A narrow-body aircraft or single-aisle aircraft is an airliner arranged along a single aisle, permitting up to 6-abreast seating in a cabin less than 4 metres (13 ft) in width. In contrast, a wide-body aircraft is a larger airliner usually configured with multiple aisles and a fuselage diameter of more than 5 metres (16 ft), allowing at least seven-abreast seating and often more travel classes.
Market
editHistorically, beginning in the late 1960s and continuing through the 1990s, twin engine narrow-body aircraft, such as the Boeing 737 Classic, McDonnell-Douglas MD-80 and Airbus A320 were primarily employed in short to medium-haul markets requiring neither the range nor the passenger-carrying capacity of that period's wide-body aircraft.[1][failed verification]
The re-engined Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320neo jets offer 500 miles more range, allowing them to operate the 3,000 miles transatlantic flights between the eastern U.S. and Western Europe, previously dominated by wide-body aircraft. Norwegian Air Shuttle, JetBlue and TAP Portugal will open up direct routes bypassing airline hubs for lower fares between cheaper, smaller airports. The Boeing 737NG 3,300-mile range is insufficient for fully laden operations and operates at reduced capacity like the Airbus A318, while the Airbus A321LR could replace the less fuel efficient Boeing 757s used since their production ended in 2004.[2]
Boeing will face competition and pricing pressure from the Embraer E-Jet E2 family, Airbus A220 (formerly Bombardier CSeries) and Comac C919.[3]
Between 2016 and 2035, FlightGlobal expects 26,860 single-aisles to be delivered for almost $1380 billion, 45% Airbus A320 family ceo and neo and 43% Boeing 737 NG and max.[4] By June 2018, there were 10,572 Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX orders: 6,068 Airbuses (57%, 2,295 with CFMs, 1,623 with PWs and 2,150 with not yet decided engines) and 4,504 Boeings (43%); 3,446 in Asia-Pacific (33%), 2,349 in Europe (22%), 1,926 in North America (18%), 912 in Latin America (9%), 654 in Middle East (6%), 72 in Africa (1%) and 1,213 not yet bounded (11%).[5]
Many airlines have shown interest in the Airbus A321LR or its A321XLR derivative, and other extended-range models, for thin transatlantic and Asia-Pacific routes.[6]
Examples
editSix-abreast cabin
editType | Country | Production | Fuselage width | Cabin width | Max. seats | Engines | seat width[a] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hawker Siddeley Trident[b] | UK | 1962–1978 | 344 cm (135 in)[8] | 180 | 3 turbofan[c] | ||
Bristol Britannia | UK | 1952–1960 | 366 cm (144 in)[9] | 350 cm (139 in)[10] | 139 | 4×turboprop | |
Douglas DC-8[11] | US | 1958–1972 | 373 cm (147 in) | 351.2 cm (138 in) | 269 | 4×turbojet/fan | |
Ilyushin Il-62[12] | USSR/Russia | 1963–1995 | 380 cm (150 in) | 356 cm (140 in) | 186 | 4×turbofan | |
Vickers VC10[13] | UK | 1962–1970 | 375 cm (148 in) | 351 cm (138 in)[14] | 151 | 4×turbofan | |
Boeing 707/Boeing 720[15] | US | 1958–1979 | 376 cm (148 in) | 354 cm (139 in) | 219 | 4×turbojet/fan | 17" |
