Airbus A318

The A318, also known as the "Mini-Airbus" or "baby bus", is the smallest member of the A320 family, and the smallest Airbus of any kind. It originated from the AVIC andAirbus Industrie Asia cooperation programme AE31X. During development, it was known as the "A319M5," thus indicating its history as a direct derivative of the A319. "M5" indicates "minus five fuselage frames." The aircraft is six metres shorter and four tonnes lighter than the A320. To compensate for the reduced moment arm it has a larger vertical stabilizer, making it 80 centimetres taller than the other A320 variants. Pilots who are trained on the other variants may fly the A318 with no further certification, since it features the same type rating as its sister aircraft.