Airbus A320neo (A320-271N) receives type certification; IndiGo to soon receive first aircraft

The 9th sub variant of the Airbus A320-200 to be certified.

Certified 14 months after first flight

Exactly 14 months after the first Airbus A320neo flew on 25 September 2014, the aircraft received a joint FAA and EASA type certificate today.

The certificate covered the A320neo powered by the Pratt and Whitney PW1127G-JM geared turbofan. That variant is the A320-271N.

The engine

The PW1100G-JM family used a technology that was revolutionary but not new. It made the engine a cross between a turboprop and a pure turbofan, and it was the largest geared turbofan built so far. With it, Pratt and Whitney returned as a single brand engine option for mainline narrowbody jets. Every Boeing 737 from the -300 through the -900 and the MAX 7, 8 and 9 used CFM engines, while the A320 family used either CFM or IAE consortium engines. Pratt and Whitney was part of IAE.

The "JM" in PW1127G-JM stood for the partner companies, Japanese Aero Engine Corporation (JAEC) and MTU (Motoren- und Turbinen-Union GmbH). JAEC held 23% of the PW1100G programme and was responsible for the fan, the low pressure compressor and the combustor and diffuser. MTU held 18% and was responsible for the low pressure turbine and, jointly with Pratt and Whitney, the high pressure compressor. Pratt and Whitney handled the rest of the engine and systems integration.

The PW1100G-JM family powered the whole A320neo family (A319neo, A320neo and A321neo) in five thrust ratings: 22,000, 24,000, 27,000, 30,000 and 33,000 pounds of thrust per engine. The PW1127G-JM on the A320neo was the 27,000 lbf version.

The CFM powered A320neo, the A320-251N, was due to be certified in the following months.

The Indian orders

Every Indian operator with a direct A320neo order had chosen the PW1127G-JM. IndiGo had 430 A320neos on order, some of which might become A321neos. GoAir had 72 on order. Vistara, which had committed to lease 20 A320s from BOC Aviation, would receive seven A320neos from mid 2017, but had not yet picked an engine. AirAsia India, which leased from AirAsia Berhad, would get A320neos with CFM LEAP engines.

One of IndiGo's aircraft, MSN 6720, was one of the three test aircraft and had been flying since 25 September 2015. The first production aircraft, though, was for Qatar Airways, the launch customer. MSN 6744, to be registered VT-ITA, was built in Hamburg and already painted in IndiGo colours. It might become IndiGo's first A320neo even though it was built after the aircraft already flying in the test programme.

The three Pratt and Whitney powered test aircraft flew more than 1,070 hours over 350 flights. Of those, 300 hours were flown with one aircraft in an airline style environment to prove operational maturity before entry into service.

Weights and savings

The A320-271N was the ninth sub variant of the A320-200, after the -211, -212, -214, -215, -216, -231, -232 and -233. It was "significantly different" from the original A320 type certificate through a modification labelled MOD 161000. Pratt and Whitney had received FAA certification for the PW1100G-JM engine on 19 December 2014.

The A320-271N's operating empty weight was about 3 tonnes more than the A320-232 that IndiGo flew at the time. Its highest maximum take off weight was 79 tonnes, only 1 tonne above the heaviest A320-232. Each PW1127G-JM engine was 453 kg heavier dry than the IAE V2527-A5 on the -232. That meant accessories and structural reinforcement accounted for around 2 tonnes.

The A320-271N promised fuel savings of up to 11% over the A320-232SL (with sharklets) and 15% over the A320-232 without winglets. Those full savings were only reached on flights of 3,000 NM and longer.

There was a strong chance IndiGo would receive its first A320neo before the end of the calendar year. Our information was that IndiGo's A320neos would be fitted with 186 seats, six more than every cabin in its fleet at the time.

Thanks to Cyril for the heads up on the certification.