First A319 with ROPS delivered

Airbus has achieved Federal Aviation Administration certification of its Runway Overrun Prevention System (ROPS) for the Airbus A320 family, allowing for Tuesday's delivery of the first A320 family member featuring ROPS – an A319 to American Airlines. American has elected to equip all of its A320 family fleet with Airbus' ROPS. This on-board cockpit technology increases pilots' situational awareness during landing, reduces exposure to runway excursion risk, and, if necessary, provides active protection. The European Aviation Safety Agency certified ROPS on the A320ceo family in August of this year. It was announced earlier this month that the Airbus team responsible for the design and implementation of ROPS has been nominated as a finalist for an Aviation Week Laureate Award, with the winner to be named in March 2014. (Source: Airbus, 11/12/13) Gulf Coast note: Airbus is building an A320 final assembly line in Mobile, Ala. It will build A319, A320 and A321 jetliners beginning in 2015. Previous: Airline ops for Airbus' ROPS; ROPS OK'd for A320ceo. Of note: Merger of interest to region