Airbus A321XLR conducts maiden flight
The Airbus A321XLR, the newest aircraft by the European manufacturer, has begun its maiden flight.
The aircraft took off on June 15, 2022, at 10:04 UTC from Hamburg Finkenwerder Airport (XFW). After flying southwest for some time, it took course towards the North Sea, according to Flightradar24 data.
“Fantastic day as our #A321XLR takes to the air for the first time - congratulations #TeamAirbus!” Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury tweeted as the aircraft took off.
The aircraft is the latest addition to the Airbus A320 family, and the manufacturer’s newest aircraft.
Based on the Airbus A321neo, it is expected to become the longest-range narrow-body aircraft in history, with a range of up to 4,700 nautical miles (8,700 kilometers) and a capacity of up to 220 passengers.
The aircraft enjoyed massive success following its launch in 2019, gathering more than 450 orders in the first year alone.
Hailed as a modern take on the middle-of-the-market airliner, the A321XLR is poised to replace the largely obsolete Boeing 757, as well as providing airlines with the opportunity to conduct transatlantic flights on a narrow-body aircraft.
UPDATE 06-15-2022, 15:30 (UTC +3): An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified the the airport as HAM, instead of XFW.
Qatar Airways 777 avoids collision with hot air balloon landing in São Paulo
A Qatar Airways Boeing 777 wide-body jet experienced a near collision with an unmanned hot air balloon while approaching...
Embraer partners with Toyota to enhance aircraft production efficiency
Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer signs a partnership with Toyota to enhance its production efficiency. ...
Two planes on the runway! ATC error behind Hong Kong 2017 incident
The Air Accident Investigation Authority of Hong Kong releases its final report on an incident where two jets almost col...
Saudi Arabia launches aircraft lessor to support its aviation growth plans
Saudi Arabia is launching a new aircraft leasing company, AviLease, part of moves to grow its aviation sector ...