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As reported by Bangalore Aviation last month, India’s largest domestic airline, IndiGo, has taken delivery of its first Sharklet fitted A320 aircraft, registration VT-IFH, and thus becomes the first Indian carrier, and third globally to operate this new version of the A320 aircraft. IndiGo is the first carrier globally to operate a Sharklet fitted A320 powered by the IAE V2500 engine, since the first two operators, Malaysia’s AirAsia and Philippines’ Cebu Pacific power their A320s with CFM engines.
Sharklets are newly designed wing-tip devices that improve the aircraft’s aerodynamics and significantly cut the airline’s fuel burn and emissions by four per cent on longer sectors. The devices are named Sharklets since they resemble the dorsal fins of sharks. In the high tax, high cost aviation fuel, environment of India, the improved fuel burn is highly desired.
It appears, all future new A320s inducted into the IndiGo fleet will be equipped with Sharklets. The next A320 aircraft of IndiGo, MSN5460 which will become VT-IFI, and had its first flight last Thursday, January 25th, is also equipped with Sharklets.
In 2005, IndiGo placed an order for 100 A320 aircraft. This was followed up in 2011, with the largest ever jet aircraft order in history, at that time, for 150 A320neo (new engine option), and 30 more A320 Classic. It appears that order has been amended to 180 A320neo and the 30 A320 Classic have been dropped.
IndiGo has a fleet of 62 A320s today, all of them fitted with the IAE V2500 engines.
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