The Airbus A320 is a passenger jet airliner with a narrow fuselage and the first aircraft to use a fly-by-wire control system. It belongs to the short- and medium-haul type. Serial production of the A320 began in 1988. The airliner is extremely popular among airlines. Until 2017, about 8 thousand vehicles were produced, of which 6.5 thousand are still in use.
A320 versions
The first version of the Airbus A320-100 airliner, developed in the 80s of the last century and produced in limited quantities: 21 cars in total. The fact is that almost immediately the A320-200 model was developed, which became the leading modification of the Airbus. This aircraft is equipped with additional fuel tanks to increase its flight range. Its variations A 320-212, A320-214, A 320-232, A 320-231 did not undergo significant changes in flight characteristics. The updates concerned mainly the internal configuration.
In the early 2010s. As a result of a deep modernization of the A320, the newest ultra-modern Airbus A320neo aircraft appeared, which made its first commercial flight on January 21, 2016 with Lufthansa.
Layout of the passenger cabin of the Airbus A320
Anyone who is about to fly on this Airbus is undoubtedly concerned about the question of what the passenger cabin of the A320 looks like? In its segment, it is distinguished by its spaciousness and roomy niches for storing hand luggage. The cargo deck has a large capacity. The plane has different variants configuration of the passenger cabin, inside which can accommodate up to 180 people. However, more often an airbus has two classes of service: business and economic. The business sector can be designed for:
- 8 seats (EasyJet carrier),
- 12 seats (Russia Airlines),
- 20 seats (at Aeroflot).
Thus, total seats can be reduced to 134, and the capacity of the economy sector accordingly to 114.
Passenger scheme Airbus cabin A320
Economy class
Economy seats start in rows 3, 4 or 6. They are located immediately behind the business sector partition. When eating, passengers in these seats use folding tables. The seats are arranged in a “3×3” type. They can have a width of 43.2 cm and 45.7 cm. If the seats are narrow, then the passage between the seats is quite wide and amounts to 63.5 cm. This creates additional convenience for passengers occupying seats on the edge. They will not be touched by people passing by. The economy class cabin has two bathrooms, which are located at the end of the cabin immediately behind the last row.
Business Class
From 1 to 2 (in other configurations there are 3 or 5 rows) there are business seats of the “2x2” type. Wide seats (57 cm), an almost horizontally reclining backrest, and a footrest create comfortable flight conditions for passengers in this class of service. The distance between the rows is more than half a meter, so a passenger who wants to take a nap will not cause any inconvenience to the people sitting behind him, even if he reclines the back of his seat at the maximum possible angle.
Best places
- seats C and D on the Airbus A320-214 are located in close proximity to the toilet;
- Most people are not very pleased to see a wall in front of them (at a distance of 1 -1.5 m) for several hours.
6th row (in other trim levels 3rd or 4th row) - these are the first economy seats. They have more legroom, and for passengers traveling with children under 2 years old, this is the most comfortable row because:
- cradles are attached to the wall in front;
- other passengers will not be disturbed here: there is no reclining seat in front, and technical rooms (toilet and kitchen) are located at the end of the plane.
Photos of the salon
The 13th row (10 or 11 in terms of other trim levels) also has additional legroom, since here the seats are located immediately behind the emergency hatch. However, the A320 has two escape hatches, and the second is located directly behind the 13th row, limiting the recline angle of the backrest.
The greatest comfort in the economy class cabin, of course, is found in row 14 seats (11 or 12 in other trim levels). Their legroom is increased due to the emergency hatch, and the reclining angle of the seat is not limited. However, according to existing rules For air travel safety, seats in front of emergency hatches should not be occupied by children, pregnant women, disabled people and passengers transporting animals.
Main characteristics
Advanced technologies for the end of the last century radically changed the equipment of the A320 airliner:
- In the cockpit, the instrument panel with arrows was replaced by an electronic one, which was equipped with beam displays (then they were replaced by LCD monitors).
- The flight of the A320 aircraft is controlled by convenient side handles instead of a steering wheel. The trajectory set by them is first analyzed by the on-board computer, and only then fed to the steering planes.
- Electrical remote control allowed the aircraft to be flown by a crew of only two pilots, as control of the aircraft became much easier.
The A320 has other less bright ones, but still significant characteristics: This is an increase in the number of doors: 4 passenger exits and the same number of emergency exits.
Design features
The Airbus 320 is a monoplane with a low-swept wing with engines located underneath it.
Capacity, dimensions, weight
A 320 can accommodate 180 passengers, while the maximum payload of the aircraft is 16,600 kg.
