Airbus A320: A Widely Used Aircraft with a Mostly Safe Track Record

Strategic Insights -

The Airbus A320 is one of the most popular commercial aircraft in the world, with over 3,000 in use globally. The Germanwings crash in the French Alps, which resulted in the loss of 148 lives, has sparked renewed attention to the safety record of the A320. Despite being one of the most widely used aircraft, the A320 has a relatively low rate of fatal crashes.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Airbus A320 is the second most popular commercial aircraft in the world, with over 3,000 in use globally.
  • The A320 is widely used for short commuter sectors in Europe, Asia, and elsewhere, as well as for trans-continental flights across the United States.
  • The A320 programme was launched in March 1982, with its first flight on February 22, 1987, and certified for airline use in February 1988.
  • There have only been a handful of fatal crashes involving A320s, with the most recent being a Taca Airlines plane that overshot the runway in 2008, killing five people.
  • Prior to the 2008 crash, there were seven fatal crashes involving the A320, including the 1988 French air show manoeuvre, the 2000 crash in Bahrain, and the 2006 crash in Sochi.
  • The Germanwings accident is the first time the A320 has crashed in mid-flight, which is a rare occurrence.
  • David Learmount, operations and safety editor of Flight International magazine, noted that the Germanwings crash is "odd" and that the A320 has a mostly safe track record.

Statistics:

  • Over 3,000 Airbus A320s are in use globally.
  • 7 fatal crashes have occurred involving the A320 prior to the 2008 Taca Airlines crash, including events in 1988, 2000, and 2006.
  • The 2008 Taca Airlines crash resulted in the deaths of 5 people.
  • The A320 has a relatively low rate of fatal crashes, with only a handful of incidents occurring over its decades-long history.
  • The Germanwings accident is the first time the A320 has crashed in mid-flight.

Sources:

  • Flight International magazine
  • The Telegraph
  • Airbus A320 programme documentation
  • Taca Airlines crash reports (2008)
  • David Learmount statements to The Telegraph