The Airbus a320 is considered one of the most frequently used passenger airliners. Today there are more than 3.5 thousand aircraft of this series in the world air fleet. The largest Russian air carriers, such as Aeroflot, S7, Rossiya, have 50-60 Airbuses in their fleet. Due to its characteristics, A320 aircraft fly in the skies of Europe, Asia, as well as the Americas and Australia.
A320 is one of the most popular airliners
Manufacturer
The Airbus A320 is produced by the Airbus SAS aircraft manufacturing group, its headquarters is located in Toulouse, France, and the aircraft itself is assembled in factories in three countries: France, Germany (Hamburg) and Britain.
Airbus SAS headquarters in Toulouse
Since 2011, another assembly line has been launched in China. Airbus Corporation's workforce exceeds 50 thousand people. The very name of the airliner, “Airbus,” translates as “air bus”; it was the only acceptable linguistic option for the French management of the company.
Airbus A320 crashes
A320 aircraft have been flying all over the world since 1987 and are rightly considered not only the most comfortable, but also the most reliable. According to statistics, most of the crashes occurred due to the human factor, or due to weather conditions, and not at all due to a malfunction of the Airbus itself. Over all the years of operation, only 31 A320-200/100 aircraft crashed. Below is a list of the most famous Airbus A320 accidents.
| date | Route | Cause of the disaster | Victims |
| May 19, 2016 | Paris — Cairo | Cause unknown | 66/66 |
| October 31, 2015 | Sharm el-Sheikh – St. Petersburg | Explosion on board | 224/224 |
| March 24, 2015 | Barcelona-Dusseldorf | The co-pilot deliberately sent the plane into a mountainside | 150/150 |
| December 28, 2014 | Indonesia – Singapore | Technical problems and errors in troubleshooting them | 162/162 |
| July 27, 2014 | Tripoli Airport in Libya | Airport shelling | 0 |
| July 3, 2013 | Tripoli, Libya | Oxygen cylinder explosion during maintenance | 0 |
| May 5, 2012 | Sendai, Japan | The plane touched the runway with its tail while going around during landing. | 0 |
| September 24, 2010 | Palermo, Italy | Rough landing | 0/129 |
| July 28, 2010 | Karachi – Islamabad | Bad weather conditions | 152/152 |
| November 27, 2008 | Technical flight, Perpignan-Rivalt airport | Failure of angle of attack sensors when water gets into them during maintenance | 7/7 |
| May 30, 2008 | San Salvador – Tegucigalpa (Honduras) | The A320 plane took off from the runway | 3/121, 2 people on the ground |
| July 17, 2007 | Porto Alegre – Sao Paulo | Slippery road, the plane took off from the runway; incorrect engine mode | 199 |
| May 3, 2006 | Yerevan – Sochi | Difficult weather conditions during landing | 113/113 |
| August 23, 2000 | Cairo – Manama | The pilot lost control | 143/143 |
| March 22, 1998 | Bacolod, Philippines | Pilot error | 0/127, 3 people on the ground killed |
| January 20, 1992 | Lyon – Strasbourg | Autopilot parameters are set incorrectly | 87/96 |
| February 14, 1990 | Mumbai – Bangalore | Landing gear not retracted during landing | 92/146 |
Start of release and modification
Airplane A 321: interior diagram
The most popular aircraft in this series can be considered the Airbus 320, which was designed to become a competitor to the popular Boeing 727 series. Production began with modifications A320-100 (capacity 130 people) and A320-200 (150 people). Today, the “A320 line” also includes models 318, 319 and 321 modifications of Airbus.
For the first time, the narrow-body (in the cabin there is only one aisle between the rows of seats) new product from airbus industry a320 took to the skies in February 1987. For this aircraft, for the first time in the world, a plane control system was installed not from the helm, but from external devices via a hydraulic drive system. Despite being classified as a narrow-body aircraft, the Airbus A320 has one of the most impressive fuselages in terms of size - about 20 cm wider than similar airliner models. This feature makes it possible to make the seating areas for passengers even more comfortable and install up to six seats in each row.
What to consider when choosing a location
Business class travelers are advised to book a seat located in the second or fourth row. It should be noted that the selected flight may use an aircraft where the business class consists of only two rows. Among all economy class seats, experts highlight the seats in the tenth row. Their only drawback is the prohibition on placing luggage under the seat, as this can lead to blocking emergency exits. Travelers wishing to sit in this row are advised to select seats marked "F" and "A". These seats are located right next to the windows. Tickets for such seats are offered to passengers who have a strong constitution, since their duties include providing assistance to the crew in the event of an emergency.
Having considered the most comfortable seats, you need to move on to the uncomfortable chairs. This list includes all seats located in the rear of the cabin. There are toilet cabins in this part of the ship, which can cause an unpleasant odor. It should be taken into account that people will constantly be walking around the traveler, which may interfere with sleep or work. It should also be noted that the seats in the last row do not recline, due to their close location to the partition.
