View source for Azimut 73 Invidia

{{Infobox Aircraft
|name           = Azimut 73 Invidia
|image          = Image:Azimut 73-2.png
|caption        = Side view of the Azimut 73B
|type           = {{wp|Wide-body aircraft|Wide-body}} {{wp|jet airliner}}
|national origin = [[Ainin]]
|manufacturer   = [[Azimut#Aviation|Azimut Aviation]]
|first flight   = 3 August 2005
|introduced     = 1 January 2008
|retired        = 
|status         = In service
|primary user   = [[Aininian (airline)|Aininian]]
|more users     = [[Air Luziyca]]<br />[[International Daeconese Airlines]]<br />[[Francilian Airlines]]<br />[[Toksanese Airlines]]
|produced       = 2008-present
|number built   = TBA
|program cost   = <!--Total program cost-->
|unit cost      = $240.7 million <small>(A-73B)</small>
|developed from = <!--The aircraft which formed the basis for this aircraft-->
|variants with their own articles = <!--Variants OF this aircraft-->
}}
The '''Azimut 73 Invidia''', commonly known as the '''A-73''', is an [[Ainin|Aininian]] long-range, mid-size [[wikipedia:wide-body aircraft|wide-body]] [[wikipedia:twinjet|twin-engine]] [[wikipedia:jet airliner|jet airliner]] made by [[Azimut#Aviation|Azimut Aviation]]. The aircraft's base model, the A-73B, is 49.1 metres long, seats 252 passengers in a three-class configuration and has an operational range of 13,921 km (7,516 {{wp|nautical mile|nmi}}). It was introduced in 2005 as a replacement for the 1970s-era [[Azimut 72 Carmenta]], featuring significant improvements in fuel efficiency and performance as well as a {{wp|fly-by-wire}} {{wp|glass cockpit}} with advanced automation capabilities. While not the first aircraft to employ such technologies, it is the first to be designed around a fly-by-wire configuration.

Development began in the 1990s as airline soperating the A-72 voiced concerns about the poor fuel efficiency of the design compared to the then-new [[Revontuli R-100|R-100]]. While their immediate concerns were remedied by the A-72bis upgrade, management continued planning  a replacement for the aging design. Development quickened in the 2000s, as the early A-72bis aircraft began reaching the end of their useful service lives without a ready-made replacement. The A-73's maiden flight occurred in [[Talon]], [[Linaque]] on 3 August 2005. Demand at launch was high, with large orders from [[Aininian (airline)|Aininian]], [[Air Luziyca]], [[International Daeconese Airlines]] and [[Francilian Airlines]], amongst many others. Most customers had previously operated the A-72.

Its main competitor is the [[Nevanmaa|Nevan]] [[Revontuli R-100]].

== Development ==
Early planning for a replacement to the venerable A-72 began in June of 1992 following an internal memorandum circulated by Azimut's upper management warning of the R-100's threat to Azimut's market share. However, development did not begin in earnest until 1994, when several airlines voiced concerns to Azimut executives that their A-72s underperformed the then-new R-100s in fuel efficiency, range and technological advancement. The company responded in the short term by releasing an incremental upgrade, the A-72bis series, but also committed a permanent team to work on Project Scorpio, which would later become the A-73.

With early adopters of the A-72bis seeing their aircraft near the end of their useful service lives, the A-73 project was rushed by Azimut to ensure the continued loyalty of their customers. By 2003, the design had been finalised. A prototype was built in 2004 and first flown in August 2005 from [[Talon International Airport]] before a crowd of airline officials and media. The flight was deemed successful and the company received record orders for the aircraft. The first airframe was delivered to [[Aininian (airline)|Aininian]] on 1 January 2008.

It was given the designation of 73 as it is the third aircraft produced by Azimut in the role of a mid-sized long-range airliner (after the [[Azimut 71 Minerva|A-71 Minerva]] and the [[Azimut 72 Carmenta|A-72 Carmenta]]). As with all Azimut passenger airliners, it was named after a Latin deity, in this case {{wp|Invidia}}, goddess of vengeance.

== Variants ==
=== A-73A ===
The Azimut 73A is a slightly truncated model of the Invidia, oriented towards airlines that use the aircraft on {{wp|Point-to-point_transit|point-to-point}} operations. It is 
45.5 m (149 ft 3 in) long and has a slightly increased range of 14,130 km (8,780 mi) due to its lighter weight. It seats around 224 passengers in standard configuration.
=== A-73B ===
The Azimut 73B (B for base) is the base model of the Invidia and the most common model in active service. It features two [[COAV]] Licorne M344 and is typically configured in a three-class 252-seat arrangement. It has an operational range of 13,517 km (8,399 mi) and a fuselage length of 49.1 m (161 ft 1 in).
=== A-73E ===
The Azimut 73E (E for elongated/élargi) is an elongated variant of the Invidia featuring more powerful [[COAV]] Licorne M720-D engines. Due to its engines and additional fuel stores, it has an extended range of 14,718 km (9,145 mi). It is 53.7 m (176 ft 4 in) long and features a slightly larger cargo hold (a net increase of 38.7 m³ compared to the base model). In a typical configuration, it seats 298 to 306 passengers.
=== A-73C ===
The Azimut 73C (C for cargo) is a full cargo conversion of the A-73E. It has a cargo space of 480.7 m³ (16,976 ft³) but a significantly reduced range of 7,488 km (4,653 mi). It is targeted towards mid-range cargo transport, marketed as a larger and more advanced version of the [[Azimut 44 Saturne#A-44C|A-44C]].
=== Azimut Nemesis ===
The Azimut Nemesis is a military conversion of the Azimut 73B, used in {{wp|strategic airlift}} and {{wp|aerial refuelling}} roles. The aircraft is outfitted with advanced electronic and physical countermeasures. It is exclusively employed by the [[Aininian Air Force]], which operates 38 of the transports. While there are no plans to manufacture any further models, Azimut maintains the ability to restart production if a demand for the aircraft emerges. The Nemesis has been cleared for export by the Aininian Ministry of Defence to all [[Esquarian Community]] and [[Esquarian Treaty Organisation]] member-states.

