American Airlines is one of the most popular airlines in the world. The Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier was founded in April 1926, just under 100 years ago, as American Airways. Since its founding, American Airlines has grown to be one of the largest airlines in the world, flying nearly 7,000 flights per day to nearly 350 destinations.
The airline also flies to 48 different countries and is a founding member of the oneworld alliance, one of the world’s three major airline alliances.
Nowadays, American Airlines is the largest airline in terms of passengers carried and daily flights. Because of this, it has been continuously growing its fleet of aircraft, recently taking delivery of its 1,000th mainline aircraft, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
It made American Airlines the second-largest airline in terms of active aircraft, trailing only United Airlines and placing it ahead of Delta Air Lines. Let’s take a closer look at the extensive American Airlines fleet, as well as the oldest aircraft that is currently flown by the airline.
The Oldest Active American Airlines Aircraft
Currently, the oldest active American Airlines plane is an Airbus A320-200. According to ch-aviation, this aircraft is registered as N647AW. This A320 was first flown by Airbus in December 1997, and it was delivered in February 1998, making it 27.81 years old.
Additionally, this aircraft has a manufacturing serial number (MSN) of 762. This aircraft is configured with 138 economy seats and 12 business class seats, accommodating a total of 150 passengers.
Additionally, N647AW is currently based at a popular American Airlines hub in Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The airport currently serves as American Airlines’ second-largest hub, trailing only its main hub at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) in Texas.
The airline’s hub in Charlotte also operates as a hub for the southeastern US and a secondary gateway to the Caribbean, behind its hub at Miami International Airport (MIA) in Florida.
According to ch-aviation, this aircraft is operated by American Airlines under an operating lease through the registered trust UMB Bank NA Trustee. However, America West Airlines was the first operator of this specific aircraft, flying the aircraft from February 1998 to September 2006.
US Airways then flew the aircraft until October 2015, until the airline merged with American Airlines and the aircraft began operating under the American Airlines operating certificate.
A Brief History Of The Airbus A320
The Airbus A320 is one of the most successful aircraft families in the history of commercial aviation. In the early 1970s, Airbus saw success with the introduction of the A300 series.
However, the company envisioned producing a wide variety of airliners to directly compete with Boeing and Douglas Aircraft Corporation.
Because of this, a joint program was established to develop a narrowbody aircraft, formed with British Aerospace, Aerospatiale, Dornier, and Fokker.
However, the program was later transferred to Airbus in 1980, and, in 1981, it was redesignated as the A320. The program was officially launched in March 1984, when the company had nearly 100 orders for the new aircraft.
Major airlines that were associated with the program include Air France, Cyprus Airways, Pan Am, and Northwest Airlines. The first A320 conducted its maiden flight in 1987, and it was officially introduced into commercial service with Air France in 1988.
Since its introduction, Airbus has produced over 12,000 total aircraft for airlines around the world. Airbus also introduced two shorter variants, the A318 and the A319, and a stretched variant, the A321.
The plane maker has also introduced a modernized variant for the series, called the neo (new engine option). Major airlines that operate the A320 family include China Eastern Airlines, EasyJet, IndiGo, and China Southern Airlines.
The Major Design Features And Performance Specifications Of The Airbus A320
The Airbus A320 is a narrowbody aircraft that features a conventional tail configuration. The airframe of the aircraft is made up of composite materials and aluminum alloys to save weight and reduce the total number of parts in the aircraft. The wing also features a wing sweep of 25 degrees.
Like other airliners, the A320 features several engine options. The original A320 series is powered by the CFM International CFM56, the International Aero Engines V2500, and the Pratt & Whitney PW6000.
However, engine options for the NEO series include the CFM International LEAP-1A or the Pratt & Whitney PW1000G. These engines each provide the aircraft with up to 33,000 pounds of thrust. Overall, the A320 series has the following performance specifications:
Specification | A318 | A319 | A320 | A321 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Length | 103 feet two inches | 111 feet | 123 feet three inches | 146 feet |
Height | 41 feet two inches | 38 feet seven inches | 38 feet seven inches | 38 feet seven inches |
Wingspan | 111 feet eleven inches | 117 feet five inches | 117 feet five inches | 117 feet five inches |
Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) | 150,000 pounds | 166,000 pounds | 172,000 pounds | 206,000 pounds |
Typical cruise speed | 447 knots (515 miles per hour) | 447 knots (515 miles per hour) | 447 knots (515 miles per hour) | 447 knots (515 miles per hour) |
Range | 3,100 nautical miles (3,600 miles) | 3,750 nautical miles (4,320 miles) | 3,350 nautical miles (3,860 miles) | 3,200 nautical miles (3,700 miles) |
The original A320 is large enough to fit up to 188 passengers in a single-class configuration, although it seats around 150 passengers in a two-class configuration.
