Airbus A320-214 [U.S AIRWAYS] [N106US]

ABOUT THE A320

The Airbus A320 family is a series of narrow-body airliners developed and produced by Airbus. The A320 was launched in March 1984, first flew on 22 February 1987, and was introduced in April 1988 by Air France. The first member of the family was followed by the longer A321 (first delivered in January 1994), the shorter A319 (April 1996), and the even shorter A318 (July 2003). Final assembly takes place in Toulouse in France; Hamburg in Germany; Tianjin in China since 2009; and Mobile, Alabama in the United States since April 2016.

The twinjet has a six-abreast economy cross-section and came with either CFM56 or IAE V2500 turbofan engines, except the CFM56/PW6000 powered A318. The family pioneered the use of digital fly-by-wire and side-stick flight controls in airliners. Variants offer maximum take-off weights from 68 to 93.5 tonnes (150,000 to 206,000 lb), to cover a 5,740–6,940 kilometres; 3,570–4,320 miles (3,100–3,750 nmi) range. The 31.4 m (103 ft) long A318 typically accommodates 107 to 132 passengers. The 124-156 seat A319 is 33.8 m (111 ft) long. The A320 is 37.6 m (123 ft) long and can accommodate 150 to 186 passengers. The 44.5 m (146 ft) A321 offers 185 to 230 seats. The Airbus Corporate Jets are business jet versions.

A British Airways A320-200 by JP11 lined up behind a whitetail A320-200

In December 2010, Airbus announced the re-engined A320neo (new engine option), which entered service with Lufthansa in January 2016. With more efficient turbofans and improvements including sharklets, it offers up to 15% better fuel economy. Earlier A320s are now called A320ceo (current engine option).

American Airlines is the largest A320 operator with 469 aircraft in its fleet.[b] In October 2019, the A320 family surpassed the Boeing 737 to become the highest-selling airliner. As of September 2023, a total of 17,837 A320 family aircraft had been ordered and 11,083 delivered, of which 10,371 aircraft were in service with more than 340 operators. The global A320 fleet had completed more than 167 million flights over 307 million block hours since its entry into service. The A320ceo initially competed with the 737 Classic and the MD-80, then their successors, the 737 Next Generation and the MD-90 respectively, while the 737 MAX is Boeing's response to the A320neo.

US AIRWAYS 1549

US Airways Flight 1549 was a regularly scheduled US Airways flight from New York City (LaGuardia Airport), to Charlotte and Seattle, in the United States. On January 15, 2009, the Airbus A320 serving the flight struck a flock of birds shortly after takeoff from LaGuardia, losing all engine power. Given their position in relation to the available airports and their low altitude, pilots Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger and Jeffrey Skiles decided to glide the plane to ditching in the Hudson River off Midtown Manhattan.[1][2] All 155 people on board were rescued by nearby boats, with only a few serious injuries. The time from the bird encounter to the ditching was less than four minutes.

The incident quickly became known as "the Miracle on the Hudson"[3][4][5] and a National Transportation Safety Board official described it as "the most successful ditching in aviation history".[6] Flight simulations showed that the airplane could have returned to LaGuardia, had it turned toward the airport immediately after the bird strike.[7] However, the Board found that scenario did not account for real world considerations, and affirmed the ditching as providing the highest probability of survival, given the circumstances.[8]:?89?

The pilots and flight attendants were awarded the Master's Medal of the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators in recognition of their "heroic and unique aviation achievement".[9] The incident was dramatized in the 2016 film Sully, starring Tom Hanks as Sullenberger.

CONTROLS:

AG-1-ENGINE 1
AG-2-ENGINE 2
AG-3-MAIN BODY LGHTS
AG-4-PARKING BRAKE
AG-5-NO.1 REVERSE THRUST ARMED [BRAKE TO APPLY]
AG-6-NO.2 REVERSE THRUST ARMED [BRAKE TO APPLY]
AG-7-SPOILERS
AG-8-LIGHT SET 1
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