Looking great..

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Photo © OlivierG

//Mike   

[Edited 2012-12-10 04:06:11]

[Edited 2012-12-10 10:46:12 by moderators]

I agree:

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Photo © OlivierG

When is it suppose to be delivered??? I was in toulouse in August and I saw a QR airbus A320 with sharklest parked in front of ATR production line.
So how´s going to be first to operate the sharklets??

Quoting migair54 (Reply 2): When is it suppose to be delivered??? I was in toulouse in August and I saw a QR airbus A320 with sharklest parked in front of ATR production line. So how´s going to be first to operate the sharklets??

The QR A320 with sharklets has IAE engines. The sharklets are only certified for the CFM version so far and its been said that Air Asia would receive the first aircraft with sharklets:

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Photo © Anian Eckardt

Quoting 817Dreamliiner (Reply 3): The QR A320 with sharklets has IAE engines. The sharklets are only certified for the CFM version so far and its been said that Air Asia would receive the first aircraft with sharklets:

Forgive me for asking, but what do engines have to do with the installation of sharklets?

Quoting KL911 (Reply 4): Forgive me for asking, but what do engines have to do with the installation of sharklets?

As the engines have different charactistics from power levels to aerodynamic shape, the winglets have to be certified separately for each type.

Quoting KL911 (Reply 4):

Regulations state that any changes to an aircraft have to be certified with each engine variant the aircraft may be operated with. Because the new sharklets are an alteration to the wing, I'd assume the safety agencies would like to make sure no component of the wing has been compromised. While the wing itself doesn't change, the engines do so they need to approve both. That's my guess.

EDIT: Above poster has actual answer lol.

[Edited 2012-12-10 06:06:14]

Quoting 817Dreamliiner (Reply 3): The QR A320 with sharklets has IAE engines. The sharklets are only certified for the CFM version so far and its been said that Air Asia would receive the first aircraft with sharklets:

So, when are they planning to certified the QR plane, it was there ready on 1st of August, I´m sure that that plane has flown already. I though that was the first A-320 with sharklets after the test plane, but now according to you it will be Air Asia.

Quoting migair54 (Reply 7): So, when are they planning to certified the QR plane, it was there ready on 1st of August, I´m sure that that plane has flown already. I though that was the first A-320 with sharklets after the test plane, but now according to you it will be Air Asia.

The IAE version should be certified next year. Plus all the other versions, A319 and A321 would be certified next year as well. I understand that you would think the QR aircraft would have been the first, But seeing as how the CFM version A320 got its Sharklets first (on msn 001 and 5098) its not surprising they would be certified first vs the QR aircraft. If anything, im sure they are using the aircraft in question for the IAE Sharklet certification.

Regarding Air Asia being the first operator, it says so on the aircraft linked in my previous post, And for further confirmation:

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/art...ng-sharklet-equipped-a320s-379690/

Wow, that looks a lot like a EMB-195 from a distance.

Quoting 817Dreamliiner (Reply 1): Think they should have done this long ago...

AIUI the cost of fuel has tipped the balance in favour Winglets on the A320. At lower prices the savings were outweighed by the cost of design/fitment.

Quoting starrymarkb (Reply 10): AIUI the cost of fuel has tipped the balance in favour Winglets on the A320. At lower prices the savings were outweighed by the cost of design/fitment.

While this is probably correct, I'm wondering just how long ago that point passed.

By way of example, AA (who is and was proactive about almost nothing at all), wasted little time in back-fitting existing 738s with winglets in the early 2000's. I can't help thinking that other similar airlines operating the 32x series, like UA, BA, NW/DL, etc, would have done the same had the option been available. I believe the cost per BBL of oil when the 32x was originally introduced was something less than $20. I can only wonder what kind of market share the 320s would have by now had they had the sharks at the same time that option became available for the 737 & 757 families.

But, as I said, yes, I do agree that the 320 as conceived was quite well advantaged against the 737s (and 727s for that matter) of the day, without the sharks.

Quoting starrymarkb (Reply 10):

I know, but ive always wondered what would look like with winglets. Believe it or not, I actually made a model (a bad one out of legos) when I was younger as a concept for the ACJ version, didnt think they were actually gonna do it! lol (note im not trying to claim rights to the design...)

