Czech Airlines has received another new Airbus A319 arriving from the Airbus aircraft assembly centre in Hamburg, Germany.  Upon arrival, the new plane headed for a hangar, to undergo a standard check-up prior to deployment.  Passengers should encounter it for the first time on the morning flight from Prague to Brussels, on Thursday 20 March.

In all, Czech Airlines will receive four new aircraft of this type from Airbus this year.  The Airline has already taken delivery of the first one, in February, and the second yesterday; the third will arrive in April, and the last in September.  Czech Airlines chose the Airbus A320/319 aircraft in a tender for new-generation medium-haul aircraft, in 2004.  From this tender, Czech Airlines received three aircraft in 2006 and five last year.  Also, the Airline has decided to exercise an advantageous option for another eight aircraft of this type, to be supplied in 2011 - 2012.

It usually takes four days to accept a new aircraft from a manufacturer. The process involves Czech Airlines employees and representatives of the Czech Civil Aviation Authority.  “First, a static inspection takes place, tests of the aircraft with the engines going, and an engine test.  On the second day, the aircraft goes for a test flight,” explained Zdeněk Tyrner, Head of Aircraft Technology for the Airbus A320 family.  After the test flight, the technical acceptance of the aircraft is completed, and on the fourth day the official hand over of documentation takes place, the money is transferred, documentation signed, and ownership of the aircraft transferred.  The representatives of the Civil Aviation Authority then issue certificates for the aircraft and the temporary German matriculation is replaced with a new Czech symbol.  The matriculation of the aircraft received yesterday is OK-NEN.
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