荷兰皇家航空公司接收首架空客A321neo飞机
汉堡，2024年8月27日-作为法航荷航集团的成员，荷兰国家航空公司荷航已接收其首架A321neo，这是其机队现代化的一部分，采用了最新一代节能飞机。荷航凭借这架飞机加入了A321neo成功运营商的行列。
通过选择A321neo，荷兰皇家航空公司将最新技术带上飞机，以降低分贝，减少起飞、进场和着陆过程中的噪音足迹。凭借其先进的燃油效率，A321neo将在荷航的环保目标中发挥关键作用。
新交付的荷航A321neo采用两舱布局，可容纳227名乘客。该机舱采用空中客车公司的带XL箱子的机舱。更大的行李箱可提供60%的行李容量，为乘客和机组人员提供更轻松的登机体验。此外，每个座位都有USB-C端口可供乘客使用，最新的照明系统增强了整体乘客体验。
A321neo是空客最畅销的A320neo家族中最大的成员，提供无与伦比的航程和性能。与上一代单通道飞机相比，A321neo配备了sharklets，并由新一代CFM International LEAP-1A发动机提供动力，噪音足迹减少了50%，燃油节省了至少20%，二氧化碳减少了20%，同时在天空中最宽的单通道客舱中最大限度地提高了乘客的舒适度。迄今为止，全球已有90多家客户订购了6400多架A321neo飞机。
与所有空客飞机一样，A321neo飞机已经能够使用高达50%的可持续航空燃料（SAF）。空中客车公司的目标是到2030年使其飞机的SAF能力达到100%。
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Manila, 2 October 2024 – Cebu Pacific of the Philippines has placed a firm order with Airbus for 70 A321neo, finalising an MoU announced by the airline in July. The purchase agreement was signed in Manila by Mike Szucs, CEO of Cebu Pacific and Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, EVP Sales of the Commercial Aircraft business at Airbus.
Mike Szucs said: “The selection of Airbus A321neo underscores our focus on operational efficiency, sustainability, and innovation, ensuring that we continue to deliver the highest standards of service while significantly reducing our carbon footprint. This milestone signals our ongoing dedication to expanding air travel accessibility and affordability, while supporting the Philippine’s broader economic growth and connectivity goals.”
Benoît de Saint-Exupéry said: “The A320 Family has supported Cebu Pacific’s domestic and short-haul international network growth over the last two decades. We’re grateful to the airline for its continued endorsement of our best selling single-aisle product line. The A321neo is highly regarded for its unparalleled economics, performance and fuel efficiency. We’re confident that these additional A321neo aircraft will contribute strongly to the all-Airbus operator’s next phase of expansion as one of Asia-Pacific’s leading low cost carriers.”
Cebu Pacific operates 61 A320 Family aircraft on its extensive regional network. In addition it flies nine A330 widebodies on high density routes in the region, as well as to destinations in the Middle East. Following the latest order, the airline’s backlog with Airbus now stands at 94 A320neo Family aircraft and seven A330neo.
The A321neo is the largest member of Airbus’ best-selling A320neo Family, offering unparalleled range and performance. By incorporating new generation engines and Sharklets, the A321neo brings a 50% noise reduction and more than 20% fuel savings and CO₂ reduction compared to previous generation single-aisle aircraft, while maximising passenger comfort in the widest single-aisle cabin in the sky.
To date more than 6,500 A321neo have been ordered by more than 90 customers across the globe.
