two-class configuration extends to 3,600 nautical miles (6,900 km), the highest in its class. A319s are among the most popular variants of the A320 family. In 2003 EasyJet took delivery of A319s with smaller galleys (as EasyJet does not serve meals on some of its shorter flights) and 156 seats in a single class configuration. To satisfy evacuation regulations, additional over-wing exits were included. Easyjet later became the largest A319 operator.

According to The New York Times the A319 was introduced at the request of Steven Udvar-Hazy. With jet fuel prices rising dramatically, Northwest Airlines is replacing the McDonnell Douglas DC-9 aircraft it has had in service for decades with the A319, because it is 27% more fuel efficient than the DC-9.

The large easyJet order of 120 A319s plus 120 options was among the biggest aircraft sales deals in recent times, rivaled only by chief competitor Ryanair's order for Boeing 737 aircraft.

It is powered by the same types of engine as the A320. JAA certification and service entry, with Swissair, took place in April 1996.