Airbus may have to reduce the range of the A321XLR. This would cause the model to lose one of its strong selling points.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) remarked early last year that the design of the additional fuel tank, integrated into the fuselage, posed «a special risk» in the event of a fire, requiring measures to be incorporated to protect the cabin. This was joined by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which last month raised similar special conditions for the model.
According to Bloomberg, the solutions to be implemented are likely to add weight to the model. According to inside sources, this would have a «minor impact» on the aircraft’s range. These people added that some customers have already been informed of the possible changes to the specifications. Until recently, Airbus maintained that design changes were «unlikely».
According to the report, Airbus is looking for ways to compensate for the drop in range. Among other options, the manufacturer could increase the aircraft’s maximum take-off weight from 101 to 101.7 tons.
More range, more problems
The fuel tank in question is located under the passenger cabin floor and has a capacity of 12,900 liters. It will give the XLR a range of 4,700 nautical miles (8,300 km), 18% more than the A321LR.
While the A320neo family already had central fuel tanks (called ACT), the XLR’s new fuel tank (RCT) has more capacity while taking up less space in the hold.
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The increased fuel capacity of the new center tank did not prove so easy to implement. In 2021, Airbus announced that it would have to install additional thermal insulation under the cabin floor, as it was getting too cold from contact with the liquid.
Certification requirements
That insulation turned out to be a problem. EASA said it did not meet fire safety requirements. The regulator said it was up to Airbus to prove that the XLR was as safe as other versions of the A321.
Boeing joined these criticisms. The U.S. manufacturer pointed to other problems arising from integrating the fuel tanks into the fuselage, such as landings with train deployment failures or off-runway excursions. In addition, he noted that «fuel tanks integrated into the airframe structure provide less redundancy than those that are structurally separate.»
Stefan Schaffrath, an Airbus spokesman, noted that the manufacturer is discussing certification requirements with EASA: «Safety is our number one priority. We will pay attention to any requirements raised.» Janet Northcote, an EASA spokeswoman, added that «certification of the A321XLR is ongoing and that fuel tank requirements are still being defined».
In the United States, the FAA says the current design is not adequate to protect passengers from a fire or to ensure they have time to evacuate safely after an accident.
