Airbus News
So let’s get to it, the first matter we will be covering is Airbus’ newly revealed A321neo LR, LR standing for Long Range. The new family of the A320neo family fleet is the A321LR. A version of the A321neo that has transatlantic capabilities. With the addition of a third fuel tank and more choices with capacity, the new aircraft is said to conquer the transatlantic business taking the role of the 757s configured for transatlantic routes. This week, the A321LR had recently taken it’s maiden flight that lasted 2 hours and 36 minutes and will now undergo a 100 hour flight testing program. One of them being transatlantic testings. Airbus hopes for type certification from EASA and the FAA in Q2 2018, and aims for entry into service in Q4 of 2018.
During this week’s test, the test, Experimental Test Pilots Yann Beaufils and Peter Lofts as well as Flight Test Engineers Frank Hohmeister, Jim Fawcett, Cedric Favrichon and Cabin Specialist Alexander Gentzsch had run test including the aircraft’s controls, engines, and main systems.
The aircraft itself features the new Additional Centre Fuel tank and a new door configuration allowing up to 240 passengers on board the wider single-aisle A321.
The video from Airbus of the first flight is below:
Now for their new widebody aircraft, the A350-1000. Airbus had started touring the longer, bigger A350 around the Gulf and Asia. The aircraft has already visited Doha, the city of launch customer, Qatar, Muscat, Hong Kong, Seoul, Taipei, Hanoi, and is currently in Singapore, where it will continue to Sydney, Auckland, Tokyo, Manila, and will continue back home to Toulouse.
The A350-1000 already has 169 orders from 11 different customers and the first delivery to Qatar (A7-ANA) is expected to happen in the coming weeks.
