Airbus has completed the first flight of the Filton-designed-and-made Sharklet wing-tip devices on its A320 development aircraft (MSN 001).
Sharklets are around 2.5 metres tall and will replace the aircraft’s current wingtip fence. Offered as an option on new-build aircraft, Sharklets have been specially designed for the Airbus A320 family to reduce fuel burn by up to an additional 3.5%. This is equivalent to an annual CO2 reduction of around 700 tonnes per aircraft – roughly the same as produced by 200 cars annually. The wingtip devices will also enhance the aircraft’s performance.
“The hunt is underway for Airbus to take another bite out of airlines’ fuel bills and CO2 emissions,” said Airbus’ chief operating officer John Leahy. “With this start of Sharklet flight-testing today, actions speak louder than words as we take another definitive step towards greener aviation.”
Airbus forecasts the world’s single-aisle airliner fleet to double to more than 23,000 aircraft by 2030, with an average annual fleet growth of 3.4 percent. This will require around 19,200 new single-aisle aircraft deliveries for replacement and growth.
