Airbus A320 family: ceo to neo, and A319 / A320 / A321
This course is for pilots who hold the A320-family rating and are moving from the ceo to the neo, or from one variant to another: A319, A320 and A321, including the A321neo Airbus Cabin Flex (ACF) and the A321XLR. It also suits cadets and interview candidates who want to know what really differs across the family. It is built from the official documents: the FAA Flight Standardization Board (FSB) report, the EASA type certificate data sheet (TCDS) A.064 and its explanatory notes, and the 2003 JAA evaluation report that EASA adopted as the family's operational suitability data. It does not replace your operator's approved differences course, your FCOM or your AFM.
For the FAA, the A318, A319, A320 and A321, ceo and neo, share the A-320 type rating. The 2003 JAA evaluation gave the four models one licence endorsement, A318/319/320/321, and today's EASA TCDS treats every model, ceo and neo, as the A320 or a variant of it. That does not remove training. The FSB requires differences training between the four models and for different engine makes and models, with a minimum of Level B training and Level A checking between models, rising to Level B checking for the A321neo ACF and XLR. The 2003 JAA report sets B/A/A between the ceo variants. Be clear on one gap: neither the FSB draft nor the EASA documents used here publish a ceo-to-neo differences level, so that level comes from your operator's approved course.
Module 1 explains the family, the model numbers, the single type rating and the differences levels. Module 2 compares the A319, A320 and A321 side by side, and module 3 covers the engines of both generations. Module 4 goes through the neo airframe and systems, module 5 the flight deck and procedures, module 6 the A321neo ACF and XLR, and module 7 gathers the figures into a quick reference. All figures are certified maxima or published values from those documents: your aircraft's weight variant, cabin layout and options decide what applies to you.
Preview module 1 →Modules
- The A320 Family and Your Type RatingThe A318, A319, A320 and A321 in their ceo and neo versions, how to read a model number such as A320-214 or A321-251NX, the single type rating, the FAA and EASA differences levels A to E and the levels set between the variants.MODULE 1 · 8 MIN READ
- A319, A320 and A321 ComparedThe three main variants side by side from the EASA type certificate data sheet and the FAA and EASA differences tables: dimensions, exits and seating, weights, fuel, flaps, speed limits, altitude and the handling and systems items a pilot must know.MODULE 2 · 8 MIN READ
- Engines, ceo and neoThe six engine families on the A320-family type certificate, which engine each model carries, what the engine suffixes and optional ratings mean, what the FAA and EASA require in training when the engine changes, and the engine limitations that do not carry across.MODULE 3 · 8 MIN READ
- The neo Airframe and SystemsWhat the type certificate and its annexes record as changed in the neo airframe and systems, chapter by chapter, and what each change means for a ceo pilot.MODULE 4 · 8 MIN READ
- Flight Deck and ProceduresWhat a ceo pilot sees and does differently on the neo, from engine indications and start to flap settings, go-around, abnormal procedures and limitations, and which ceo figures not to carry across.MODULE 5 · 6 MIN READ
- A321neo ACF and XLRThe A321neo Airbus Cabin Flex with its new exit and tank options, and the A321neo XLR with its rear centre tank, electrical rudder and revised flight control laws, with the FSB training levels.MODULE 6 · 8 MIN READ
- Quick ReferenceSide-by-side tables of the A319, A320 and A321 ceo, of ceo against neo and of the A321neo, ACF and XLR, then a revision list of the differences that matter most.MODULE 7 · 6 MIN READ
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a new type rating to fly the A320neo?
No. The FAA report puts the ceo and neo models of the A318, A319, A320 and A321 under the single A-320 type rating, and the EASA type certificate treats every model, ceo and neo, as the A320 or a variant of it under one flight crew data document. You still need differences training: the FAA Flight Standardization Board requires it between the four models and for different engine makes and models. Currency counts across the family.
What is the difference between the A320ceo and the A320neo?
The neo keeps the ceo's type rating and fly-by-wire protections, and the sources record no flight deck layout change, but it has new engines, the CFM LEAP-1A or the Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-JM geared turbofan, in place of the CFM56 or IAE V2500. The EASA type certificate data sheet and its notes also record new pylons and nacelles, increased flap deflection, higher landing and zero fuel weights, and a certification basis built on the sharklet-equipped aircraft.
How do I read an Airbus model number such as A320-214 or A321-251NX?
The type certificate does not spell out a scheme, but its engine lists show a consistent pattern. The first digit is the series, the second the engine maker (1 CFM56, 2 PW6000, 3 IAE V2500, 5 CFM LEAP-1A, 7 PW1100G-JM) and the third the engine model fitted. An A320-214 has CFM56-5B4 engines. N marks a neo model, NX an A321neo with the Airbus Cabin Flex modification and NY the A321XLR.
What differences training level applies between the A319, A320 and A321?
The FAA report sets Level B training and Level A checking (B/A) between any two of the A318, A319, A320 and A321: aided instruction such as computer-based training, with no separate differences check. The 2003 JAA report that EASA adopted gives B/A/A, the third letter meaning that currency is common. Moving to the A321neo ACF or XLR needs Level B training and Level B checking under the FAA report.
Can an A320 simulator be used for A321 training?
Yes, under the 2003 JAA report that EASA adopted as the family's operational suitability data: the type rating course may use any A320-family simulator, followed by familiarisation on the variant you will fly, and recurrent training and proficiency checks may use any family simulator provided the differences between variants are covered. A proficiency check or line check on one variant is valid for all.
Unlock every module
Difference Training is part of PRO, with every question bank on v1prep. Or unlock the Airbus A320 family: ceo to neo, and A319 / A320 / A321 course and its quiz alone for €11.99, 12 months, no subscription, full refund within 14 days. Either way, Pilot CV Pro is included while it runs.
Continue in v1prep → See PRO plansSources
- FAA Flight Standardization Board Report, Airbus A318, A319, A320, A321, Revision 7 (draft)
- EASA Type Certificate Data Sheet EASA.A.064, Airbus A318, A319, A320, A321
- EASA TCDS EASA.A.064 Explanatory Note, Annex I (special conditions and equivalent safety findings)
- EASA TCDS EASA.A.064 Explanatory Note, Annex II (areas affected by significant changes: neo, Sharklet, ACF, XLR)
- EASA, Transition from OEB Reports to OSD: Airbus A320 Family (with the 2003 JAA JOEB report)
Difference Training on v1prep is for study, interview and exam preparation. It does not replace your operator's approved differences training, your AFM, FCOM and QRH, or the regulators' documents, which always govern.