Hontiveros and Luciano welcome first landing in Phl of sharklet-winged A320.
Photo by Ric Gonzales
CLARK FREEPORT – With the tip of its wings conspicuously curved upward, the world’s reputed first environment- friendly commercial aircraft arrived here Wednesday from Malaysia, the first such aircraft to land in the Philippines.
AirAsia’s A320 airbus with so-called “sharklet” wings landed at 10 a.m. at the Clark International Airport (CIA) here, sans welcoming fanfare. The sharklets referred to the wings’ upward slanted tips, each 1.7 meters long.
“It’s the world’s first Airbus A320 with sharklets operated by AirAsia Berhad Malaysia,” said Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) president and chief executive officer Victor Jose Luciano.
The aircraft glided onto the Clark tarmac with 180 passengers from Kuala Lumpur.
AirAsia Philippines chief executive officer Maan Hontiveros said the sharklets of the aircraft “reduce fuel burn and emissions by improving the aerodynamics of the aircraft significantly.”
“The sharklets aircraft will enable savings of four percent in fuel consumption, corresponding to an annual carbon reduction of around 1,000 tons per aircraft,” she said.
Hontiveros also noted that “sharklets offer the flexibility of either adding around 100 nautical miles more range or allowing increased payload capability of up to 450 kilograms.”
Aircraft Capt. Hans Hernandez, safety manager of Philippines AirAsia, said AirAsia was privileged by Airbus to get the world’s first aircraft with sharklets because “AirAsia is Airbus’ top customer for A320 aircraft.”
At a press briefing during the plane’s first landing here, no one seemed sure why the tips were referred to as sharklets, but Hontiveros theorized the name might have something to do with the appearance of sharks.
Meanwhile, Hontiveros also disclosed that Philippines AirAsia would also have its own A320 aircraft with sharklets by this April.
She said AirAsia has placed orders for 100 more A320 aircraft, including 36 A320ceo aircraft with sharklets.
“Altogether, AirAsia has ordered 475 single aircraft from Airbus, comprising 264 A320neo and 211 A320ceo,” she added.
