Airbus A320

The age of the glass cockpit arrived when the Airbus A320 entered SAA’s service in November 1991. SAA eventually operated 6 of the type and the last one was withdrawn from service in 2001 and sold. The A320 was used on domestic and regional routes. An order for 15 further A320’s was placed in 2002 as part of SAA’s planned fleet modernisation programme but this was subsequently cancelled in 2004. 

Normal passenger: up to 143

ZS-SHA to SHG

Modelling

The following kits have been produced over the years that will allow the modeller to build a model of this aircraft.

Revell has a 1/144^th scale kit of the A320 in the range (kit number RV4267)

Welsh Models has a 1/72^nd scale vac-u-form in their range.

Colours

Scheme one

The A320’s were delivered in the final Flying Springbok orange tail scheme consisting of a plain orange tail without the Swoosh and with simplified fuselage cheat lines. On the B747 the blue cheat line was in line with the fuselage windows and swept round the nose. The blue cheat line has a white pin stripe below which is an orange stripe of the same width as the white stripe. This orange (and white) stripe was wider than in previous scheme.  SAA/SAL logos carried on forward upper fuselage and SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS/SUID-AFRIKAANSE LUGDIENS carried on lower forward fuselage below the pin stripes. There is a further orange pin stripe below this with a moderate sweep down the nose.

Scheme two

After 1997 the A320’s were repainted in the current SAA colour scheme of plain white fuselage, new national colours on tail fin and SOUTH AFRICAN titles on both sides of the fuselage. Aircraft type was carried on rear fuselage just forward of rear door and registration preceded the national flag level with the bottom of the rear door. This was the final scheme carried by the A320 until withdrawn from service and served out their days with SAA in this scheme. Also the wing tip had the SAA colours on them. 

Decals

144 South African New Colours A320's