Airbus Gains Regulatory Approval for New A320neo Plane
November 24 2015 - 10:21AM
Dow Jones News
By Robert Wall
LONDON--Airbus Group SE (AIR.FR) on Tuesday said it had received
European and U.S. regulatory approval for its A320neo single-aisle
jet clearing the way for first customer deliveries of the
plane.
Both the European Aviation Safety Agency and the U.S. Federal
Aviation Administration granted the so-called type certification
for the A320neo powered by PW1100G engines from Pratt &
Whitney, the engine unit of United Technologies Corp.
The plane is an upgrade of Airbus's popular single-aisle family.
The Toulouse-based aircraft maker is introducing new engines and
other enhancements to improve fuel efficiency of the plane. The
company said the A320neo, for new engine option, should be 15% more
efficient than planes it replaces.
Airbus is promising to deliver the first of the new narrow-body
planes this year. Qatar Airways is the lead operator of the new
plane.
Airbus also is working with a joint venture of General Electric
Co. (GE) and France's Safran SA (SAF.FR) for an alternative engine
offering for the A320neo family. Planes powered by that engine are
due for first customer deliveries next year.
Boeing Co. (BA) also is working on an engine upgrade to its 737
planes. The first 737 Max is due for delivery in 2017.
Airbus recently announced plans to boost single-aisle production
to 60 planes a month from mid-2019. It currently builds 42
narrow-body aircraft a month.
Write to Robert Wall at robert.wall@wsj.com
Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
November 24, 2015 10:06 ET (15:06 GMT)
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