Kraków 2025-06-15
Airbus A-319 CJ.
The Airbus A-319 is a smaller version of the Airbus A-320 transport aircraft. The A-319 aircraft can carry 124 – 156 passengers. The first flight was performed on August 25, 1995. The first aircraft were delivered to Swissair at the beginning of 1996. Airbus had been conducting market research since 1990, and in 1992, the A-319 aircraft appeared in the offer. At the beginning, in addition to Swissair, the order was placed by Alitalia. The conversion of the aircraft cost 275 million dollars (250 million euros). On 23 March 1995, the first aircraft was assembled. The direct competitor of the A-319 aircraft was the Boeing B-737-700 aircraft.
In 2017, a modernized aircraft was presented, designated A-319neo, which was equipped with new engines. As of October 2021, 1,488 units of all A-320 variants have been built, including 68 aircraft of the A-319 version. Final assembly of the A-319 aircraft takes place in Hamburg, Germany, Toulouse, France and Tianjin, China. The aircraft built in China are intended exclusively for the Asian market. The largest number of aircraft in its fleet is owned by American Airlines (133 aircraft). In the USA, the assembly line of the A-320neo and A-320ceo/neo aircraft is located in Mobile, Alabama. The A-319 is being ordered less and less frequently compared to the larger models of the A-320 family, which is why production of this model has been limited and concentrated mainly in Europe.
The main difference between the A-320 and the A-319 is the shortening of the fuselage. In 1997, the opposite procedure was performed, i.e. the fuselage was lengthened, and this is how the A-321 aircraft was created. In the fuselage of the A-319 aircraft, four segments were removed from the front, and three segments from the rear. The length of the fuselage was reduced by 3.73 meters (12 feet 3 inches). Among the removed sections is the section with the emergency exit on the wings. Now there are two such exits, and there were four. At the request of the user, four emergency exits on the wings can be installed. The cargo hold doors under the floor of the passenger cabin were also changed.
The A-319 aircraft is equipped with CFM56-5A or V2500-A5 engines. The engines have a thrust of 98 kN (22,000 lbf) or a thrust of 105 kN (24,000 lbf). With practically the same amount of fuel and less weight, the range is up to 6,850 km (3,700 nm).
Airbus A-319CJ aircraft.
The Airbus A-319CJ aircraft, later renamed Airbus ACJ-319 “Elegance”, was a version intended for business. The aircraft has an increased range, because it has the ability to install additional fuel tanks. There are six additional tanks and they are mounted in the baggage compartment. Thanks to the lower take-off weight, the aircraft can fly at an altitude of up to 12,500 m (41,000 ft). With 6 passengers, the range of the aircraft is up to 6,000 nautical miles (11,100 km). Interestingly, when reselling the aircraft, the additional fuel tanks can be removed and it can be offered in the regular A-319 version. The Airbus A-319CJ aircraft can carry up to 39 passengers.
The A-319 CJ’s competitors include Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) aircraft based on the Boeing 737-700 and Embraer Lineage 1000, as well as the Gulfstream G650 with a large cabin and long range, and the Gulfstream G-550 and Bombardier Global 6000. Airbus A-319CJ aircraft are used as government aircraft in countries such as Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Italy, Malaysia, Slovakia, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine and Venezuela.
The Airbus A-319CJ (Corporate Jet), currently known as the Airbus ACJ-319 (Airbus Corporate Jet 319), is a VIP version of the A-319 passenger aircraft, adapted for government, corporate or private use. Its equipment can vary greatly, depending on the customer’s order, but there are typical elements and special equipment options that distinguish it from the standard passenger version.
Typical special equipment Airbus A-319CJ / ACJ-319: VIP interior and luxurious cabins. Private bedroom with a queen-size bed. Conference lounge / living room with sofas and a table. Office cabin with workspaces. Separate area for cabin crew. VIP bathroom with shower. Advanced communication and entertainment systems. Satellite internet connection (e.g. Ka-band or Ku-band). Satellite telephony. Videoconferencing systems. High-end audio/video systems (e.g. on-board cinema). Extended flight range. Additional fuel tanks (Auxiliary Center Tanks – ACTs) allowing a range of up to 12,000 km (over 6,000 nautical miles). Possibility of non-stop transoceanic flights. Safety options (for government / VIP versions). Missile defense systems (e.g. flares, DIRCM). Communication security (encryption, military communications). Reinforced cabin structure. Flexible seat configuration. Seating for approximately 18-50 passengers, in a luxury configuration, compared to 124 seats in the standard A-319. Seats that recline to a lie-flat position, with massage. Optional work tables.
Airbus A-319CJ users: Governments and heads of state (for example Italy, Saudi Arabia, Turkey). VIP charter companies (for example Comlux, Acropolis Aviation). Private owners (billionaires, royal families). The Republic of Italy has two Airbus A-319-115CJs. The Airbus A-319CJ version used by the Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare) is officially designated VC-319A. According to the latest data from the 31st Wing based in Ciampino near Rome, there are three such aircraft in the fleet: MM62174 – Airbus A319-115CJ. MM62209 – Airbus A319-115CJ. M62243 – Airbus A319-115CJ. All three aircraft are active and are used for the transport of VVIPs – heads of state, high-ranking officials and humanitarian missions.
T-T Airbus A-319 data: Crew 2 pilots. Passengers maximum 156, in rows spaced 28-30 in (71-76 cm). Seating arrangement: 2+3. Length 33.84 m (111 ft 0 in). Wingspan 35.8 m (117 ft 5 in). Height 11.00 m. Wing area 122.4 m2 (1,318 sq ft). Wing sweep 25 degrees. Maximum speed Mach 0.82 (871 km/h; 541 mph). Cruise speed Mach 0.78 (829 km/h; 515 mph). Range 3,750 nmi (6,940 km). Maximum weight 75.5 tonnes (166,000 lb). Empty weight 40.8 tonnes (90,000 lb).
Written by Karol Placha Hetman