Airbus lancia l'A318 Elite

[Airspeed]

Airbus introduces A318 Elite

10 November 2005

Airbus' Corporate Jetliner (ACJ) Family has just grown bigger, with the introduction of a new member, the A318 Elite, based on the company's smallest airliner.

With the same wide cabin as the rest of the popular Airbus A320 Family, the A318 Elite makes big-jet comfort and style even more affordable, complementing the Airbus ACJ in the middle of the family and the A320 Prestige at the top-end. The Airbus A318 Elite will thus serve as an entry-level airliner to the Airbus ACJ Family.

Airbus still expects most demand for business jets of Airbus ACJ-size, but can now offer an even more affordable alternative for customers that are happy with a shorter cabin and less range. It continues to be driven by its customers' needs, offering a truly modern solution with full commonality across all of the Airbus ACJ Family.

The Airbus A318 Elite is aimed at the medium-range market for flights of up to 4,000 nm range, in which it will offer greater levels of cabin comfort than currently available.

Airbus will offer the A318 Elite in partnership with Lufthansa Technik with a choice of two cabin layouts seating up to 14 and 18 passengers, respectively, with seats and settees clustered in several lounge areas throughout the cabin. Both will be able to fly non-stop from London to New York, offering true intercontinental capability.

As the youngest, as well as the smallest, member of the Airbus A320 Family, the A318 features several innovations which are being progressively introduced in the rest of the range. These include advanced manufacturing techniques such as laser-beam welding, liquid-crystal displays in the cockpit and an improved cabin-management system for lighting, in-flight entertainment and other services.

Like the rest of the Airbus ACJ Family, the A318 offers features that are unavailable on other business jets. These include public-transport certification, centralised maintenance, sidestick controllers, fly-by-wire controls, carbon brakes, category 3B autoland and a choice of engines and auxiliary power units.

All of the family also offer additional benefits at no extra charge - such as fuel-saving wingtip fences, longer intervals between maintenance checks, larger access doors for easier maintenance access, better take-off and landing performance, a quieter cabin with greater environmental control, and a higher ceiling in the cabin. And, with a pedigree inherited from the world's most modern, economical and best-selling airliners, the Airbus ACJ Family enjoys unmatched investor appeal and value.

With a shorter fuselage but the same wing as the rest of the Airbus A320 Family, the A318 Elite has excellent short-field take-off and landing performance. This is being further enhanced by the certification of a steep approach capability of 5.5 degrees - especially useful at airports with noise and obstacle constraints.

Airbus is an EADS joint company with BAE Systems.

(fonte: Airbus.com)

[Airspeed]

Comlux becomes A318 Elite launch customer and orders an ACJ
10 November 2005

Comlux AG, an exclusive VIP charter operator based in Switzerland, has become the first customer for the A3I8 Elite - a new member of the Airbus ACJ Family - with an order for three aircraft - the first of which will be delivered in early 2007. It has also become a new customer for the Airbus Corporate Jetliner (ACJ), with an order for an aircraft that will be delivered in May 2006.

Zurich-based Comlux currently operates two business jets, and will grow its fleet to six aircraft, including the Airbus ACJ, by end-June 2006,.

Comlux's Airbus ACJ will feature seating for 19 passengers, with a private VIP bedroom, an executive lounge, and 12 first-class seats with full-flat recline. Its A318 Elites will feature seating for 16 passengers, divided into three successive rooms – guest area, executive lounge and private room.

The choice of engines to power the aircraft has yet to be decided.

"The comfort and satisfaction of our customers, both in the air and on the ground, drives our day-to-day business, and the Airbus ACJ Family's more spacious cabin, with its wider seats and aisles, plus its more modern technology, strongly influenced our choice," says Comlux President and CEO Ettore Rodaro. "The growth of our fleet is a strategic business move forward, and will help us to respond to customer demand for unscheduled flights of the highest standard, going anywhere at anytime."

Comlux's Airbus ACJ will have its cabin outfitted by Associated Air Center in Dallas, Texas, while its A318 Elites will be completed by Lufthansa Technik in Hamburg, Germany, under the management of Airbus.

"Comlux's selection of the Airbus ACJ and A318 Elite crowns a very successful year for us, in which we have made important inroads into executive charter, airline, corporate and government markets," says Airbus Vice President Executive and Private Aviation Richard Gaona.

The Airbus ACJ Family has the best cabin in its class, with twice the width of traditional business jets and three times their volume. Based on the A319 - part of the world’s most modern and successful airliner family - the ACJ is unique in having public transport certification, the common Airbus cockpit, fly-by-wire and Category 3B autoland. Yet it costs about the same as competing top-of-the-line business jets, delivering unmatched quality and value.

Airbus is an EADS joint company with BAE Systems.

(fonte: Airbus.com)