The length of this aircraft is 37.57 m, while the length of the passenger cabin is only 27.5 m and the width is 3.7 m. The wing span of the airliner is 34.1 m. They are quite thin and have improved aerodynamics, which contributes to economical fuel consumption and reducing inductive reactance. Aeroflot was the first Russian carrier to operate the A320 with new aerodynamic Sharklets - wingtips.
Its commercial weight also depends to a certain extent on how much the aircraft itself weighs. So maximum takeoff weight a320 is 78 tons, landing - 66 tons with a low aircraft weight of 42,100 kg.
Flight data
The A320 can reach speeds of up to 890 km/h with a take-off speed of 240 km/h. It is capable of covering distances up to 6150 km at maximum height flight 11900 m, but not every airfield can accept this airbus. Landing strip must correspond to the minimum length of its take-off distance, which is 2090 m. The design of the aircraft assumes fuel consumption at cruising speed (840 km/h) of 2,600 l/h. At the same time, the volume of fuel tanks is 24,210 - 27,200 liters.
The history of the Airbus A320
The Airbus Industry A320 first took to the skies in 1987. It passed tests quickly enough, without any complaints, and was certified. The first customer of the developed airbuses was the famous European airline Air France. And in the early spring of 1988, the A320 airliner made its very first regular flight.
Since then the car has been improved several times. The A320neo is a representative of the new generation of narrow-body long-haul airliners. On September 25, 2014, the a320neo was tested for the first time. By the end of the year the car was certified. This required lifting the airliner into the sky 600 times. The total flight duration was 1,700 hours.
Where is it produced?
Components produced at Airbus factories are transported to Toulouse for final assembly of the A320. In order to financially improve the company, in 2007 the production of the A320 was transferred from France to Germany, and additionally production of these machines was established in China. Also in 2010, an agreement was concluded for the production of components for the airliner at the aircraft plant in Irkutsk.
Cost of different models
How much an Airbus A320 costs depends on the year of manufacture, modification and wear and tear of the car and varies from 65 to 105 million dollars. So board a320-200 2002. with a total flight time of 26,435 hours can be purchased for $70,000,000, and a used modernized A320neo: for $102.8 million. New airliners are much more expensive. For example, the just released a320-214 will cost the buyer $93.9 million or more (specific features only increase the cost of the car), and the a320neo will cost $107.3 million.
Last year, Airbus received a huge number of orders for 1,619 airliners with a total value of $240.5 billion.
News, modernization, prospects
The a320 has a great future. Such airbuses are in demand in the passenger aircraft market. According to a long-term thirty-year forecast made by Boeing, global airlines need 38,050 new aircraft, including 26,730 narrow-body aircraft.
The modern, modernized A320neo of various configurations is especially popular among airlines. And although the fleets of leading companies in the medium-haul aircraft segment are still dominated by A320-200s of all modifications, the future still lies with a new version of this airliner.
Watch the video about the history of creation Airbus aircraft A320
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Airlines with a high level of service try to make air travel as comfortable as possible. However, flying is still quite a tiring thing. That’s why it’s so important to choose the right seats in the cabin. One of the most popular aircraft currently used to transport passengers over long distances is the Airbus 320. The interior layout of both models (320-100 and 320-200) looks approximately the same. Currently only the second model is in operation. From first to technical reasons the developers refused. But first things first.
History of creation
Narrow-body aircraft for short and medium-haul airlines. Airbus began developing the A320 after the success of the A300. The main features of the new product were a digital cockpit and an EDCS (remote control system). Instead of mechanical instruments in front of the pilots’ eyes, already in 1988 all flight data was displayed on a cathode-ray screen. The third innovation is the use of sidesticks instead of steering wheels. These side handles were directly connected to the aircraft's control apparatus. Any movement on the sidesticks was instantly processed by on-board computers and put into action. High level automation made it possible to limit the number of crew to two pilots. For the same reason, this model is actively used by Aeroflot.
Airbus 320, the interior diagram of which is presented below, has a length of 37.59 m, a height of eleven meters, and a maximum width of thirty-four meters. With a maximum load of one and a half hundred people, the airliner can cover a distance of six thousand kilometers. The difference in modifications affected the number of seats. The two-class model is designed for 150 passengers, and the one-class model is designed for one hundred and eighty.
Airbus 320 aircraft: updated interior layout
The A320 has a number of advantages compared to other airliners: large shelves for hand luggage in the spacious cabin, wide hatches for loading luggage and a large cargo deck. In the early 2000s, the cladding panels in the cabin were changed, FAPs were made with touch screens, the volume of shelves for hand luggage increased by eleven percent, LED individual lighting and the ability to adjust the brightness of the cabin appeared. In addition, computer logistics were updated, cathode-ray screens were replaced with LCD displays. For these reasons, as well as due to its relatively low cost, the Airbus is very popular in the world.
