Publication date: 19 July 2018 A320 NEO vs. CEO comparison study Rory Hensey, Ana Magdalina FPG Amentum Ltd., 4 th Floor, Mespil Court, Mespil Road, Dublin 4, D04 E516, Ireland Abstract New engine technology was introduced in commercial operation for single-aisle aircraft in 2016. Two of the world’s largest engine manufacturers, CFM International (CFMI) and Pratt & Whitney (P&W), launched solutions to re-engine the A320 aircraft model. The A320 is the only in production western-built single-aisle that offers engine choice. The Airbus group designated the current engine option as A320CEO and the new variant, the new engine option, as A320NEO. The evolution from CEO to NEO is part of a larger industry advancement that seeks to improve aircraft efficiency, decrease fuel consumption and lower environmental foot print. The first A320NEO entered commercial service in January 2016 with a PW1100G-JM engine (PW1127G- JM variant) and shortly after, in July 2016, the first CFMI powered A320NEO entered service with a LEAP- 1A engine (LEAP-1A26 variant). PW1100G-JM belongs to the PW1000G family of P&W and LEAP-1A belongs to the LEAP-X family of CFM International. The aim of this paper is to investigate the consequences of equipping the A320 with new engines and draw a comparison between A320CEO and A320NEO variants from a technical and commercial point of view, with emphasis on the changes and cost differentials introduced by the new engine types. 1. A320 developments The new engine models are the main difference between A320NEOs and A320CEOs. Advancements such as new options for cabin and rear galley configuration, ambiance lighting, the possibility to increase the seats capacity, are all part of the continuous product improvement efforts by Airbus in the last few years. These recent improvements developed for the NEOs can also be applied to the latest CEO vintages. Aerodynamic revisions such as Sharklet wingtips, or increased capacity from using new cabin configuration, are available for both NEO and CEO aircraft. The major upgrades relative to the CEOs are the replacement of the IAE V2500 and CFM56-5B models with the PW1100G-JM and LEAP-1A series engines, respectively. The new engine solutions proposed by CFMI and P&W are very different. P&W developed an innovative geared turbofan engine, while CFMI refined a more traditional engine configuration.