Start Your Flight Search
Aircraft Directory
Airbus A320
Passenger Capacity: | Lavatory Style: |
60 | Full |
Airspeed (mph): | Range: |
454 | 2700 |
Cabin Width: | Cabin Height: |
Cabin Length: | Baggage Capacity: |
The A320 is perhaps best known as the first airliner to introduce a fly-by-wire flight control system - where control inputs from the pilot are transmitted to the flying surfaces by electronic signals rather than mechanical means. Apart from a small weight saving, the advantage of Airbus' fly-by-wire is that as it is computer controlled, an inbuilt flight envelope protection makes it virtually impossible to exceed certain flight parameters such as G limits and the aircraft's maximum and minimum operating speeds and angle of attack limits.
Also integral to the A320 is the advanced electronic flightdeck, with six fully integrated EFIS colour displays and innovative sidestick controllers rather than conventional control columns. The A320 also employs a relatively high percentage of composite materials compared to earlier designs.