Airbus A318 - Family relationship - The A318 extends Airbus’ A320 Family product line into the 100-seat commercial jetliner market segment. Joining the A319, A320 and A321, it provides Airbus with one family of single-aisle aircraft that covers capacities from 100 to 220 seats.
As the smallest A320 Family member, the A318’s fuselage is 2.39 metres shorter than the A319. Takeoff weight choices of up to 66 metric tonnes provide airlines with greater operating flexibility and higher loads in operating the A318, with a maximum flight range of 2,800 km.
Designed to serve markets with frequent services on low-density routes, the A318 accommodates 107 passengers in a typical two-class cabin configuration. Airlines enjoy the benefits of Airbus technology, including one of the newest wing designs in its size category and the application of advanced materials in the airframe – providing more efficient operations and lower fuel consumption.
Wide cabin comfort - Airlines and passengers both benefit from the A318’s wide cabin, which ensures a high level of comfort and provides large overhead bins for carry-on luggage. The cabin cross-section also offers unrivalled cabin flexibility, ranging from four-abreast first class and five-abreast business seating to comfortable five- and six-abreast economy class arrangements. Unlike certain competitors, the A318 has large passenger and service doors at both the front and rear of the aircraft, allowing galley servicing and cabin cleaning to be carried out simultaneously. These larger doors speed passenger flow as well as the servicing.
Intelligent design - The advanced systems designed into the A318 begin with Airbus’ fly-by-wire flight controls and a state-of-the-art cockpit, which is shared with all of the other A320 Family aircraft. This enables A318 pilots to fly any other A320 Family jetliner with a single type rating, allowing airlines to schedule the aircraft best matched to passenger bookings on a per-flight basis. Pilots rated on the A318 also can transition more easily to the other fly-by-wire members of Airbus’ product line due to their high degree of commonality. Also incorporated in the A318 is Airbus’ digital cabin management system, which controls the operating of cabin lighting, pre-recorded messages, emergency evacuation signalling and other cabin-related tasks. It can verify the quantity of potable water onboard and allow a preselect of the quantity to be loaded, while the system’s digital databus allows the functioning of all passenger service units to be checked from one point.
Steep approach” capability - Airbus’ A318 is the largest commercial aircraft certified to land at steeper-than-usual gradients, making it ideal for operations at such constrained locations as downtown airports – translating to significant cost and time savings for business travellers. Since 2009, British Airways is operating A318s with “steep approach” capability from the in-close London City Airport to New York's JFK International Airport. These aircraft are equipped for premium service with seats that convert into full lie-flat beds, along with OnAir connectivity for passengers.
Two Pratt & Whitney PW-6000 or CFM International CF56-5 turbofans
with a thrust range from 96.0kN (21,600lb) to 105.9kN (23,800lb)
Max operating Mach No. M0.82
Range at 59 tonne (129,955lb) takeoff weight 2780km (1500nm), range at 61.5 tonne (135,463lb) takeoff weight 3705km (2000nm).
Standard max takeoff 59,000kg (130,100lb), optionally up to 68,000kg
(149,900lb). Typical operating weight empty 38,375kg (84.600lb)
Wing span 34.09m (111ft 10in), length 31.44m (103ft 2in), height 12.56m (41ft 2in), wing area 122.6m2 (1320ft2)
Flightcrew of two. Standard seating for 107 passengers (eight premium
class at four abreast and 97cm/38in pitch, 99 economy class at six
abreast and 81cm/32in pitch). Single class seating for 117 at 81cm
(32in) pitch at six abreast.
By Jan.2002 total orders for the A318 stood at 114.
Initial deliveries planned for late 2002.
 |
100 seat regional airliner
The A318 will be Airbus' smallest airliner and is the European manufacturer's first foray into the 100 seat market.
Airbus'
initial efforts at developing a 100 seat airliner were focused on the
all new AE31X program (covering the baseline 95 seat AE316 and 115-125
seat AE317) which Airbus and Alenia, as Airbus Industrie Asia, were
developing in conjunction with AVIC of China and Singapore Technologies.
The AE31X program arose out of earlier Chinese and South Korean studies
for a 100 seater and a framework agreement covering its development was
signed in May 1997. However on September 3 1998 Airbus announced
termination of the project saying it was not economically viable.
The
AE31X would have flown in mid 2002 and entered service in mid 2003.
Final assembly would have been undertaken at Xian in China by Xian
Aircraft Company.
Even
before the cancellation of the AE31X program Airbus had been
independently studying a minimum change 100 seat derivative of the A319
covered by the A319M5 designation (M5 = minus five fuselage frames).
Following the AE31X's cancellation Airbus announced the commercial
launch of the A319M5 as the A318 at the 1998 Farnborough Airshow.
Airbus
announced the A318's industrial launch in April 1999, allowing full
scale development to get underway, permitting service entry in late
2002. Program development cost is estimated at $US300m, and the list
unit price $US36m.
Compared
with the A319, the A318 is 4.5 frames shorter, reducing standard two
class seating from 124 to 107. The A318's other significant new feature
will be its powerplant, the newly developed Pratt & Whitney PW-6000
(being developed in the 67-102kN/15-23,000lb thrust class), but the CFM
International CFM56-5 is also available. Other changes will include a
small dorsal fin added to the tail, modified wing camber, and a reduced
size cargo door.
Otherwise
the A318 will retain much commonality with the rest of the A320 family,
including the advanced flightdeck with side stick controllers and
fly-by-wire flight controls allowing a common type rating, and the same
six abreast fuselage cross section.
The first flight was made on January 15, 2002 from Hamburg-Finkenwerder.
Dimensions & key data
The
smallest member of the A320 Family, the A318 retains all of the A320
Family’s advantages, in terms of comfort and provides highly efficient
operations in the 100-seat airliner category.
Dimensions
| Overall length |
31.44 m
|
| Cabin length |
21.38 m
|
| Fuselage width |
3.95 m
|
| Max cabin width |
3.70 m
|
| Wing span (geometric) |
34.10 m
|
| Height |
12.56 m
|
| Track |
7.59 m
|
| Wheelbase |
10.25 m
|
“Steep approach” capability
Airbus’ A318 is the largest commercial aircraft certified to
land at steeper than usual gradients, with the potential to transform
long-haul operations between city centres and reduce precious time and
costs for business travellers.
The A318 was approved for steep
approach landing capability by the European Aviation Safety Agency
(EASA) in 2007, with this modern jetliner certified for a 5.5-degree
approach slope. This compares to a nominal 3-degree slope for standard
operations.
Capacity
| Pax |
| Typical seating |
107 (2-class) |
| Max |
132 |
|
| Freight |
| LD3 capacity underfloor |
-
|
| Max pallet number underfloor |
-
|
| Bulk hold volume |
21.21 m³
|
| Total volume |
-
|
|
Engines
| PW6000A x2 |
|
| CFM56-5B x2 |
|
| Thrust range |
96 to 106 kN |
Wing span
34.10 m
Overall length
31.44 m
Height
12.56 m
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