Earlier this month, the Airbus A319neo with CFM Engines was formally achieved typed certification by EASA.
Airbus A319neo test plane – Image, Airbus.
The certification applies to the A319neo fitted with the CFM International LEAP-1A engines
This marks an important point for Airbus, with all three narrow body neo (new engine option) are now certified to fly with LEAP-1A.The test programme for the A319neo kicked off in March 2017.
An unusual first delivery
The first entry into service of the A319 won’t be with a commercial customer – rather it will be the Airbus ACJ319neo – The Airbus Corporate Jet A319neo.
No other launch operator has disclosed – with Qatar Airways who were originally launching the type swapping the A319neo for the larger A320neo.
According to the Airbus, the A319 is capable flying 140 passengers in a two class layout, or 160 passengers in a high density layout, with a range of 3,750 nautical miles. The ACJ319neo stretches its legs to 6,750 nautical miles for those who need the distance.
This should great in theory – however, airlines have been looking at densities instead, and instead choosing to upscale to A320neo or A321neo, leaving questions on how to fill the space.
So who is going to buy the Airbus A319neo?
Currently a grand total of 56 orders exist for the type, with 3 corporate/government/private customers, 20 for Avianca and 33 for “undisclosed customers”.
By comparison, the A320neo has secured 4,176 orders, and the A321neo scored 2,010.
Indeed – Boeing has similar issues with the 737 MAX 7 – with a thin order book for that type of plane as they struggle at the lower end of the market – with the Embraer E2 family and Airbus’s own A220 family, which promises lower costs that the larger A319neo.
As such, both the A319neo and the Boeing 737 MAX 7 are in a squeezed point of the marketplace.
How that pans out for Airbus in the long term will interesting… as well as any further purchases of their smallest Neo.
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