Why is the Airbus 320 popular?

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Introduced in the late 80s of the 20th century, the Airbus 320 from the very beginning was distinguished by a number of innovations that other aircraft of that generation did not have. Firstly, in this aircraft, for the first time, the pilot did not directly influence the controls, because. there was an electric remote control system. She transmitted commands from the control handles to the mechanisms through electrical wiring.

Secondly, the cockpit was equipped with new instruments. Instead of pointer displays, beam displays appeared, which were later replaced by liquid crystal displays. Thirdly, the first copy of the Airbus A 320 aircraft received a horizontal tail.

The modern Airbus 320 is distinguished by the fact that its design uses a significant amount of composite materials - carbon fiber and fiber plastics, as well as honeycomb materials. Their feature is extreme density and rigidity with low weight. The use of such materials allows you to get a lighter weight and more complexby configuration, a structure that is not subject to corrosion and a number of other destructive influences. In addition, the aircraft is equipped with a very important safety measure - a large number of exits, including four passenger and four emergency exits, which allows you to quickly evacuate passengers in the event of an emergency.

Today, for many medium and long distance routes, the Airbus A320, the cabin of which can have different modifications, is a popular vehicle. The aircraft can carry from one and a half hundred to 180 passengers, depending on its layout. It provides for such a feature as the possibility of a business class flight, which is distinguished by an increased range of services and a special cabin configuration. In the business category, the seats are not 6 in the same row with the aisle in the middle, which Russian passengers are usually used to, but 4 in a row with a wider aisle. The seats in this compartment are larger and more comfortable.

Regardless of class, the most advanced finishing materials are used in the cabin. Each passenger is given the opportunity to adjust the position of the seat and individual lighting. Some companies already operate aircraft that have LCD TVs mounted in the headrests of the seats, on which you can watch various programs and films.

Airbus 320 has a cruising speed of up to 910 km/h. Its body length is approx.34 meters, wingspan 34.1 meter, height 11 meters, payload (maximum) about 16.5 tons. Average distances on which the aircraft is used are about 4500 km, with an additional tank the aircraft can fly 1000 - 1600 km more. The model is very popular, however, it is not ideal either. since 1988, out of 3,000 aircraft produced, twenty-two aircraft have been in accidents and disasters. However, not every unsuccessful landing ended tragically. For example, in 2009, an Airbus 320 quite successfully splashed down on the Hudson River.