Boeing 737[16] | US | 1966–present | 220 | 2×turbofan | 17" | ||
Boeing 757[17] | US | 1981–2004 | 295 | 2×turbofan | 17" | ||
Boeing 727[18] | US | 1963–1984 | 356 cm (140 in) | 189 | 3×turbofan | 16.9" | |
Tupolev Tu-154[19] | USSR/Russia | 1968–2013 | 380 cm (150 in) | 356 cm (140 in) | 180 | 3×turbofan | |
Tupolev Tu-204[20] | Russia | 1990–present[d] | 357 cm (141 in) | 215 | 2×turbofan | ||
Tupolev Tu-334 | Russia | 1999–2009 | 102 | 2×turbofan | |||
Yakovlev Yak-42 | USSR/Russia | 1977–2003 | 360 cm (142 in) | 120 | 3×turbofan | ||
Dassault Mercure | France | 1971–1975 | 366 cm (144 in)[21] | 162 | 2×turbofan | ||
Airbus A320 family[22] | Multi | 1986–present | 395 cm (156 in) | 370 cm (146 in) | 244 | 2×turbofan | 18"[23] |
Comac C919 | China | 2016–present | 396 cm (156 in)[24] | 390 cm (154 in)[25] | 192 | 2×turbofan | |
Yakovlev MC-21[26] | Russia | 2017–present | 406 cm (160 in) | 381 cm (150 in) | 230 | 2×turbofan | |
Tupolev Tu-114[e] | USSR | 1958–1963 | 420 cm (165 in) | 406 cm (160 in)[14] | 220 | 4×turboprop |
Five-abreast cabin
editType | Country | Production | Fuselage width | Cabin width | Max. seats | Engines | Seat width |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
de Havilland Comet | UK | 1949–1964 | 292 cm (115 in)[28] | 81 | 4×turbojet | ||
Douglas DC-4/DC-6/DC-7 | US | 1942–1958 | 301 cm (118.5 in)[29] | 95 | 4×piston engine | ||
Sud Aviation Caravelle | France | 1958–1972 | 301 cm (118.5 in)[30] | 80 | 2×turbojet | ||
Vickers Viscount | UK | 1948–1963 | 305 cm (120 in)[31] | 75 | 4×turboprop | ||
Fokker F28/Fokker 70/Fokker 100 | Netherlands | 1967–1997 | 330 cm (130 in) | 310 cm (122 in)[32] | 122 | 2×turbofan | |
Tupolev Tu-144[33] | USSR | 1963–1983 | 330 cm (130 in)[f][34] | 140 | 4×turbojet | ||
McDonnell Douglas DC-9/MD-80/MD-90/Boeing 717[35] | US | 1965–2006 | 334.3 cm (131.6 in) | 311.2 cm (122.5 in) | 172 | 2×turbofan | 17.9" |
Antonov An-148/An-158 | Ukraine | 2002–present | 335 cm (132 in) | 313 cm (123 in)[36] | 99 | 2×turbofan | |
Comac ARJ21[37] | China | 2007–present | 336 cm (132 in) | 314.3 cm (123.7 in) | 105 | 2×turbofan | |
Boeing 377 Stratocruiser | US | 1947–1963 | 335 cm (132 in)[38] | 315 cm (124 in)[39] | 114 | 4×piston engine | |
Tupolev Tu-104 | USSR | 1955–1960 | 350 cm (137.7 in) | 320 cm (126 in) | 115 | 2×turbojet | |
Ilyushin Il-18 | USSR | 1957–1985 | 351 cm (138 in)[40] | 315 cm (124 in)[14] | 120 | 4×turboprop | |
BAC One-Eleven | UK | 1963–1989 | 315 cm (124 in)[32] | 119 | 2×turbofan | ||
Sukhoi Superjet 100 | Russia | 2007–present | 345 cm (136 in)[41]: 451 | 323.6 cm (127 in)[42] | 108 | 2×turbofan | |
Convair 880 | US | 1959–1962 | 325 cm (128 in)[14] | 110 | 4×turbojet | ||
Convair 990 | US | 1961–1963 | 325 cm (128 in)[14] | 149 | 4×turbofan | ||
Lockheed L-188 Electra | US | 1957–1961 | 325 cm (128 in)[14] | 98 | 4×turboprop | ||
Lockheed Constellation | US | 1943–1958 | 328 cm (129 in)[14] | 109 | 4×piston engine | ||
Airbus A220 | Canada/Multi | 2012–present | 350 cm (138 in)[43] | 328 cm (129 in) | 160 | 2×turbofan | 18.6" |