Production
Parts from various factories are supplied to Toulouse for final assembly of the A320. In 2007, German managers achieved the transfer of production to Germany. Production capacity is forty-two units per month, in KRN - fifty aircraft per year. Some parts supplied with the A320 release allows Airbus Industrie to compensate for losses associated with the production of the A380. But the company incurs losses due to the difference in exchange rates. Payment for equipment occurs in dollars, and production is concentrated in the Eurozone. The successful model served as the basis for the development of the A321, A319 and A318.
Airbus 320: interior diagram
Aeroflot names the best seats on the plane as follows: A, B, E, F in the fourth row and B, C, D, E in the eleventh. General rules seat selection - standard. Before purchasing a ticket, familiarize yourself with the aircraft layout diagram from booklets that can be purchased at the ticket office. “Good” tickets sell out quickly, so it’s better to arrive early for registration. It is better not to purchase places in the tail, near the galleys and toilets. When purchasing, be guided by your taste: if you are going to sleep the whole trip, it is better to choose a place near the wall, and if you are admiring the clouds, then by the porthole. These are two different concepts. Study the brochures carefully.
The Airbus 320 200, the interior diagram of which is presented below, includes twenty-five rows of five or six seats each. The first five rows are dedicated to business class. The distance between the rows in this model is quite limited. The first row has its own characteristics:
- business chairs have a large angle of inclination, you can easily recline the back without hitting anyone;
- Passengers with small children rarely fly business class, although the entire cabin is equipped with mounts for baby bassinets;
- business class passengers will not have special place for legs.
Economy Class Features
The sixth row is located in front of the partition of the Airbus 320 airliner. The interior diagram demonstrates this in detail. The seat pitch in economy class is even smaller. But passengers in a separate row do not have to worry that someone will recline their seat on them. If you don’t take magazines with you on the road, you’ll always have to admire the wall in front. Since this is the first row of economy class, service begins from there.
The eighth row is close to the emergency exit. Therefore, the seat backs are very limited in movement. Passengers in the ninth row will face the same problem. Places A and F can be beveled. But, thanks to the large distance between the rows, passengers can sit comfortably with their legs stretched out. If one of your neighbors needs to go out, they can do so without disturbing you.
The first nine seats B and E do not have porthole access. They are located in the middle of the row. Passengers from seats C and D can quickly leave them at any time without disturbing their neighbors. But flight attendants with trolleys and other flight participants may be in the way when they move along the aisle in the Airbus 320 100 model.
The interior layout is designed in such a way that the best economy class seats are in the tenth row: B, C, D and E. Passenger comfort is achieved by easily reclining seats and large legroom. But hand luggage will have to be placed under your feet, since there is no space under the seats for it. This situation will make access to escape hatches difficult. It is better not to buy tickets for the ninth and tenth rows for passengers with children and the elderly. The most safe places on this plane they are in the fourth and eleventh rows, as they are located next to the emergency exits.
Other interior features
The outer seats of the twenty-fourth row can be very uncomfortable due to their close proximity to the toilet stalls. It is worth preparing in advance for constant accumulation people at the chairs. The seats in the last, twenty-fifth row are considered the most uncomfortable on the plane. In addition to the smell from the toilet, constant movement, the sound of the tank draining and slamming stall doors, people sitting in the last row will not be able to recline their chair back.
Even the tallest passengers may feel uncomfortable on this plane. This is due not only to turbulence, but also to technical nuances airliner. However, despite these shortcomings, the A320 model is one of the most successful in the world. More than four thousand cars have already been produced, seven more are being prepared for launch.
Development prospects
Although the A320 made its first flight a quarter of a century ago, the aircraft is constantly being modernized. Currently, developers are working on installing new engines that will save fuel by fifteen percent, as well as increase the flight range by 950 km or the payload by two tons. The Airbus 320, whose interior layout is practically no different from its predecessor, received the prefix neo- (new engine options) in its name. According to the company's general director, the new equipment will reduce operating costs by 20%. is preparing for release in 2016. And in just 15 years, Airbus production plans to sell 4,000 units. 670 orders have already been collected for a total quantity of one thousand units. In Russia, the first customer was the airline Transaero.
