Airbus produced its first new-build A320 with Sharklets. Seen here at its roll-out in Toulouse, MSN 5098 will is one of several A320 aircraft in the certification flight-test campaign starting in May and lasting around 600 flight hours. The Sharklet tests follow the successful ‘early flight-test’ campaign with Airbus’ A320 MSN 001 test aircraft.
Seven new-build A320 Family aircraft fitted with both CFM56 and V2500 engine types will test production-standard Sharklets. The results of the tests will lead to certification of these fuel-saving devices on each combination of aircraft model and engine selection. The first member of the family to enter service with Sharklets will be a CFM56-powered A320, in the fourth quarter of 2012.
Sharklets are expected to reduce fuel burn by up to 3.5%, leading to annual CO2 reduction of around 700 tonnes per aircraft. This is equivalent to the CO2 produced by around 200 cars annually.
I know the 737’S can be retrofitted with the raked wingtips,I thought that airbus is unable to do the same with the A320’S due to the wing structure being unable to handle the extra load. Any info on this?
Wing span extensions are limited by standard gate dimensions used by the worlds airports. ICAO gate categories.
The Sharklet’s retrofit on older A320’s have nothing to do with the ICAO gate categories. If a new A320 with Sharklet’s will fit in a gate an older one will too. It has to do with the structural integrity of the wing box and design able to handle the additional loads. That is why the 737-300 can be retrofitted but the 400 cannot.