British Aerospace 146[44][g] | UK | 1987–2001 | 350 cm (138 in) | 324 cm (128 in) | 112 | 4×turbofan |
Four-abreast cabin
editType | Country | Production | Fuselage width | Cabin width | Max. seats | Engines | Seat width |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yakovlev Yak-40 | USSR | 1966–1981 | 240 cm (94 in) | 215 cm (85 in) | 40 | 3×turbofan | |
Douglas DC-3[47] | US | 1936–1942, 1950 | 250 cm (98 in) | 27 | 2×piston engine | ||
De Havilland Dash 8[48] | Canada | 1983–present | 269 cm (106 in) | 251 cm (99 in) | 90 | 2×turboprop | 17.3" |
Fokker 27/Fokker 50 | Netherlands | 1987–1997 | 254 cm (100 in)[32] | 58 | 2×turboprop | ||
Bombardier CRJ[49] | Canada | 1991–2020 | 269 cm (106.1 in) | 255 cm (100.5 in) | 104 | 2×turbofan | 17.3" |
ATR 42/ATR 72[50] | France/Italy | 1984–present | 273 cm (107 in) | 257 cm (101 in) | 78 | 2×turboprop | 18" |
Concorde | France/UK | 1965–1979 | 262 cm (103 in)[32] | 128 | 4×turbojet | ||
Convair CV-240 | US | 1947–1954 | 271 cm (106.5 in)[39] | 40 | 2×piston engine | ||
Tupolev Tu-124/Tu-134[51] | USSR | 1956–1984 | 290 cm (114 in) | 261 cm (103 in)[52] | 56-84 | 2×turbofan | |
Ilyushin Il-114 | USSR/Russia | 1997–2012 | 264 cm (104 in) | 228 cm (90 in) | 64 | 2×turboprop | |
Embraer E-Jet/E-Jet E2[53] | Brazil | 2001–present | 301 cm (119 in) | 274 cm (108 in) | 146 | 2×turbofan | 18" |
Antonov An-24 | USSR | 1959–1979 | 277 cm (109 in)[32] | 50 | 2×turboprop |
Three-abreast cabin
editType | Country | Production | Fuselage width | Cabin width | Max. seats | Engines | Seat width |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter[54] | Canada | 1965–1988, 2008–present | 175 cm (69 in) | 161 cm (63.2 in) | 19 | 2×turboprop | |
BAe Jetstream 31/41 | UK | 1982–1997 | 185 cm (73 in)[55] | 30 | 2×turboprop | ||
Short 360 | UK | 1981–1991 | 193 cm (76 in)[56] | 36 | 2×turboprop | ||
Embraer EMB 120[57] | Brazil | 1983–2001 | 228 cm (90 in) | 210 cm (83 in) | 30 | 2×turboprop | 17.3" |
Embraer ERJ 145 family[58] | Brazil | 1989–2020 | 228 cm (90 in) | 210 cm (83 in) | 50 | 2×turbofan | 17.3" |
Saab 340/Saab 2000[59] | Sweden | 1983–1999 | 231 cm (91 in) | 216 cm (85 in) | 50 | 2×turboprop | 18.1" |
Dornier 328 | Germany | 1991–2000 | 217.2 cm (85.5 in) | 32 | 2×turboprop | 18.1" | |
Cessna 408 SkyCourier[60] | USA | 2023–present | 188 cm (74 in) | 19 | 2×turboprop |
Two-abreast cabin
editType | Country | Production | Fuselage width | Cabin width | Max. seats | Engines |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Beechcraft 1900 | US | 1982–2002 | 1.37m | 19 | 2×turboprop | |
Beechcraft Model 18 | US | 1937–1970 | 6 | 2×piston engine | ||
Beechcraft Model 99 | US | 1968–1986 | 15 | 2×piston engine | ||
Boeing 247 | US | 1933–1937 | 10 | 2×piston engine | ||
Britten-Norman Islander | UK | 1965–present | 9 | 2×piston engine | ||
Britten-Norman Trislander | UK | 1970–1982 | 16 | 3×piston engine | ||
de Havilland Dove | UK | 1946–1947 | 8–11 | 2×piston engine | ||
de Havilland Heron | UK | 1950–1963 | 14–17 | 4×piston engine | ||
Dornier 228 | Germany | 1981–1998, 2009–present | 19 | 2×turboprop | ||