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A321XLR客户移交的最后倒计时
今年夏天，A321XLR在经过广泛的测试和认证过程后获得了两项型号认证中的第一项。现在，正在准备向发射客户交付第一架飞机。但是，对于团队来说，达到这一里程碑的旅程是什么样的呢？
该过程在最终装配线（FAL）之前就开始了。客户被指派了一名客户项目总监，负责监督整个飞机开发过程。Marie-Pierre Demarez就是这样一位主管，负责首批飞机客户的XLR订单。“在这个职位上，我负责客户XLR机队中所有飞机的准时、质量和成本交付，从购买协议签署到所有权转让，”她解释道。
在签署购买协议后，航空公司会提出定制飞机的要求。这包括系统和货物选项的选择、外部涂装、机舱设计等。考虑到XLR是一种新的飞机变体，最初的定制要求需要比平时更多的协作。玛丽·皮埃尔说：“单通道飞机的较长飞行带来了新的运营要求，例如餐饮。”。“我们必须在车载服务、舒适度、可用空间和所需路线之间找到适当的平衡。”
一旦空中客车公司、客户和买方提供的设备供应商之间的所有这些选择都得到解决，就签署了详细说明飞机修改的合同，并启动了设计阶段。
将XLR集成到现有的A320系列FAL中
一旦确认了每架飞机的细节，就可以开始生产。在主要飞机部件制造完成后，它们被带到FAL，以便组装在一起。
Justin Mörker负责将XLR集成到汉堡、图卢兹和阿拉巴马州莫比尔的FAL中。他解释说：“我的责任是确保FAL为A321XLR的最终组装做好准备。”。“我还负责协调第一架飞机通过FAL的进度，并管理新开发带来的任何重大关键变化，以确保按时实现FAL里程碑。”
为了克服将XLR同时集成到多个FAL中的挑战，使用了交错方法。Justin说：“我们首先在2023年12月将XLR集成到汉堡的4号线，很快其他的也将集成。”。“这种方法确保我们可以在FAL之间分享经验教训，并且在我们将业务扩展到下一个FAL之前，我们遇到的挑战可以在一个FALs中得到解决。”
FAL的集成由Justin的集中团队领导，该团队与每个FAL的当地发射团队负责人联络。在汉堡，Thomas Luckel是XLR FAL发射团队负责人。“发射团队的目标是与生产部门密切合作，确保XLR与汉堡A321neo FAL的集成，并避免这种引入对FAL的批量生产能力产生任何影响。”
这项任务的主要挑战是什么？在已经通过生产线的A321neo的连续生产中，XLR功能必须直接集成到装配线上。托马斯说：“至关重要的是，该过程的各个方面都已准备就绪，可以顺利整合，这样生产线就不会堵塞，也不会对A321neo的生产造成干扰。”。
从制造业跳到生产线
第一架XLR飞机通过FAL后，在进入飞行线之前还有一个障碍：FAL作战测试（FOT）。Justin解释说：“FOT会议是一个技术和合规性里程碑，是获得地面和飞行PATM（生产飞机测试手册）活动许可所必需的。”。“这包括打开空客日志和发放飞行许可证。如果FOT通过，飞机将进入飞行线路阶段。”
在汉堡，Jannis von Hein是A320系列客户线的维护工程、规划和物流主管。他的维护工程师和技术规划师团队负责为每个FOT准备所有文件、材料和工作订单，他们也在飞行线路阶段工作，这是交付前完成所有必要的地面和飞行测试的时候。Jannis说：“与所有新型飞机一样，XLR在第一个生产过程中都得到了密切关注，所有事情都由工业和技术团队跟踪。”。“开发和客户团队密切合作，确保所有改装都安装在第一架客户飞机上。这总是具有挑战性的，但在我们将飞机移交给航空公司客户时，确保飞机的成熟度至关重要。”
通过共同努力，该团队成功地按时交付了FOT。托马斯热情地说，这是“一项伟大的成就，回报了我们所有的努力”。“我的印象是，所有相关人员，从运营商和管理人员到支持人员，都为能在新飞机上工作感到非常自豪。”Jannis赞同他的观点：“每个人都很高兴能参与这段旅程，并渴望将第一架飞机交付给客户。共同应对这样的挑战创造了一种积极的精神，这种精神以“能做”的态度来定义，团队为能达到如此重要的里程碑感到自豪。”
交货时间到了！
一旦飞机通过航线，就会进行工业交接，飞机将转移到交付中心。客户到达现场完成技术验收流程和所有权转移。Marie-Pierre解释说：“当客户第一次看到他们的新飞机机舱和涂装时，这是你第一次看到客户满意度的阶段。”。“我们花了五年时间准备XLR的首批客户版本，看到他们的首次飞行，一切都变得值得！”
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Over the summer, the A321XLR received the first of its two type certifications after undergoing an extensive testing and certification process. Now, the delivery of the very first aircraft to the launch customer is being prepared. But what has the journey been like for the teams to get to this milestone?
