Overall design of the A318 is conventional as commercial aircraft go. The fuselage is well-contoured and streamlined for aerodynamic efficiency with a short nose cone at front and tapered end at rear. The cockpit is set just aft of the nose cone with framed window panels offering good views of the surrounding environment. The passenger cabin area is directly aft of the cockpit and expectedly lined with windows for each seat row. Entry/exit doors are found between the cockpit and passenger area and aft of the passenger area along the fuselage sides. Wings consist of low-set swept assemblies each managing the various required flight control surfaces as well as fuel stores and the underslung engine nacelles. The empennage is dominated by a tall vertical tail fin and low-set horizontal tailplanes. The undercarriage consists of a pair of double-tired main landing gear legs and a two-wheeled nose landing gear leg, all retractable. Overall length is 103 feet with a wingspan of 112 feet and overall height of 41 feet (all values rounded). Empty weight is listed at 87,000lbs with a maximum take-off weight of 120,000lbs.
The A318 is available in four distinct production forms varying mainly in their engine installation. The A318-111, debuting in 2003, is offered with the CFM International (General Electric Aviation and French SNECMA joint venture) CFM56-5B8/P series turbofan while the A318-112 (also 2003) appears with the CFM56-5B9/P engine. Alternatively, the A318-121 of 2007 and the A318-122 (also 2007) are delivered with the American Pratt & Whitney PW6122A and PW6124A series turbofan engines respectively. Engines are mounted as pairs on each form, one engine nacelle held under each wing. The engines output approximately 22,000 to 24,000lbs of thrust each and supplies the bird with a maximum speed of 537 miles per hour with an accepted cruise speed of 511 miles per hour. A runway of 6,000 feet is required for the aircraft under full load.
Operators of the A318 series are relatively limited between Air France (18), Avianca (10), Avianca Brazil (5), British Airways (2), Frontier Airlines (11), LAN Airlines (10) and TAROM (4). A related A318 development, the planned upcoming A318 "Elite", is intended for the medium-range market crowd.
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