Airbus A321

Type (Muster)
Short- and medium-range airliner (Kurz- und Mittelstrecken-Verkehrsflugzeug)

Country (Land)
France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom

Manufacturer (Hersteller)
Airbus Industrie
1, Rond Point Maurice Bellonte
F-31707 Blagnac
France
Phone: 0033-5/6193-3387
Fax: 0033-5/6193-4955

General (Allgemeine Angaben)
Crew (Besatzung): 2
Passengers (Passagiere): 185 in two-class layout (16 + 169) or 220 maximum in all-economy seating
Freight (Fracht): 10 x LD3 containers

Power plant (Antrieb): 2 x turbofans under wings, at thrust levels of 133 to 146 kN. Options include:
- CFM International CFM56-5B/P or CFM56-5B2 or CFM56-5B3
- International Aero Engines V2524-A5 or V2530-A5 or V2533-A5

Noise levels:
   - take-off (Start): 85,4 - 87,4 EPNdB
   - sideline (Vorbeiflug): 94,5 EPNdB
   - approach (Anflug): 95,2 - 95,4 EPNdB

Dimensions (Abmessungen)
Length (Länge): 44,51 m
Height (Höhe): 11,76 m
Fuselage diameter (Rumpfdurchmesser): 3,96 m
Span (Spannweite): 34,09 m
Wing area (Flügelfläche): 122,4 sq m
Wing sweep (Flügelpfeilung): 26 degrees

Cabin length (Kabinenlänge): 34,44 m

Weights (Massen)
Operating weight empty (Einsatz-Leermasse): 47775 to 48140 kg, depending on engine
Max. payload (Max. Nutzlast):21615 to 21725 kg, depending on engine
Fuel (Kraftstoff): 23700 or 29500 litres (Liter) with two optinonal centreline tanks
Max. zero fuel weight (max. Masse ohne Kraftstoff): 69500 kg or 70500 kg or 71500 kg or 73800 kg, depending on option
Max. take-off weight (Max. Startmasse): 83, 85 tons in the -100 version, 89 or 93 tons for the A321-200, depending on option
Max. landing weight (Max. Landemasse): 73,5, 74,5 or 75,5 tonnes

Performance (Flugleistungen)
Optimum cruise speed (optimale Reisegeschwindigkeit): Mach 0.78
Max. operating speed (max. Geschwindigkeit): Mach 0.82
Max. rate of climb (Steigrate): 2,5 m/s at sea level
Service ceiling (dienstgipfelhöhe): 11890 m
Take-off distance, sea level,ISA +15C (Startstrecke): 2110 to 2410 m
Landing distance (Landestrecke): 1540 to 1590 m at max. landing weight
Range (Reichweite): 4250, 4350, 5000 or 5500 km, depending on weight option

Costs (Kosten)
List price for the A321 was quoted as 56 to 59 million US-Dollars in mid-1998.

Customers (Kunden)
As of 31 March 2000, the A321 had 315 orders from the following airlines:

Aer Lingus: 3
Aero Lloyd: 5
Air 2000: 2
Air France: 5
Air Inter Europe: 7
Air Macau: 1
Alitalia: 25
All Nippon Airways: 7
Asiana Airlines: 12
Austrian Airlines 7
British Midland Airways: 6
China Northern Airline: 10
CIT Group: 1
Debis Air Finance: 5
Egyptair: 4
Finnair: 4
Flightlease: 1
GATX/CLAir: 6
GATX/Flightlease: 10
GB Airways: 2
GECAS: 28
Iberia: 16
International Lease Finance: 55
Leisure International Airways: 2
Lufthansa: 26
Monarch Airlines: 2
Orix Corporation: 2
S.A.L.E.: 4
Sabena: 3
Sichuan Airlines: 2
Spanair: 4
Swissair: 6
TAP-Air Portugal: 2
Trans Asia Airways: 6
US Airways: 34

Competition (Konkurrenz)
Boeing 737-900
Boeing 757

Remarks (Bemerkungen)
The Airbus A321 is a stretched variant of the basic A320, offering 24 per cent more seating and 40 per cent more volume in the cargo holds. Main changes include

fuselage lengthened by eight frames forward of the wings (4,27 m) and five frames aft (2,67 m)
local structural reinforcements
uprated landing gear
broader double-slotted flaps
simplified fuel system

There are three variants of the A321:

the A321-100 as described above
the A321-200 with an extra 2900 litre fuel tank and a maximum take-off weight of 89 tons
the A321-200IGW with a further increased take-off weight of 93 tons. This version was launched with an order from Spanair in July 1999.

History (Geschichte)
The A321 programme was launched in November 1989. Assembled by Dasa at Hamburg, the first A321 took off on March 11, 1993.
In total, flur aircraft were involved in the test programme. JAA certification with the V2530 powerplant was achieved on 17 December 1993, and the version with the CFM56 followed on 15 February 1994.
Deliveries to launch customer Lufthansa started in February 1994. Service use was from 18 March 1994.
The 100th A321 flew on 1 July 1998. It was destined for Alitalia.

Last updated 22. May 2000

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