EAC A320

The A320 first flew in 1987 and incorporated many new advanced technologies. Certification was awarded on February 26th 1988.

The A320 was (and remains) an example of state of the art design. It was the first airliner to incorporate fully computerised fly-by wire technology. The control system included the now infamous side-stick controllers. The advanced cockpit included six EFIS displays, now a standard feature of airliner design. Finally, the design relied heavily on the use of composite materials compared to more traditional designs.

Of the A320 variants, the vast majority of those produced have been the -200 series, with improvements including increased greater range, take-off weights and the addition of winglets. Stretched and shortened versions of the A320 now fly in the form of the A321 and A319.

The first deliveries took place from March 1988 going to launch customer Air France with firm orders from 15 other customers for more than 250 aircrafts. A320s have since gone to more than 90 operators. Both United and Northwest have 100 or more on order or in service and in 1996 USAir placed one of the largest orders in aviation history for no less than 120 aircrafts plus 280 options.

EAC originally ordered no less than fifty aircrafts in 1988 with options on a further fifty. Since then the options have been confirmed and delivered and a further order placed to take the total to 140, with the final deliveries scheduled to take place in 2005.

WHAT IF....
...Airbus Industrie had really received orders for a further 140 A320-200 from a single large airline?

Nothing! The A320 is possibly the most successful European airliner in history and with orders currently standing at well over 1000 for the A320 series EOAC would just be one big airline among many still waiting for deliveries!

It is, however, worth mentioning that the relatively early order of A320s by EAC would have delighted the Airbus executives, especially the newly appointed Jean Pierson.