== Operators ==
<!-- Don't go to three digits unless you run a REALLY intense hub-and-spoke operation -->
The Azimut 73 is a very popular long-range airliner in Esquarium, favoured for its fuel efficiency and good size for {{wp|point-to-point transit|point-to-point}} and medium-demand operations.
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center; font-size: 87.5%"
|- style="background-color:#ccddff"
!Airline
!A-73A
!A-73B
!A-73E
!A-73C
!Total
|-
|align="left"|[[Aeracara]]
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| 12
| &mdash;
| '''12'''
|-
|align="left"|[[Aininian (airline)|Aininian]]
| &mdash;
| 87
| 51
| 23
| '''161'''
|-
|align="left"|[[Air Ainin]]
| 20
| 37
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| '''57'''
|-
|align="left"|[[Air Luziyca]]
| &mdash;
| 68
| 46
| &mdash;
| '''114'''
|-
|align="left"|[[Arc Air]]
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|12 
|&mdash;
|'''12'''
|-
|align="left"|[[Francilian Airlines]]
| &mdash;
| 22
| 28
| &mdash;
| '''50'''
|-
|align="left"|[[International Daeconese Airlines]]
|&mdash;
|23
|41
|&mdash; 
|'''64'''
|-
|align="left"|[[Katranjian Airlines]]
|15
|30
|5
|5
|'''55'''
|-
|align="left"|[[Lanosian National Airways]]
|&mdash;
|25
|&mdash;
|5
|'''30'''
|-
|align="left"|[[Nautasian Airlines]]
|&mdash;
|15
|12 
|20
|'''47'''
|-
|align="left"|[[Toksanese Airlines]]
|&mdash;
|26
|11 
|&mdash;
|'''37'''
|-
|}

== Accidents and incidents ==
Owing to its short time in service, the Azimut 73 is yet to suffer a hull-loss accident. One fatal incident involving an A-73 has occurred.
* 20 February 2010: [[Aininian Flight 156]], a regularly-scheduled flight between [[Beaurepaire-Saint-Hyacinthe International Airport]] in [[Beaurepaire]], [[Ainin]] and [[Tilha'ad International Airport]] in [[Tilha'ad]], [[West Nautarya]] was directed to a closed runway due to controller error. The aircraft struck a pickup truck on the ground, damaging the landing gear and killing all 3 occupants of the truck. The aircraft was repaired and returned to service.

== Specifications ==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Variant
! A-73A
! A-73B
! A-73E
! A-73C
|-
! Cockpit crew
| colspan=4|Two
|-
! Seating, typical
| 224 (10F + 34J + 180Y)
| 252 (16F + 36J + 200Y)
| 298 (16F + 42J + 240Y)
| {{n/a}}
|-
! Other seatings
| 234 (24F + 210Y)
| 240 (20F + 220Y) <br />266 (12F + 44J + 210Y)
| 306 (12F + 48J + 246Y)
| {{n/a}}
|-
! Length
| 45.5 m (149 ft 3 in)
| 49.1 m (161 ft 1 in)
| colspan=2| 53.7 m (176 ft 4 in)
|-
! Wingspan
| colspan=4| 60.3 m<br/>(197 ft 10 in)
|- 
! Height
| colspan=4| 16.8 m <br/> (55 ft 1 in)
|-
! Cabin width
| colspan=4| 5.40 m <br/> (17 ft 9 in)
|-
! Fuselage width
| colspan=4| 5.72 m <br/> (18 ft 9 in)
|-
! Cargo volume
| colspan=2| 144.5 m³ <br/> (5,103 ft³)
| 183.2 m³ <br/> (6,470 ft³)
| 480.7 m³ <br/> (16,976 ft³)
|-
! {{wp|Maximum takeoff weight}} (MTOW)
|
|
|
|
|-
! {{wp|Maximum landing weight}} (MLW)
|
|
|
|
|-
! Operating empty weight
|
|
|
|
|-
! Fuel capacity
|
|
|
|
|-
! Engines (x2)
| colspan=2| [[COAV]] Licorne M344
| colspan=2| [[COAV]] Licorne M720-D
|-
! Thrust (x2)
| colspan=2| 
| colspan=2| 
|-
! Cruise speed
| colspan=2| Mach 0.83 (476 kn; 548 mph; 882 km/h)
| colspan=2| Mach 0.82 (470 kn; 541 mph; 871 km/h)
|-
! Maximum speed
| colspan=4| Mach 0.87 (499 kn; 574 mph; 924 km/h)
|-
! Range, typical
| 14,130 km<br/>(8,780 mi)
| 13,517 km<br/>(8,399 mi)
| 14,718 km<br/>(9,145 mi)
| 7,488 km<br/>(4,653 mi)
|-
! Takeoff distance
|
|
|
|
|-
! Ceiling
| colspan=4 | 13,000 m<br/>(42,650 ft)
|-
|}

== See also ==
* [[Azimut]]
* [[Azimut 72 Carmenta]]
'''Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era'''
* [[Revontuli R-100]]

{{Azimut airliners|state=collapsed}}
[[Category:Ainin]] [[Category:Aircraft]]