HAMBURG, June 15 (Reuters) – Airbus (AIR.PA) on Wednesday staged the maiden flight of its latest and largest narrowbody airliner, the A321XLR, because the European planemaker seeks to capitalise on profitable demand for long-range single-aisle jets.
The dual-engined passenger jet took off at 11:05 a.m. (0905 GMT) from a manufacturing unit in Hamburg, Germany, forward of greater than a yr of trials earlier than the most recent addition to Airbus’s best-selling A320 medium-haul household enters service in 2024.
Shares within the European producer rose 0.6%.
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Airbus is pitching the A321XLR as a game-changing addition to its narrowbody fleet, making it potential for airways to serve thinly flown long-distance routes profitably, somewhat than forcing passengers to fly not directly by way of wide-body hubs.
It says the A321XLR can fly 4,700 nautical miles (8,700 km), 15% additional than its most succesful present narrowbody, permitting airways to fly routes like Houston-Santiago, New York-Rome or Tokyo-Sydney with out the price of a much bigger twin-aisle jet.
The additional vary is made potential by the addition of a brand new rear-centre gasoline tank moulded into the decrease fuselage.
However Airbus faces questions from regulators over the chance of fireplace within the occasion of a stomach touchdown and has been pressured to delay the entry to service by no less than three months to early 2024 to permit the decrease construction to be modified. learn extra
AIM TO PRESERVE RANGE TARGET
The load of any strengthening materials might crimp the jet’s vary, one in all its key promoting factors, analysts say.
Gary O’Donnell, the Airbus government in command of the A321XLR programme, informed reporters his “purpose” was to ship the brand new jet to clients with the 4,700 km vary beforehand marketed.
Business sources have informed Reuters addressing the design drawback might take 6-9 months and even as much as a yr.
Business publication Leeham Information reported this week that among the aircraft’s airline clients additionally consider certification might be delayed by as much as a yr as regulators worldwide take a harder stand within the wake of a Boeing (BA.N) security disaster.
No goal date has been established for certification or the primary A321XLR supply, business sources have mentioned. learn extra
In a uncommon intervention, Boeing final yr expressed considerations about fireplace dangers from its rival’s design. learn extra
The U.S. planemaker is in the meantime racing to finish certification of its competing 737 MAX 10 jet earlier than a brand new security customary takes impact on the finish of the yr. learn extra
Its shares rose 5% on Wednesday after a smaller model of the MAX carried out take a look at flights in China in an indication that the jet’s return in China might be nearing after lengthy delays. learn extra
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Reporting by Jan Schwartz
Writing by Tim Hepher
Enhancing by Kirsten Donovan and Mark Potter
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