Summary
The most comfortable aircraft for long flights today is the Airbus 320. The cabin layout, studied in detail before purchasing a ticket, allows you to determine a comfortable place for the flight. Depends on this general impressions about the time spent on the plane. No. 4 (A, B, E, F) and No. 11 (B, C, D, E) are the safest seats on the Airbus 320 airliner. The S7 interior diagram demonstrates this in detail.
The Airbus A320 is a narrow-body aircraft designed for medium and short-haul flights. Released in 1988, it is the first passenger transport aircraft to be equipped with a fly-by-wire control system. The Airbus A320 is one of the most popular aircraft of our time; it is still in production and is constantly being improved.
At first the Airbus A320-100 was produced in small numbers, but it was soon replaced by the A320-200, which became the main modification of the Airbus A320.
Specifications
- Wingspan – 34.1 m.
- The length of the airliner is 37.57 m.
- Cruising speed – 840 km/h.
- Maximum speed– up to 890 km/h.
- Flight range – up to 6,150 km.
- Number of seats – 140 to 180.
- Cabin length – 27.5 m.
- The cabin width is 3.7 m.
Aeroflot Airbus A320 interior diagram
The airline “uses two modifications of Airbus cabin layouts, which differ in the number of seats and the ratio of the number of seats in business class and economy class.
Option 1
Business Class
This part of the cabin is the most comfortable; it is located in the bow of the aircraft. The seats are arranged in a standard 2:2 pattern, with a total of 5 rows. The best seats are difficult to determine, but row 1 is located in front of the kitchen and bathroom, which can cause some discomfort.
Economy class
The chairs are arranged in 3 in 2 rows.
Row 6 – located immediately behind business class and separated by a partition, which makes the flight less comfortable. But these seats have extra space in the front and this is where there is space for attaching bassinets, which can be a plus for passengers with children, but also a minus for those who do not want to spend several hours in the company of babies.
If you need a cradle during the flight, you need to notify about this in advance on the company’s official website during check-in.
Row 9 is located in front of the emergency exits, which guarantees limited mobility of the seat backs. And places A and F are slightly deformed.
Row 10 right behind the emergency exits - there is a lot of space in the front, but seats A and F are also deformed. And seats B, C, D and E belong to the Space+ class (superior comfort), to get these seats you will need to pay extra.
Seats at emergency exits may not be occupied by all categories of passengers. Namely: passengers under 18 years of age, with physical or mental disorders, passengers with children or pregnant women. Also, hand luggage cannot be transported near the seats; it must be stowed on the upper shelves. All these restrictions are necessary to ensure safety during emergency situations. Therefore, passengers occupying these seats must speak Russian and English.
Row 24 is not the most convenient, since it is not far from the toilet rooms, and seats C and D are especially inconvenient, because passengers heading to the toilet will constantly be in the way.
25 is the last row, behind it there is a bathroom. Besides the smells and crowds, the downside is that the backs of the chairs are not movable. Therefore these places should be avoided.
Best places
- all business class;
- Row 10, economy class seats B, C, D and E.
Nice places
- 6th row – economy class;
- Row 10, seats A and F.
Worst places
- Rows 24 and 25.
Option 2
Business Class
This aircraft layout is different in that there are fewer seats in business class. Only 2 rows according to the 2:2 pattern. They are similar to the business class of the first option.
Economy class
The countdown starts from row 6 to 30.
Row 6 corresponds to the first variation.
Row 13 is similar to row 9, and row 14 is similar to row 10.
Rows 29 and 30 are the outermost rows of the aircraft, they are similar to rows 24 and 25 of option 1.
Best places
- Business Class;
- 14th row of seats B, C, D and E in economy class.
Nice places
- 6th row – economy class;
- 13 row seats A and F.
Worst places
- Rows 29 and 30.
When choosing seats for a flight, you need to not only look at the plane’s layout in advance, but also decide on a seat in a row.
Aisle seats should be chosen by passengers who prefer to have quick access to bathrooms or walk around the cabin during a flight.
Window seats are suitable for passengers who do not mind sleeping or looking out the window during the flight.
The seats in the middle are the least comfortable. The view from the window is limited and if you want to go out you will have to disturb your neighbor.
If you are planning a flight as a couple, you can take an aisle seat and a window seat in the same row. Since the seats in the middle are not in demand, there is a high probability that no one will take this place. In this case, you will have more free space.
Choose seats according to your preferences and enjoy your flight with Aeroflot airlines and Airbus A320 aircraft.
All Airbus A320s in the Rossiya Airlines fleet have the same interior layout, which does not apply to other types of aircraft.
In fact, the layout of the A320 cabins is the same as the A319 cabin, with minor exceptions.
general information
A320 interior layout 
For general tips on choosing the best places, read our article.
