It's Sunday again, so it must be time for some more airplane art. This week - descending through the low cloud layer on final approach to Chicago O'Hare is an American Airlines Airbus A321 with Sharklets. American Airlines operates a fleet of 218 Airbus A321 in various different configurations for various missions. A number of them are assigned to the … [Read more...]
Air New Zealand adds more A320s to its fleet
Air New Zealand are in the process of refreshing its fleet, with the removal of Boeing 747-400s, the introduction of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and removing its older Airbus A320 series aircraft. The airline took another step in its fleet renewal, with an order placed with Airbus to renew its short haul fleet, with an order of fourteen A320 family series aircraft - the … [Read more...]
EVA Air takes delivery of an A321… with Sharklets!
Continuing the theme of winglets on planes - or as Airbus calls them "Sharklets", EVA Air becomes the second operator to operate the Airbus A321 (the stretched A320) with new Sharklets. EVA Air A321 - Image: Airbus (also wearing testing registration and a German registry...) Those of you who have a keen eye will note this plane is not painted in EVA Air's normal … [Read more...]
Lufthansa joins the Sharklet Club
Well it seems those aircraft with sharklets are appearing in more places now, with Lufthansa taking delivery of its first Airbus A320 with Sharklets. Image - Lufthansa AG. As regular readers know, a Sharklet is a wingtip device that is replacing the wingtip fence that has been seen on many an A319/A319/A320/A321/A380, with the aim of reducing fuel burn and increasing … [Read more...]
More operators accept A320’s … with Sharklets!
The spread of the midlife update of the A320 - the A320E with Sharklets wingtip devices is spreading further. A quick re-cap on what a Sharklet first though - It's a device on the end of a wing that increases the lift generated at the wingtip, whilst reducing the educe the lift-induced drag caused by wingtip vortices, leading to better performance of an aircraft in terms of … [Read more...]
Air Asia receives the first A320… with Sharklets
After revealing a few weeks ago that Airbus had completed testing and certification of their Sharklet equipped A320 aircraft operating with CFM engines, it appears the first delivery has gone out to Air Asia. The first delivered A320 with Sharklets for Air Asia - Image - Airbus SAS Detail shot of the Sharklet with the tailfin. Image - Airbus SAS. Sharklets are an option … [Read more...]