Douglas DC-1 | US | 1933 | 12 | 2×piston engine | ||
Douglas DC-2 | US | 1934–1939 | 14 | 2×piston engine | ||
Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante | Brazil | 1968–1990 | 18 | 2×turboprop | ||
Evektor EV-55 Outback | Czech Republic | 2011–present | 9–14 | 2×turboprop | ||
Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner | US | 1968–2001 | 19 | 2×turboprop | ||
Ford Trimotor | US | 1925–1933 | 11 | 3×piston engine | ||
GAF Nomad | Australia | 1975–1985 | 12–16 | 2×turboprop | ||
Junkers Ju 52 | Germany | 1930–1952 | 17 | 3×piston engine | ||
Lockheed Model 10 Electra | US | 1934–1937 | 10 | 2×piston engine | ||
Lockheed Model 14 Super Electra | US | 1937–1946 | 12-14 | 2×piston engine | ||
Tecnam P2012 Traveller | Italy | 2016–Present | 11 | 2×piston engine |
Image gallery
edit-
Two-abreast Beech 1900
-
Three-abreast Saab 340
-
Four-abreast Embraer E190
-
Five-abreast Boeing 717
-
Six-abreast Airbus A320
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ with 2" armrests when not otherwise specified
- ^ except seven-abreast for Channel Airways[7]
- ^ +1 booster on some variants
- ^ limited production
- ^ up to eight-abreast in tourist class[27]
- ^ Series Aircraft, 300 cm (118 in) prototype
- ^ except six-abreast for some operators including CityJet[45] and Mahan Air[46]
References
edit- ^ "The eye of the storm". The Economist. Retrieved 2017-11-03.
- ^ Richard Weiss, Andrea Rothman and Benjamin D Katz (September 15, 2016), "Your next trans-Atlantic trip may be on Boeing's smallest plane, the humble 737", Bloomberg
- ^ Trefis stock analysis (March 6, 2014), "New Entrants Pose a Challenge to Boeing's Share of the Global Commercial Airplane Market", Forbes Great Speculations, Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own
- ^ "Flight Fleet Forecast's single-aisle outlook 2016–2035". FlightGlobal. 10 November 2016.
- ^ "Infographic: How is the narrowbody market-share shaping up?". FlightGlobal. 12 July 2018.
- ^ Adrian Schofield; Sean Broderick; Kerry Reals; Jens Flottau (Jan 30, 2019). "Long-Range Narrowbodies Open New Airline Opportunities". Aviation Week & Space Technology.[dead link ]
- ^ "Variants". Shockcone.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-01-19.
- ^ "Commercial aircraft survey". Flight International. 23 Oct 1975.
- ^ Greg Goebel (1 Aug 2018). "The Bristol Britannia & Vickers Viscount". AirVectors.
- ^ "Commercial aircraft of the world" (PDF). Flight International. 20 Nov 1959.
- ^ "Airplane Characteristics for Airport Planning" (PDF). Boeing. 1989.
- ^ John Pike Page (Sep 7, 2011). "Il-62 Classic". GlobalSecurity.
- ^ "A Little VC10derness". vc10.net. 2017-02-26.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Commercial Aircraft of the world". Flight International. 23 Nov 1961.
- ^ "707 acaps" (PDF).
- ^ "737 acaps" (PDF).
- ^ "757 acaps" (PDF).
- ^ "727 acaps" (PDF).
- ^ "tu-154 specs". Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2015-12-01.
- ^ Élodie Roux (2007). Avions civils à réaction : plan 3 vues et données caractéristiques. Elodie Roux. p. 610. ISBN 9782952938020.
