A321XLR first flight
A321XLR first flight
On 15 June 2022, the first A321XLR successfully accomplished its very first flight. The aircraft is now starting its flight test campaign on route to secure Type Certification in 2023 and entry into service in 2024.
The aircraft took to the skies from Hamburg-Finkenwerder Airport at 11:05 hrs CEST for a test flight which lasted approximately 4 hours and 35 minutes. During the flight, the crew tested the aircraft’s flight controls, engines and main systems, including flight envelope protections, both at high and low speed.
The aircraft is now ready to undergo the flight test programme and will be flying hundreds of flight test hours in the coming weeks to progress all testing and documentation to secure the Type Certification in 2023. Entry into Service is planned for 2024.
Another high achiever in the Family!
This is a major milestone for Airbus and the A320 Family customers worldwide. With the A321XLR coming into service, airlines will be able to offer long-haul comfort on a single aisle aircraft, thanks to its unique Airspace cabin.
The A321XLR is the next step in the evolution of A320neo single-aisle Family meeting the market demand for increased range and payload, creating more value for airlines by enabling economically viable services on longer routes than any comparable aircraft model.
The A321XLR will deliver an unprecedented single-aisle aircraft range of up to 4,700nm (8700 km), with 30% lower fuel consumption per seat compared to previous-generation aircraft, as well as reduced NOx emissions and noise.
By the end of June 2022, the A320neo Family accumulated over 8,000 orders from over 130 customers worldwide. A321XLR orders stood at more than 500 from over 20 customers.
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The story of the making of the A321XLR
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Airbus sites gear up for the A321XLR’s Major Component Assembly phase
Industrialisation and parts production for the first A321XLR is underway across Airbus sites and its wider supply chain, paving the way for the Major Component Assembly of the first forward fuselage, centre and rear fuselage sections and the wings, to begin in 2021. By the start of this year, a large proportion of the engineering design drawings had been released.
A321XLR demonstrator testing teams fine tune production maturity across the sites
The assets for the first A321XLR are being built and the major component production lines are taking shape across the various sites in the UK, Germany and France. Many components and parts are now in the final test phase to de-risk the route to flight clearance and serial manufacturing. Key to achieving this are various demonstrators, which together play a major role to validate all the design work, assembly processes and ensuring that the parts are fully prepared for manufacturing.
The First A321XLR Centre Wing Box Nantes
Airbus teams accomplish the first A321XLR centre wing box
The Airbus teams in Nantes, France, delivered the very first A321XLR’s Centre Wing Box (CWB), 16 months after machining the first metal cuts. This is an important moment for the Nantes teams and for the programme, as the CWB is one of the first major components delivered to the Hamburg integrator site for the start of structural assembly activities for the center fuselage known as “Section 15” in the A320 Family.
Airbus starts the structural assembly of its 1st A321XLR
Airbus teams have reached a significant milestone in the making of the first A321XLR - production has started in Germany with the structural assembly of the Centre and Rear fuselages.
In May, Airbus’ manufacturing partner Premium AEROTEC delivered the first fully equipped Rear Centre Tank to Airbus’ major component assembly facility in Hamburg - a key component of the A321XLR’s performance. Heralding the start of the assembly of the aircraft’s rear fuselage and the centre fuselage in the dedicated “Structure Pilot Line”.
A321XLR Front Fuselage
Airbus starts the assembly of its first A321XLR front fuselage
Another significant milestone in the making of the first A321XLR: The nose and front fuselage assembly has started in France, following the earlier accomplishment of the centre wing box.
Less than two months after the start of structural assembly of the rear & centre fuselages in Germany, Airbus teams are taking another significant production step with the structural assembly and system equipment of the nose and front fuselages at its Saint-Nazaire facility in Western France.
First A321XLR development aircraft undergoes final assembly
The very first A321XLR flight test aircraft, MSN11000, took a major step forward this week in becoming reality. This is the first of three planned development aircraft which will perform the flight testing and Type Certification programme -- starting in 2022, to pave the way for series production and entry into service in 2023.
Another view of one of the CGIBs in operation.
Virtual flight-test campaign and lab test paving way for A321XLR’s first flight
The construction and equipment installation phases for the three A321XLR flight-test aircraft are rapidly nearing completion in the FAL in Hamburg before the first of these – MSN11000 – will be handed over to the flight-test team in the very near future. In parallel, ground based testing campaigns are in full swing at various Airbus sites to prepare for the start of the flight-test and certification programmes.