Business Class
There are 3 rows allocated for the business class cabin in the bow of the A320. Classic wide seats arranged in a 2 x 2 pattern. For each seat A or F in row there are two windows.
We will not dwell in detail on the description of business class, because... any seat in any row provides comfort during the flight.
Economy class
How to choose the best seats in the A320 cabin and get the most out of your flight with Rossiya Airlines?
Economy class on this type of aircraft starts at row 4 and ends at row 29.
Row 4
If you are not a frequent flyer, it will be useful to know that the first row of economy class is where the best seats on the Airbus A320 are located.
The exception is the option when the salon from full economy was converted into Eurobusiness + economy.
The seats on the 4th row have increased legroom. In front, instead of a seat with an unpredictable passenger, there is a partition.
Not having a chair in front of you is a big plus. No one will recline their back, invading personal space. Children won't throw their toys into your lunch.
No queues for the toilet at the bow of the plane, because the must see in any airliner are the toilets in the tail. Well, you will be the first to taste the food served in full, fresh and hot.
Passengers in seats A and F have two windows at their disposal - twice as many views outside the window, one might say.
Rows 5-8
The seat pitch in these rows is standard. This block of seats has the advantages of the bow section of the cabin described above.
Except for the 8th row. The view from the window may be partially obscured by the leading edge of the wing and the aircraft engine. Increased noise during flight is also possible.
Rows 9-11
The seats in both rows are above the wing. A partial window view is available on seats 9A and 9F. One of the inconveniences of the 9th row is possible increased noise from the engine.
The block of seats above the wing is a low-noise zone. The aircraft engine completely covers the wing and cuts off noise to this part of the cabin.
Air tickets for Rossiya Airlines flights can be purchased On this website.
Row 12
Emergency row with increased legroom in seats B, C, D, E. Please note that the seats next to the windows have standard legroom.
Rows 13-16
All the advantages and disadvantages of over-wing seats are described above.
Row 17
The disadvantages of the seats include the trailing edge of the wing that partially blocks the view and increased noise from the engine in flight.
Row 18-28
If you want to be in the thick of things, if you like large crowds of people, go to the rear of the cabin.
The seat parameters here are no different from the seats in the bow of the A320, just keep this in mind. The closer to the back your seat is, the more often you will contemplate the queue of people suffering to get into the toilet rooms, who will lean on the backs of chairs near the aisle while waiting, creating increased noise from conversations.
Airbus A320neo. Photo: Manuel Mueller | Airliners.net
A medium-range jet aircraft capable of carrying up to 180 passengers and transporting them over a distance of up to 6,150 km.
The Airbus A320 was developed in the mid-80s and contained many innovative solutions. For example, the A320 became the world's first passenger aircraft with the Fly-By-Wire fly-by-wire control system (previously used only on fighter aircraft). The cockpit was equipped with sidesticks instead of conventional steering wheels. Instead of outdated dial indicators, displays were installed in the cockpit that display flight parameters. The place of the flight engineer has been replaced by computers that calculate all the necessary flight data and also monitor the work of the crew. Also, for the first time, composite materials were used in the design to lighten the weight of the aircraft.
The Airbus A320 made its first flight in February 1987. Commercial operation of the liner began in March 1988.
Compared to other airliners of similar size, the A320 series is spacious passenger compartment with large shelves for hand luggage, large cargo capacity of the lower (cargo) deck and wide hatches for loading luggage.
More than two decades have passed since the appearance of the A320, but the aircraft is constantly being modernized in accordance with the requirements of the time. Airbus is currently offering a new modification of the A320neo airliner with more powerful and fuel-efficient engines, as well as an improved wing design.
The main competitor of the airliner is.
Family Airbus aircraft A320
- - the smallest member of the A320 family. Accommodates from 107 to 132 passengers.
- - modification of the A320 with a shortened fuselage by reducing the number of passenger seats by two rows, has the longest flight range in the entire family (6,850 km)
- - basic modification of the liner, accommodating from 150 to 180 passengers
- - extended version of the A320, accommodating from 185 to 220 passengers
Specifications:
ICAO code: A320
Crew: 2 people
Length: 37.57 m
Wingspan: 34.1 m
Fuselage diameter: 3.95 m
Max. takeoff weight: 78,000 kg
Cruising speed: 840 km/h or 0.78 M
Passenger capacity: 150-180
Range of flight: 6,150 km
Max flight altitude: 11,800 m or FL390
Airbus A320 interior layout:
Aeroflot Airbus A320 interior. Photo: Mehrad Watson | Airliners.net
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