The larger A321 can seat up to 236 passengers, while the shortest variant, the A318, can seat up to 136 passengers. The A320 family utilizes a full glass cockpit, although the avionics system has received several upgrades over the years.
Other Airbus A320 Aircraft In The American Airlines Fleet
Currently, American Airlines operates one of the largest Airbus A320 fleets in the world. According to ch-aviation, the carrier currently flies 485 aircraft that fall into the A320 family. This includes the following:
Aircraft Type | Active | Inactive | Total |
---|---|---|---|
A319-100 | 121 | 12 | 133 |
A320-200 | 44 | 4 | 48 |
A321-200 | 202 | 16 | 218 |
A321-200neo | 8 | 2 | 10 |
A321-200neo (ACF) | 69 | 5 | 74 |
A321-200XLR | 2 | 2 |
With the airline’s oldest aircraft being an A320-200, it makes sense that its fleet of 48 aircraft of the type also includes some of the oldest aircraft in its overall fleet. The American Airlines A320-200s have an average age of 24.5 years, including five aircraft older than 27 years old.
American Airlines also operates an extensive fleet of over 200 A321-200s, flying mostly for domestic operations. These aircraft have an average age of 13.2 years. American Airlines also recently took delivery of two A321-200XLRs, although it has yet to enter these planes into service.
These long-range aircraft are capable of flying transatlantic routes, further opening up new routes for the airline to operate. American Airlines is also expected to take delivery of 48 more A321-200XLRs.
The Other Narrowbody Aircraft Flown By American Airlines
American Airlines has been a historic operator of the Airbus A320 series, flying nearly 500 total A320s in its fleet, which makes up nearly half of its fleet.
However, American Airlines also flies another narrowbody option, the Boeing 737. The airline operates over 300 Boeing 737-800s, which fall under the Boeing 737 Next Generation (NG) series.
The Boeing 737-800 is one of the most popular aircraft in the 737 NG series, which includes over 7,000 total aircraft delivered. However, the 737-800 remains the most popular in the family, with nearly 5,000 of the 737 NGs being 737-800s.
Compared to earlier 737 variants, the 737 NG family features a redesigned wing, greater fuel capacity, a further range, and higher MTOW. The Boeing 737-800 has the following performance specifications:
Length | 129 feet six inches |
---|---|
Height | 41 feet two inches |
Wingspan | 117 feet five inches |
Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) | 174,200 pounds |
Typical cruise speed | 393 knots (452 miles per hour) |
Range | 2,927 nautical miles (3,368 miles) |
The airline is also expected to become a large operator of the newest Boeing 737 family, the Boeing 737 MAX series. So far, American Airlines operates 79 Boeing 737 MAX-8s, with another 21 to be delivered.
The airline is also a major customer of the soon-to-be certified Boeing 737 MAX 10. American Airlines currently has 115 Boeing 737 MAX 10s on order.
The Boeing Aircraft Flown By American Airlines
Beyond the airline’s narrowbody operations, American Airlines also operates an extensive widebody fleet for long-haul operations. However, the two main series that American Airlines flies are both Boeing aircraft, including the Boeing 777 and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
According to ch-aviation, American Airlines flies over 60 Boeing 777s, including 47 Boeing 777-200ERs and 20 777-300ERs. The Boeing 777 is the world’s largest twin-engine aircraft and is also the most-built widebody airliner.
Initially, the aircraft was designed to fit in between Boeing’s 767 and the larger 747. Since its introduction, nearly 2,000 777s have been built. In a three-class configuration, the 777-200ER can seat over 300 passengers, while the 777-300ER can seat up to 365 passengers.
The other widebody airliner that American Airlines flies is the Boeing 787 . It has 37 787-8s and 30 787-9s, with another 22 787-9s to be delivered. The 787 Dreamliner is another popular widebody airliner, with over 1,200 built.
This aircraft is one of the first airliners to be made from mostly composite materials, and it utilizes electrical systems to reduce its overall weight.