Industry Airbus unveils first A321Neo ACF

After the assembly completion of the first Airbus A321neo ACF, the aircraft will undergo several ground tests, followed by its first flight, which is expected to take place in the upcoming weeks. Airbus targets to deliver the first customer A321Neo ACF in mid-2018.

The A321Neo ACF is powered by CFM Leap-1A engines. Slight modifications to the fuselage allow the aircraft to make use of flexible cabin configurations to seat up to 240 passengers. In contrast to previous A321 models, the ACF features a new door arrangement. New over-wing emergency exits are being introduced, while the door located prior the wing is being removed. Also, the third door is being moved back by 4 frames and can be deactivated. Door 1 and 4 are similar in all A321 variants.

Airbus said, that the A321Neo ACF will become a standard for all A321Neos by 2020.

The A321Neo ACF will be used as base for the upcoming Airbus A321LR (Long-Range). A third underfloor fuel tank enables the A321LR to fly up to 4,000nm for intercontinental flights. Furthermore, the MTOW (Maximum Take Off Weight) has been increased to 97 tonnes. It is expected, that the first A321LR will be delivered in Q4 2018.

Airbus´ A321 is the largest member of the A320 Family. Depending on the cabin configuration, up to 240 passengers can be transported. The A321Neo, of which the first aircraft was delivered in 2017, features a reduction in fuel consumption of 15 per cent per seat. By 2020, the new engines will save up to 20 per cent fuel.