On the first morning of the 53rd Paris Airshow at Le Bourget, Airbus has announced the A321XLR, with deliveries set to begin in 2023. The launch customer will be Air Lease Corporation.
The A321XLR is a further extended range version of the A321neo family, expanding from the capabilities of the A321LR by 15%, which was first delivered earlier this year. This latest version offers an increased range of up to 4,700nm / 8,700km. Airbus claims it will provide a 30% increase in fuel efficiency per seat than current generation aircraft (likely citing the Boeing 757).
The improved range will come from a new, larger rear centre fuel tank, improved landing gear to support an increased Maximum Take-off weight of up to 101 tonnes, from the 97 tonnes of the A321LR. Airbus say the new fuel tank can hold more fuel than the additional centre tanks of the A321LR, whilst taking up less real-estate from the baggage hold.
Matt is a Berlin-based writer and reporter for International Flight Network. Originally from London, he has been involved in aviation from a very young age and has a particular focus on aircraft safety, accidents and technical details.
