Airbus A318

The Airbus A318 is the smallest member of the Airbus A320 family, developed by Airbus SAS in the early 2000s as a shortened version of the A320 to serve markets that required lower capacity and shorter runway performance. Launched in 2002 and first delivered to Air France in 2003, the A318 entered service in 2004. It shares the same fly‑by‑wire flight deck, common type rating and cockpit layout as its larger siblings, allowing pilots to transition between models with minimal training. The aircraft typically seats 107 to 132 passengers in a two‑class configuration and is powered by either the CFM56‑5B or the Pratt & Whitney PW6000 engines, providing a range of about 3,200 nautical miles. Its reduced wingspan and reinforced landing gear enable operations from airports with length‑restricted runways, making it attractive for regional carriers and niche routes. Although production ceased in 2011 after only 78 units, the A318 demonstrated Airbus’s modular design philosophy and paved the way for later ultra‑short‑range variants such as the A319neo and A320neo families, leaving a lasting impact on flexible fleet planning. Airlines continue to appreciate its reliability and low operating costs.

Airbus SAS

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