European aviation regulators are looking at imposing significant changes to the design of “underbelly fairings” on the future Airbus A321XLR, raising the prospect of a delay in its introduction, a senior industry source said.
The move is designed to allay the risk of fire from a new central fuel tank. Bloomberg News had reported that design changes could also shorten the plane’s range.
An Airbus spokesman said the company was in talks with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) about certification requirements.
Airbus has said the upgraded A321XLR, its longest-range single-aisle model, will enter service in late 2023.
“The certification of the A321XLR is an ongoing project. The complete set of conditions in relation with the installation of the rear centre tanks is still under definition, and when ready, will be published for comments on the EASA website in accordance with the applicable regulations,” said a spokesperson for the EASA.
(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta)
