Final assembly of first ACJ320neo begins

The first ACJ320neo large cabin corporate jet is now undergoing final assembly at Airbus’ facility in Hamburg. It is due to be delivered to launch customer Acropolis Aviation in the third quarter of 2018. Airbus

THE FIRST Airbus Corporate Jets ACJ320neo large corporate jet (msn 8403) has entered final assembly at Airbus’s facility in Hamburg, the company announced on June 27, 2018.

The first aircraft is due to be delivered to launch customer Acropolis Aviation in the UK in the last quarter of 2018 and the second, for Comlux of Switzerland, will follow in the same timeframe. The Acropolis Aviation aircraft will join an existing ACJ319 aircraft (G-NOAH, c/n 2009) in the fleet and will be based at Farnborough in the UK. The company is due to take delivery of the new ACJ320neo aircraft in autumn of 2018, with entry into charter service, following installation of the specialised cabin interior, during the fourth quarter of the year.

The ACJ320neo is the corporate jet equivalent of the successful commercial A320neo family of single-aisle jet airliners, of which more than 300 have already been delivered.

The aircraft will feature the new engines and sharklet winglets of the commercial A320neo, which Airbus claims delivers a 15% decrease in fuel burn and enhanced range. The ACJ320neo also has a reinforced cargo hold able to carry additional centre tanks, and other differences include built in airstairs and a lower passenger cabin altitude.

The European manufacturer claims the new corporate jet has a range of 6,000 nautical miles (11,100km), or 13 hours, while carrying 25 passengers – the equivalent of London to Beijing, or Moscow to Los Angeles sectors. It says the smaller ACJ319neo can fly 6,700 nautical miles (12,500km), or 15 hours, while carrying eight passengers. Two engine options are available, the Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1100G-JM geared turbofan and CFM International LEAP-1A.

Airbus Corporate Jets said that total orders for the ACJ320neo family stands at nine aircraft, comprising three AC319neo and six A320neo aircraft. Nigel Pittaway