The first fully assembled and equipped nose and front fuselage will be delivered from Saint-Nazaire to Hamburg for the final assembly of the first A321XLR flight test aircraft in the fourth quarter.
13 July 2021: Airbus team has taken a significant step in production of the structural assembly and system equipment of the nose and front fuselage of A321XLR at its Saint-Nazaire facility in Western France. The complete installation with flight test instruments will be ready by third quarter of 2021. This production has started within two months after the start of structural assembly of the rear and center fuselages in Germany.
Martin Schnoor, Head of A321XLR Programme Development Airframe Programme said, “This is a key milestone for the A321XLR. We are on track to support the aircraft’s entry into service by 2023.”
Sébastien Verger, A321XLR project management, Airbus Saint-Nazaire said, “We were able to anticipate the structural and systems assembly phases of this first fuselage with our full length physical mockup allowing us to test in advance the A321XLR’s structural and systems modifications and to prepare the assembly phases.”
“We are working on a collaborative “plateau” with Manufacturing Engineering,Technical coordination, Logistics, Quality and dedicated operators” said Paul Molitor, A321XLR development project manager for Airbus. “A dedicated Launch team is following this first aircraft at each step of production.”
The first fully assembled and equipped nose and front fuselage will be delivered from Saint-Nazaire to Hamburg for the final assembly of the first A321XLR flight test aircraft in the fourth quarter.
The A321XLR is the next step in the evolution of the successful Airbus’ single-aisle family. It builds on the overall Airbus commonality while adding the Xtra Long Range capability, increased revenue payload and best travel experience through the unrivalled Airbus Airspace cabin.
This A321XLR will provide airlines with a range flexibility of up to 4,700nm and a 30 per cent lower fuel burn and CO2 emissions per seat compared with previous-generation aircraft. The entry into service is targeted for 2023
