Airbus A321XLR was certified by the FAA in October
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted the type certificate for the Airbus A321XLR on October 2, revealed The Air Current.
The information, however, was kept confidential until December 5 after a review of data sheets of the A320 family.
The approval of the US civil aviation agency paves the way for the first deliveries of the ultra-long-range narrow-body jet to North American carriers in 2025.
However, only the A321-253NY variant, equipped with CFM Leap-1A engines, was certified, as did the EASA in July.
The A321XLR (A321-271NY) that uses Pratt & Whitney GTF turbofans is still not authorized for revenue flights. Regulators are expected to approve the version in 2025.
Qantas, for example, expects its first aircraft of the type in April, which suggests that certification should occur in the first quarter.
Airbus has built three test aircraft, one of which is equipped with the PW engine, but the development process ended up being a little slower than the jet with the Leap-1A.
So far, the planemaker has delivered only one A321XLR, to Iberia in late October, which began long-haul flights on November 14.
There are at least five jets in the final stages of production, two of which have flown, both from Aer Lingus, but it is not known when they will be delivered.
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