空中客车公司航程最长、燃油效率最高的飞机正在准备

首飞

2022 年 6 月 1 日 05:18 UTC

作者：Otilia Drgan

燃油效率和更少的碳排放无疑是下一代客机的主要趋势之一。但另一个重要目标是增加全球连通性，这要归功于更大的航程，这将使未来的飞机能够更快、更轻松地连接彼此各地。空中客车下一代飞机 A321XLR 承诺了这一切。

A321XLR 是一架超大型飞机，将于明年开始运营

去年，空中客车公司启动了A321XLR的组装过程，这是已经流行的 A320 neo 的改进版。顾名思义，它的主要目标是提供长达 4,700 海里（5,408 英里/8,704 公里）的超长航程。这意味着它将能够在迄今为止被认为具有挑战性的航线上进行飞行，例如印度-欧洲或中国-澳大利亚。

此外，与上一代飞机相比，它的每座燃油消耗量减少了 30%。它的另一项创新是后中心油箱 (RCT)，它是永久性的，可以容纳更多燃料，同时比以前使用的多个可选附加中心油箱占用更少的空间。

首批三架A321XLR试飞飞机正在德国汉堡组装。第一架升空之前，必须进行几次地面测试活动。模拟首飞 (VFF) 使用与法国图卢兹的航空电子测试实验室合作的专用模拟器。

与在液压千斤顶上移动的全飞行模拟器不同，这种开发模拟器是固定的，但配备了真正的飞行员控制和显示器。在 VFF 活动期间，坐在模拟器中的试飞员和工程师将像在真实飞机上一样排练一系列操作。这将是获得认证的重要一步。

随着商业运营将于 2023 年开始，A321XLR 在成功完成所有地面测试活动后，距离首次试飞越来越近。 

Airbus’ Longest-Range, Fuel-Efficient Aircraft Is Gearing up for Its First Flight

Home > News > Aviation1 Jun 2022, 05:18 UTC

by Otilia Drgan

Fuel efficiency and fewer carbon emissions are certainly one of the main trends for next-generation airliners. But another important goal is increasing global connectivity, thanks to an extended range that will allow future aircraft to link parts of the world that are far away from each other faster and easier. A321XLR, the Airbus next-generation aircraft, promises all of that.

The A321XLR is an Xtra Large Range aircraft set to start operations next year

Last year, Airbus kicked off the assembly process for the A321XLR, a modified version of the already popular A320 neo. As its name suggests, its main goal is to offer an Xtra Long Range of up to 4,700 nautical miles (5,408 miles/8,704 km). This means that it will be capable of conducting flights on routes that were considered challenging until now, such as India-Europe or China-Australia.

Plus, it will do so while burning 30% less fuel per seat compared to the aircraft in the previous generation. Another one of its innovations is the Rear Center Tank (RCT) which is permanent and can hold more fuel while also taking less space than the multiple optional Additional Center Tanks that were used before.

The first three A321XLR flight-test aircraft are being completed in Hamburg, Germany. Before the first one takes to the sky, several ground-based testing campaigns must be conducted. The Virtual First Flight (VFF) uses a dedicated simulator in collaboration with an avionics testing laboratory in Toulouse, France.

Unlike full-flight simulators that move on hydraulic jacks, this development simulator is fixed but equipped with real pilot controls and displays. During the VFF campaign, the test pilots and engineers sitting in the simulator will rehearse a series of operations as if they were in a real aircraft. This will be an important step toward obtaining certification.

With commercial operations set to begin by 2023, the A321XLR is getting closer to its first test flight after it successfully completes all the ground-based testing campaigns.

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