- ^ Peter Middleton (20 May 1971). "Dassault Mercure". Flight International. p. 726.
- ^ "A321neo details". Airbus. 7 October 2021.
- ^ "A321 aircraft characteristics" (PDF). Airbus. Feb 1, 2019.
- ^ Bradley Perrett (8 September 2009). "Comac Begins Building C919 Structure". Aviation Week.
- ^ "Zhuhai10: COMAC releases C919 specifications". Flight Global. 16 November 2010.
- ^ "MC-21 aircraft family specifications and performance". Irkut.
- ^ "Tupolev Tu-114". Flight. 28 Feb 1958. p. 286.
- ^ "Commercial Aircraft of the world". Flight International. 23 Nov 1961.
- ^ "Commercial Aircraft of the world". Flight International. 23 Nov 1961.
- ^ "Commercial Aircraft of the world". Flight International. 23 Nov 1961.
- ^ "Commercial Aircraft of the world". Flight International. 23 Nov 1961.
- ^ a b c d e "Commercial aircraft survey". Flight International. 23 Oct 1975.
- ^ TU-144 SS Technical Specs: Accommodation
- ^ "Dimensions - Series Aircraft". TU-144 SST.
- ^ "MD-80 Series Airplane Characteristics for Airport Planning" (PDF). McDonnell Douglas. Dec 1989.
- ^ Peter Collins (28 Nov 2011). "A flight test of Antonov's An-158 regional jet". Flightglobal.
- ^ Élodie Roux (2007). Avions civils à réaction : plan 3 vues et données caractéristiques. Elodie Roux. p. 60. ISBN 9782952938020.
- ^ "The Development Of Boeing's 367-80 or Charging Into the Jet Age Armed With Only a Slide Rule and Spline". Archived from the original on 2021-02-26. Retrieved 2019-01-29.
- ^ a b "commercial aircraft of the world". Flight. 20 November 1959.
- ^ "Inside the 11-18". Flight International. 1 July 1960.
- ^ Jane's all the world's aircraft. 2005.
- ^ "SSJ100 Datasheet" (PDF). SuperJet International. 2011.
- ^ Bombardier Aerospace Commercial Aircraft Customer Support: Airport planning publication Archived 2016-09-20 at the Wayback Machine, p. 5.
- ^ Élodie Roux (2007). Avions civils à réaction : plan 3 vues et données caractéristiques. Elodie Roux. p. 162. ISBN 9782952938020.
- ^ "SeatGuru Seat Map Air France RJ-85 Avroliner". SeatGuru. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
- ^ "Seat Map". Mahan Air. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
- ^ "Douglas DC-3". Buffalo Airways. Archived from the original on January 18, 2013. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
- ^ "Q Series Brochure" (PDF). Bombardier. 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-11-15. Retrieved 2019-05-06.
- ^ "CRJ Series Brochure" (PDF). Bombardier. 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-08-28. Retrieved 2019-05-06.
- ^ "ATR 72–600 Quick view" (PDF). ATR. October 2018.
- ^ "Russian aircraft data". Archived from the original on October 11, 2017.
- ^ "Tu-134. A photo. Video. Driving compartment. Characteristics. Reviews".
- ^ "Embraer 195 Airport Planning Manual" (PDF). Embraer. 9 Oct 2015.
- ^ "Twin Otter Series 400 Technical Description". Viking Air Ltd. 2 March 2015.
- ^ "High performance Jetstream 31". Flight International. 10 October 1981.
- ^ "Shorts 360 joins commuterliner battle". Flight International. 2 August 1980.
- ^ "Airport Planning Manual" (PDF). Embraer. 30 Oct 2000.
- ^ "Airport Planning Manual" (PDF). Embraer. 29 Jan 2007.
- ^ "SAAB 2000" (PDF). Saab Aircraft Leasing. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-07-14. Retrieved 2018-06-04.
- ^ "Cessna 408 skycourier-passenger". Cessna. 2024. Retrieved 2024-09-19.