- Airbus launched a flight-test campaign for high-span wing extensions on an A321neo.
- The programme will run over the next three years.
- The wing is one of the biggest levers to improve flight efficiency.
- The programme has been backed by £227m from the Aerospace Technology Institute.
- Wing extensions will be assembled in England and flight tested in Toulouse.
Airbus has launched a new flight-test campaign to evaluate the performance of high-span wings for next-generation single-aisle aircraft. Over the next three years, Airbus will design, build and flight test full-scale wing extensions installed on an A321neo aircraft. The extensions, measuring several metres, will replicate a folding wing in the fully extended position during a flight and will be fitted with comprehensive testing equipment.
The programme aims to evaluate how different wing geometries perform in real flight conditions and how the longer wingspan impacts aircraft handling. Sue Partridge, Head of the Wing of Tomorrow programme, stated the wing is one of the biggest levers to improve flight efficiency, which is why the programme is critical for next-generation single-aisle aircraft. The flight-test campaign will allow Airbus to safely challenge traditional design limits and explore the benefits of longer wings.
The programme has been backed by £227m in funding from the Aerospace Technology Institute since 2014. Airbus has already built three 17-metre ground-based wing demonstrators to explore the advantages of increased wingspan and more than 100 manufacturing and assembly technologies. The wing extensions will be assembled at Airbus’ Wing Technology Development Centre in England and flight tested in Toulouse.
Sue Partridge, Head of Wing of Tomorrow, shared, “The wing is one of the biggest levers we have to improve flight efficiency, which is why the Wing of Tomorrow is so critical for our next generation single aisle aircraft.”