Flight characteristics
The A-320 airliner has the following technical characteristics:
- wing length - 34.1 m;
- aircraft height – 11.8 m;
- vessel length – 37.6 m;
- take-off weight - 73.5 tons;
- empty weight of the aircraft is 42.2 tons (a significant reduction in weight was achieved by the designers through the use of lightweight composite materials: plastic reinforced with carbon or fiberglass).
Boeing 737-800 aircraft: modifications and interior layout
Flight characteristics include:
- maximum flight range – 6150 km;
- cruising speed – 840 km per hour;
- maximum speed – 890 km per hour
- maximum flight altitude – 11.3 km;
- fuel consumption – 2.5 t/hour.
For your information. The cost of 1 unit of Airbus A-320 is about 94 million dollars.
Meats on the plane:
- maximum – 180;
- with two-class accommodation - 150.
In the liners of this model, the cabin height has been increased, which made it possible to make the shelves for hand luggage more extensive.
The Airbus A320 was the first to use wingtips called sharklets. These parts, about two and a half meters long, are made of lightweight composite materials and serve to improve the aerodynamics of the airliner’s wings, and also increase engine efficiency (up to 4 percent). The wings of Airbuses elongated in this way do not prevent them from easily maneuvering on the runways and taxiways. It is technically possible to mount sharklets on already produced and flying airliners. These details also visually improve the design of the aircraft and give it a futuristic, memorable look.
Sharklets are a “branded” part of the Airbus A-320
Cabin configuration features
This aircraft belongs to the category of medium-haul passenger aircraft, operating flights from 6 km to 150 km. The original version was the Airbus A320-100, which was soon modified with an additional fuel tank and a new wingtip. The configuration of both models is practically the same, with the exception of the number of seats in the business sector.
For information. If we compare other airliners of similar size and class, the A320 surpasses them in its spacious cabin for passengers, wide spaces for hand luggage, convenient hatches for loading luggage and significant deck capacity for cargo.
Passengers have access to change the lighting level near their seat, which is important during a long flight. Manufacturers updated the monitors in the computer network of the cabin and cockpit, and the displays were replaced with LCD equipment. The convenience of flight at a low cost ensured the popularity of the Airbus A320 among passengers.
Airbus A320 is a passenger airliner.
Layout of seats in the aircraft cabin
Aeroflot A 330 300 aircraft interior diagram
The Airbus cabin layout has two main options. Thus, the Aeroflot A320 airliner in one of the layouts has a 5-row seat system for business class, and the remaining seats are intended for economy class. Less used layout: two-row business class and even more economy seats.
Layout of seats in the cabin of the A 320 aircraft
Rows 1 to 5 (or 1-2) are reserved for business class passengers, 2 seats on each side of the aisle.
Row 6 (or 3) – economy class seats located in front of the partition between classes. Rows 8 to 10 (12 to 14) are located along the escape hatches (on both sides of the aircraft body). All other rows of seats are ordinary standard business class seats. Toilets are located behind rows 24-25 (29-30).
Description of seats by block of rows
The location of the most convenient seats for flying in the cabin of the Airbus A320 is easier to imagine on the diagram of the airliner used by Aeroflot.
Airbus A 320: diagram of the best and worst seats
The first row of business can hardly be called comfortable - you have to look at the wall the entire flight. There is no room to stretch your legs, and there will also be no footrests that are mounted on the seats in front. In addition, cradles for babies are usually attached to the partitions, and there is a high probability of listening to children's cries throughout the flight. Odors from the adjacent toilet and kitchen may also be disturbing. There is still one plus - no one will recline the seat back onto the passenger’s lap.
The seats in the 6th row of economy class also rest against the wall, which brings the same inconveniences and advantages as for business passengers. The inability to recline the front seat back due to the lack of one is even more pleasing, since in economy class there is even less space between the rows than in business class. The disadvantages of these seats include the location of the folding tables not in the back of the chair from the previous row, but in the armrest - this is unusual and not very convenient. In-flight catering service starts from here, so passengers have the opportunity to choose what they like, and not what is left. For passengers with children, the first rows of seats are the best and most recommended: for infants, you can attach the cradle to the wall, and with older children, you don’t have to be afraid that the child will kick the passenger in front in the back.
Rows 8 to 10 (12 to 14) are adjacent to emergency exits, this has both advantages and some inconveniences. The seats in these places are slightly sloping due to the presence of hatches on the sides of the cabin, for the same reason it can be a little colder here (the problem can be solved simply - with the help of a blanket from the flight attendant). Hand luggage will definitely have to be placed on the luggage racks above the seats, because you can’t put anything in front of your feet, because... this will complicate possible evacuation. Despite these shortcomings, rows 8-10 are the most comfortable (however, they are not accessible to everyone: due to the nature of these seats, the elderly, pregnant women, sick people and passengers with small children are not seated here - they will not be able to help the crew in emergency situations). The best seats on the airbus a320 are shown in green on the diagram. This is row number 10 (14), except for seats A and F. They even sell tickets for it with a small premium for comfort (the so-called space seats) - due to the location of the seats immediately behind the emergency exit hatches, an increased space is created where you can stretch legs, while the backs of the seats can be easily lowered (but in the previous two rows they are blocked).
