Airbus A321LR sets new record with 7,400-km Paris-NY flight

Monday, 19 February 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Airbus has achieved a new aviation milestone with its long-range aircraft A321LR successfully flying nonstop from Paris (France) to New York (US) for the first time covering a total distance of 7,400 km.

The top airline manufacturer pointed that with this feat, the A321LR has proved thaat it is well suited for intra-regional airline segments in Asia, the US and other markets.

“The best-selling A320 Family marked a new milestone with yesterday’s Paris-to-New York nonstop flight flown by the A321LR – demonstrating this jetliner version’s ability to serve new markets and operate on heavily-travelled North Atlantic routes with the highest levels of efficiency and comfort,” said a company spokesman.

“The LR designation is for ‘long range’ and with good reason: the A321LR has the longest range of any single-aisle commercial aircraft today, able to fly 7,400 km nonstop,” he stated.

Its ‘long legs’ are signified by the No. 1 A321LR’s livery featuring the Eiffel Tower and Statue of Liberty – a representation of the Paris/New York route flown on Tuesday (February 13) from Le Bourget Airport near the French capital to the New York region’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, said the spokesman.

According to him, the A321LR’s unrivalled efficiency – driven by aerodynamic improvements and state-of-the-art efficient turbofan jet engines – has established its popularity among airlines, with Airbus already notching more than 100 orders for the aircraft; the first customer delivery is expected in late 2018.

The interior of the plane will be passenger-pleasing as well, with unmatched comfort from the widest single-aisle cabin in the sky, comfortable seats, extra-large luggage bins and the latest in-flight-entertainment technology, he noted.

Operators can outfit it in state-of-the-art two-class configurations with full-flat seats for true long-haul comfort, or in a single-class layout capable of accommodating up to 240 passengers, he added.

According to him, the A321LR is the next evolutionary step of Airbus’ twin-engine A321neo that has captured more than an 80% share in its middle-of-the-market category.

The plane maker now expects this model to continue this trend, as it offers a thoroughly modern replacement for the large number of ageing narrowbody and widebody aircraft facing retirement in the coming years.

Airbus continuously invests in the A320 Family – some $300 million per year – to keep this jetliner product line at the leading edge of technology, thereby creating value for its customers and providing continued comfort for passengers.

The A321LR performed its maiden flight on January 31 this year, said the company spokesman.

“The latest transcontinental flight, with the aircraft powered by two CFM International LEAP-1A engines, is part of nearly 100 hours of flight tests in advance of the jetliner’s airworthiness certification, expected in the second quarter of 2018,” he added.