Airbus to upgrade A321neo with A321XLR wing design and single-slotted flaps
Airbus to incorporate batch of improvements on popular single-aisle model, and test production maturity of some on A320neo line. Airbus is to migrate A321XLR technology – including its revised wing design – to the A321neo, while other enhancements for the single-aisle family will initially be applied to the A320neo before being transferred up to the larger variants. The long-range XLR includes a lighter wing with a single-slotted inboard flap, and this will be incorporated into the regular A321neo, which currently uses a double-slotted design. A321neos will take advantage of a take-off performance improvement system which introduces intermediate flap positions, and works in conjunction with the single-slotted flap arrangement. The changes are part of a package of incremental improvements known as STEP4. A321neos will also benefit from new flight-control laws, the lighter electronic ‘e-rudder’, forward cabin temperature zones, and updated multi-functional runway lights. Head of A320-family development Torsten Hartung says the airframer is putting the "good ingredients" from the XLR onto the popular A321neo platform – the A321neo had a backlog of over 5,600 orders at the end of June. But the STEP4 enhancement will also entail new modifications which Airbus is to apply initially to the A320neo, as a low-risk measure to ensure production maturity before transferring them to the higher-rate A321neo, including the XLR variant. The A320neo will notably receive a new 'cobra' duct for the auxiliary power unit – mounted in the top of the fuselage, and aimed at enhancing cabin air quality – and corrosion-prevention measures such as titanium cabin rails. "The baseline A320neo is the first model to incorporate and prove the new modifications," says STEP leader for A320 family programme development Martin Schnoor. “Where we physically change the aircraft we decided to apply it first on A320neo in order to learn and see how well things are going." Once integration on the A320neo line is smooth, the new modifications will be made to the A321neo and XLR. Schnoor says deliveries of initial STEP4 A320neos are beginning, with the first A321neos and XLRs set to follow after a year. The A320neo has a different wing to the A321neo, but Airbus is ultimately aiming to migrate as many XLR innovations, outside of wing-related changes, to the A320neo as it can. Airbus says STEP4 will also eventually deliver further enhancements across the family, such as cabin-floor reinforcement, to account for changing standards in the weight of passengers and baggage, and a standardised flight data interface and management unit.