The most comfortable row of seats in the Airbus A-320
The comfort of seats C and D in the 24th (29th) row (highlighted in yellow) has been reduced, people constantly walk past them and wait in line to get to the toilet.
The most unsuccessful in terms of comfort are seats 25 (30) of the last row (they are marked in red on the interior plan). Since there are toilets across a thin partition from them, all the unpleasant smells and sounds will disturb passengers throughout the flight. There will always be people coming and going to the bathroom and slamming the door. There is also no possibility to recline the back of the chair to a comfortable position. And, as a conclusion, by the last row there is practically no choice left from the food and drinks offered. Tickets for these seats can only be purchased in extreme cases.
The seats in other rows are ordinary, with no special advantages or disadvantages.
Nuances of choice
The article gallery contains photos that make it easy to determine what an Airbus A320 looks like, the layout of the cabin (Aeroflot), the best seats and seats that have disadvantages. In luxury cabins, it is optimal to purchase a boarding pass for seats from the second to fourth rows. By the way, another series of airliners, which involves reducing the cabin of this class to 2 rows, takes away the opportunity to choose.
Among the seats in the business class cabin, it is optimal to choose seats on the second - fourth row
If we consider standard seats, here experts especially note places 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E. Although these seats can be called the best, there are still negative aspects: it is strictly forbidden to place luggage at the bottom of the seat, so as not to block the exit to the emergency hatches. It will be quite comfortable to travel on seats marked A and F - after all, these are the seats near the windows.
The rows near the emergency exit doors do not accommodate people with children, pets or disabled people. After all, the function of opening the hatch in an unusual situation is assigned to such passengers, so physically healthy people who are not carrying oversized luggage sit here.
Now let's move on to the rating of the worst places on board . Seats 24D and 24C (in another modification they are located in row 29) are unlikely to live up to the best expectations - not every person will like to fly next to the toilet stalls. But the worst places are in the rear of the cabin. This is 25 (30) row. Firstly, this line borders the toilets. Secondly, the backs of the seats do not recline . It’s not very convenient when you want to relax, but people will pass by you all the time, and sometimes there will be quite a long line to the toilet. You will have to listen to the drain and the slamming of the door all the time. Usually, tickets for such a row are purchased when all the seats are already taken.
Facilities on board
Due to the considerable weight and high cost of equipment, A320 aircraft are not equipped with Wi-Fi based entertainment systems. For passengers, there are screens in the backs of the front seats (they also provide data on the current location of the aircraft, flight altitude and temperature outside). There are powerful air conditioners for air purification, and there are also individual directional lighting fixtures - quite bright, but not disturbing others. There are two sockets for every three adjacent chairs; gadgets can be charged via a USB port. It should be noted that not all boards are equipped with these amenities; it all depends on the specific aircraft.
The Airbus A-320 continues to be a very popular passenger aircraft in Europe. Manufacturers continue to improve and modernize it. Thus, at the beginning of 2016, the new Airbus A320-Neo was put into operation, which is characterized by increased efficiency and reduced engine noise.
Main characteristics of the Airbus A320 aircraft
Airbus A320 design
- Length (m): 37.57;
- Height (m): 11;
- Width (m): 3.7;
- Wingspan (m): 34.1;
- Maximum take-off weight (t): 77;
- Maximum speed km/h: 840;
- Capacity (persons): 150-180;
- Flight range (km): 6150;
- Fuel tanks (l): 30000;
- Fuel consumption (l/h): 2700;
- Emergency exits: 4;
- Main exits: 4.
The design of the A320 aircraft cabin is distinguished by special attention to maximum comfort for both passengers and the entire crew:
- wide cabin;
- comfortable, well-thought-out seats for the Airbus A320 crew commander and co-pilot;
- The increased cargo space makes loading luggage easier.
Photos of A320-100/200 aircraft
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Sharklets
Airbus A320 aircraft
Cabin of the A320-200 aircraft
Cabin of the A320-200 aircraft
Cockpit, modern electronic displays, side sticks
Cockpit, modern electronic displays, side sticks
“Sidestick” in the cockpit - located on the left hand of the aircraft commander and on the right hand of the co-pilot; is responsible for the roll of the airliner.
See also the article A380 aircraft and its capacity
Sidestick in the cockpit
Schematic drawing of A320
Schematic drawing of A320
Main settings
A320 100 200 - interior diagram
