Airbus A320: Overview, Features & Specs
General Information
Manufacturer: Airbus
Role: Single-aisle jet liner
First flight: February 22, 1987
Primary airlines: American Airlines, easyJet, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines
Passenger seating: 150-180
Models: A320-100, A320-200
Features
- International Aero Engines (IAE) V2500 series high bypass turbo fan engines
- Glass Cockpit
- Upgraded and redesigned configurations
- Upgraded and redesigned interior configurations
Interior Diagram
Fun Facts
- Airbus was the world’s largest airliner manufacturer in 2019 with a total of 863 planes delivered.
- First airliner to introduce the fly-by-wire flight control system with the Airbus A320.
- All Airbus cockpits are the same allowing pilots to switch from one type of Airbus aircraft to another.
- One A320 takes off or lands somewhere every two seconds.
- The largest operator of the A320, American Airlines, has over 390 planes in its fleet.
- The 2016 film, Sully: Miracle on the Hudson, featured an Airbus A320 aircraft. The movie was based on the true story of the emergency landing on the Hudson River in New York of US Airways Flight 1549 which was struck by a flock of geese and disabled both engines.
Type Rating
Pilots must earn their type rating in the Airbus A320 to be qualified to fly this aircraft. In most cases, the airline you fly for will get you type-rated.
Are you ready to learn to fly an A320?
Have you always wanted to become a commercial pilot and fly for the airlines? We have trained thousands of commercial airline pilots who are now flying for airlines all around the world, and we can train you! The pilot life is full of camaraderie and adventure, and the pay is good, too. If you’d like to find out if you qualify for flight school, we’d love to hear from you and help you achieve your dream of becoming a pilot!