An Overlooked Classic That Put Airbus on the Map
Some three decades ago, when a group of European companies proposed building a twin-engine widebody aircraft, most people in the aviation world thought the idea would be a commercial failure. The A300 is now admired on every continent. Some two decades, Airbus proposed another twin-engine design, this time a single-aisle aircraft, which would compete against Boeing 727 and 737, the best selling jet airliners of all time; again, people were sceptical of the plane's ability to sell. The A320 family of airliners (which includes the short-body A319 and stretched A321, along with the scaled-down A318) has now sold over 1,000 airframes, bestowing on Airbus as the world's number one seller of airliners.
Tim Lamming and Robert Hewson's book contains a wealth of detail about the development of the A320, touching on its stablemates, the A319, A321, and A318. Technical specifications also abound. Photo captions are detailed and informative. My only complaint with this book, and others in Airlife Airliners series, is the lack of interior photographs: two flight deck pictures, economy class cabin view, and picture of the rear galley. I really would have likes some views taken from inside the aircraft, especially of the wing flaps upon landing.
Between the time the book was published and the writing of this review, a great deal has happened, and even more airlines have purchased or leased this increasingly popular aircraft, most notably jetBlue. Nevertheless, the book is up to date and thorough, offering the aviation enthusiast a good look at the overlooked classic that put Airbus on the map.