[Edited 2012-12-11 12:10:09]

[Edited 2012-12-11 12:14:21]

From a long distance, this is going to make it hard to tell the 737NG from the new A320s

Quoting DarkSnowyNight (Reply 11): By way of example, AA (who is and was proactive about almost nothing at all), wasted little time in back-fitting existing 738s with winglets in the early 2000's. I can't help thinking that other similar airlines operating the 32x series, like UA, BA, NW/DL, etc, would have done the same had the option been available. I believe the cost per BBL of oil when the 32x was originally introduced was something less than $20. I can only wonder what kind of market share the 320s would have by now had they had the sharks at the same time that option became available for the 737 & 757 families.

The difference between vanilla wingtips and winglets on a Boeing is greater then between a the previous Wingtip Fence and Winglet on a Bus.

Two more A320s with sharklets, for Cebu and IndiGo, have been spotted:
http://www.aviation-friends-hamburg-forum.de/showthread.php?tid=6519

There are more and more frames arriving at the FAL's which will have sharklets fitted straight away maybe to help with certification purposes. I've seen sharklets in ALL variants of the A320 family.

Another thing aswell, approximately 80% of the frames arriving at the FAL's now are sharklet, but they still have the standard wingtip fitted, which the customer can have changed at a later date.

Is this AK's new livery? I guess it's kinda strange to put such big emphasis on the tagline "Now Everyone Can Fly"..... I mean it is their slogan and all but it looks like a bit much too me....

Quoting timpdx (Reply 13): From a long distance, this is going to make it hard to tell the 737NG from the new A320s

Look at the root of the vertical stabilizer - that should help you tell a A320 from a B737 quite easily.

Quoting FlyingAY (Reply 18): Look at the root of the vertical stabilizer - that should help you tell a A320 from a B737 quite easily.

Or the nose shape.......

The one for AirAsia has been delivered today.

http://www.airbus.com/presscentre/pr...-of-airbus-sharklet-equipped-a320/

Quoting KarelXWB (Reply 20):

Airbus: "Sharklets.......are 2.4 metres tall"

Didn't realize they are that tall..

Quoting HELyes (Reply 21): Airbus: "Sharklets.......are 2.4 metres tall" Didn't realize they are that tall..

Which is about the same height as the tiny looking A380 wingtip fences.

Quoting DLD9S (Reply 9):

I agree, it will definately be harder to tell these to apart than 737 as others have mentioned ..Especially in the air....

Quoting speedygonzales (Reply 22): Which is about the same height as the tiny looking A380 wingtip fences.

I can not find a link right now but if I recall correctly these "tiny wingtips" on the A380 are still about 3.1 meters tall.  .

Quoting solnabo (Thread starter): Looking great..

They sure do.  .

Looking very sharp. Much better than those small winglet fences.

Quoting B747forever (Reply 26): Looking very sharp. Much better than those small winglet fences.

  

I think its a great addition. Also glad to see the first aircraft finally delivered.

Sharp looking airplane! Who is going be the first U.S. operator of an A320 with sharklets? NKS?

I find it a little odd Airbus suddenly did a quick 360 on their philosophy. When Boeing added the winglets to the 737, Airbus maintained their existing fences were just as efficient, or at least not different enough to make the change.

What changed?

The A320 is a mighty fine bird with those Sharklets! Even more gorgeous (probably) in other liveries.

Quoting YVRLTN (Reply 29): What changed?

Probably refined aerodynamics which can now be calculated and measured much more precise then 10 to 15 years ago.  

Quoting EPA001 (Reply 31):

Plus significant higher fuel price than 10-15 years ago has made fuel saving improvements much more important.

Just a piece of trivia, AirAsia's first A320 with sharklets wingtips operated its first service on 24 December 2012 from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore (flight AK1817) and return (AK1818).

KC Sim

Quoting aviasian (Reply 33): Just a piece of trivia, AirAsia's first A320 with sharklets wingtips operated its first service on 24 December 2012 from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore (flight AK1817) and return (AK1818).

Would love to see the window view of that wing/winglet.