Airbus Corporate Jets says that manufacture of the first ACJ320neo has begun, with “elements taking shape across Europe” and final assembly due to begin this month; this will be followed by the first delivery of the ‘green’ aircraft to the UK’s Acropolis Aviation in the last quarter of this year.

A second ACJ320neo will follow by the end of the year.

Deliveries of the first ACJ319neo, for Germany’s K5 Aviation, will begin in the second quarter of 2019, marking a further step in the creation of the new corporate jet family.

Orders for the ACJ320 family now total nine aircraft, comprising three ACJ319neo and six ACJ320neo aircraft.

Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJ) “highlighted’ the ACJ320neo family, which includes the ACJ319neo, at the European Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition, held in Geneva at the end of May.

The ACJ319neo can carry eight passengers for 12,500km (or 15hr), while the ACJ320neo can carry 25 passengers for 11,100km (or 13hr).

For customers wanting even more passenger capacity, Airbus offers a complete family of VIP wide-bodies, which includes the new ACJ330neo and ACJ350 XWB families. More than 190 Airbus corporate jets are in service world-wide.