AIRBUS: EUROPEAN AUTHORITIES MAY IMPOSE A321XLR DESIGN CHANGES, SOURCES SAY
PARIS (Archyde.com) – European civil aviation authorities are considering imposing major changes to the design of the “underbody fairings” of the future Airbus A321XLR, which could delay its launch, according to a leading industry source.
These modifications are intended to mitigate the risk of fire associated with the new central fuel tank.
According to the Bloomberg News news agency, these design changes could also reduce the aircraft’s range.
An Airbus spokesperson said the company was in discussions with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) about certification of the aircraft.
Airbus had said the upgraded A321XLR, its longest-range single-aisle model, would enter service at the end of 2023.
“A321XLR certification is an ongoing project. The full set of requirements for the installation of aft center fuel tanks is still being defined, and when ready it will be released as comments on the EASA site, in accordance with the applicable regulations,” the EASA press service was told.
(Tim Hepher report; French version by Jean-Michel Bélot, edited by Tangi Salaün)