Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON
Airbus Industrie is aiming to launch its A318 twinjet by the end of the month, with European flag carriers Air France and Lufthansa being prime targets to boost the new 100-seater's commitments beyond the 100 mark.
Subject to a commercial launch at Farnborough last September, Airbus had been aiming for a full industrial launch of the 107-seat, Pratt & Whitney PW6000-powered A320 family derivative by the end of 1998. This target date has slipped, despite the securing of commitments for 80 aircraft from two customers, International Lease Finance (ILFC) and TWA.
The consortium apparently does not consider the TWA/ ILFC pairing sufficient for a programme go-ahead, and is believed to have set itself a target of securing commitments from at least four customers. Airbus confirms that it is still seeking more commitments for the programme before launch, and says that no firm date has been set for a go-ahead decision.
The European consortium had been targeting Northwest Airlines as a prime candidate for the A318, and was locked in a fierce battle with Boeing and its similarly-sized 717-200 to sell the airline up to 100 aircraft to replace its huge fleet of McDonnell Douglas DC-9s. However the US carrier has decided against an early replacement order for its DC-9s, preferring instead to acquire more second-hand DC-9s.
Airbus is anxious to formally launch the A318 programme to ensure it achieves the in-service target of September 2002, and enable it to finalise supplier contracts for the new model. The consortium has now focused its efforts on securing commitments from its prime European customers Air France and Lufthansa, who between them already operate over 220 Airbus aircraft.
Air France and Lufthansa are each understood to be discussing an order for 20 A318s, plus additional options. It is not clear if the airlines' deal for the A318 will be completely new orders, or created by the conversion of existing A320 family commitments.
The A318 project has recently been subject to a design review, which has seen the configuration of the aircraft's vertical stabiliser modified. The originally proposed dorsal fin extension has been deleted, and the stabiliser now incorporates a fin tip extension to increase area and improve low speed control. Meanwhile P&W will start ground testing in July of its first PW6000 engine, while flight-testing on Boeing 720 testbed will begin in February 2000 with one P&W JT3D replaced with a new pylon and PW6000 engine.
Source: Flight International
