FLIGHT TESTING
updated or redesigned PW1000-series
engines, such as Block D variants, can be
installed on the aircraft.
The first A319neo/Leap-1A, a corporate
version of the aircraft, was delivered in
August after a flight-test campaign
completed in April and May 2019. The
main focus of ACJ319neo testing was
validation of that airframe’s specific fuel
system with five auxiliary center tanks,
supplemented with a 16 hour 10 minute
long, record-setting endurance flight for
the related ETOPS certification.
The initial A319neo commercial-service
passenger version is scheduled for
handover during July-October 2020. The
manufacturer says that no date has been
defined for first delivery of an
A319neo /PW1124G-JM example.
Further A320neo-family flight-testing
work includes Cat III certification for both
A319/Leap and /PW variants, as well as
A321neo autoland improvements and
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14 SHOWCASE 2020 \\ AEROSPACETESTINGINTERNATIONAL.COM
nacelle-integrated solutions, and the
A321neoXLR extra-long-range version,
which latter will be scheduled to permit
certification and entry-into-service (EIS) in
2023. Work for A320ceo models includes
angle-of-attack (AoA) vane re-location and
other potential improvements.
AIRBUS A330NEO
By September 2019, two A330-900 flighttest
aircraft, MSNs 1795 and 1813, and the
first customer example for TAP Air
Portugal, MSN1819, had completed 1,851
FH and 557 test flights. Smaller A330-800
flight-test sibling, MSN1888, had logged
321 FH.
Scheduled A330-900 flight-testing
after certification in September 2018 has
included Cat III autoland, operations in
“rotation” law, and extension to cross- and
tail-wind performance. Before October
2019, A330-800 initial-phase testing
covered anemometry, flutter, “high-lift”
AIRBUS A330NEO
FLIGHT TEST LOG
MSN FC FH
1795 315 991
1813 213 660
1819 29 200
1888 109 321
Total 666 2,172
Source: Airbus (September 2019)
3 // The first of two BelugaXL
airlifters form the basis of
Airbus’ next-generation fleet
of cargo lifters used in its
manufacturing logistics that
will grow to six overall
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