TOULOUSE, France - Lhasa-based Tibet Airlines from the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China has taken delivery of its first A319 with Sharklets. The aircraft joins Tibet Airlines' existing fleet of eight A319s, and is the 165th assembled at Airbus' Tianjin Final Assembly Line.
The aircraft is powered by CFM56-5B engines and features a two class cabin, seating 128 passengers with eight in business class and 120 in economy.
Tibet Airlines' base is Gongga Airport, Lhasa, is one of the world's highest airports at an altitude of 12,000 feet. The new A319 is certificated for high altitude airport operation and Required Navigation Performance - Authorization Required (RNP-AR) and Satcom is installed.
RNP-AR procedures allow the aircraft to fly precisely along predefined routes using on-board navigation systems and the GPS-based 'Global Navigation Satellite System' (GNSS). The high accuracy provided by RNP-AR is especially important for airlines operating in and out of airports in mountainous regions. Tibet Airlines has selected Airbus ProSky, an Airbus subsidiary, as its strategic partner for its RNP-AR operations.
Sharklets are made from light-weight composites and are 2.4 meters tall. They are an option on new-build A320 Family aircraft and standard on all members of the new A320neo family. They offer operators up to four per cent fuel burn reduction on longer range sectors and provide the flexibility of either adding an additional 100 nautical miles range or increased payload capability of up to 450 kilograms.