AIRBUS A318 - Air France - F-GUGJ

AEROPLANE KEY RING:

The Airbus A318 is part of the A320 family. It is the smallest member of the family.

Only less than 100 units were built. As the maximum number of passengers on board this "Baby Airbus" was 132, operating costs were very high for the airlines.

The F-GUGJ aircraft was delivered to Air France in 2005. The French airline operated a total of 18 A318s, which are gradually being retired.

The F-GUGJ was used mainly in Europe and North Africa.

It was finally dismantled in the Netherlands in 2024.

A special feature of the A318 was the small wings on the front landing gear, also known as strakes. These were necessary because, unlike other Airbus models, the distance between the front landing gear and the angle of attack sensors was smaller, and the airflow could interfere with the sensors when the landing gear was extended. These small wings ensured correct readings, especially on flights with high angles of attack. Very special aircraft identification labels were made from these parts. They are painted on both sides and cannot be customised