The process starts well before the final assembly line (FAL). The customer is assigned a Customer Programme Director, who oversees the entire aircraft development process. Marie-Pierre Demarez is one such director, who is in charge of XLR orders for the first aircraft customers. “In this role I am accountable for the on-time, on-quality, and on-cost delivery of all aircraft in the customer’s XLR fleet, from the purchase agreement signature to the transfer of title,” she explains.
After a purchase agreement is signed, an airline makes its requests to customise the aircraft. This includes the selection of system and cargo options, external livery, cabin design and more. Considering that the XLR is a new aircraft variant, the initial customisation requests required more collaboration than usual. “Longer flights on a single-aisle aircraft bring new operational requirements, catering for example,” says Marie-Pierre. “We had to find the right balance between on-board services, comfort, available space and desired routes.”
Once all these choices have been ironed out between Airbus, the customer and the vendors of buyer-furnished equipment, the contract detailing the modifications to the aircraft is signed and the design phase is launched.
Integrating the XLR into existing A320 Family FALs
Once the details of an individual aircraft are confirmed, production can begin. After the main aircraft sections are manufactured, they are brought to the FALs so they can be assembled together.
Justin Mörker is responsible for the integration of the XLR into the FALs in Hamburg, Toulouse and Mobile, Alabama. “My responsibility is to ensure that the FALs are ready for the start of the final assembly of the A321XLR,” he explains. “I am also responsible for coordinating the progress of the first aircraft through the FAL and managing any major critical changes driven by the new development, in order to ensure that FAL milestones are achieved on time.”
To overcome the challenge of integrating the XLR into multiple FALs at once, a staggered approach is used. “We integrated the XLR into Line 4 in Hamburg first, in December 2023, which will soon be followed by the others,” says Justin. “This approach ensures that we can share lessons learnt between the FALs, and that the challenges we run into can be solved in one FAL before we expand operations to the next one.”
The integration of the FALs is led by Justin’s centralised team, who liaise with the local launch team leaders in each FAL. In Hamburg, Thomas Luckel is the XLR FAL Launch Team Leader. “The goal of the launch team is to work closely with production to secure the integration of the XLR into the Hamburg A321neo FAL and to avoid any impacts of this introduction on the serial production abilities of the FAL.”
The main challenge of this task? The XLR capabilities had to be directly integrated into the assembly line amidst the continuous production of the A321neos already going through the line. “It was essential that every aspect of the process was ready and could be integrated smoothly, so that the line did not become blocked and cause a disruption to the production of the A321neo,” says Thomas.
Making the jump from manufacturing to the flight line
Once the first XLR aircraft made its way through the FAL, it had one remaining hurdle before it could pass to the flight line: the FAL Operational Test (FOT). “The FOT meeting is a technical and conformity milestone, required to obtain the clearance for ground and flight PATM (production aircraft test manual) activities,” explains Justin. “This includes the opening of the Airbus Logbook and the issuance of the permit to fly. If the FOT is passed, the aircraft advances to the flight line stage.”
In Hamburg, Jannis von Hein is Head of Maintenance Engineering, Planning & Logistics for the A320 Family Customer Line. His team of maintenance engineers and technical planners are responsible for preparing all documentation, material and work orders for each FOT, and they also work on the flight line stage, which is when all ground and flight tests that are necessary before delivery are completed. “As with all new aircraft types, the XLR was closely followed through the first production process, and everything was tracked by the industrial and technical teams,” says Jannis. “The development and customer teams worked closely together to ensure that all the modifications were installed on the first customer aircraft. This is always challenging but it is essential to ensure the aircraft’s maturity when we hand it over to the airline customer."
By working together, the team succeeded in delivering the FOTs on-time. This was “a great achievement that has rewarded all our efforts,” enthuses Thomas. “I have the impression that all the people involved, from operators and managers to support staff, are very proud to work on a new aircraft.” Jannis seconded his take: “Everyone is happy to be part of this journey and eager to deliver these first aircraft to the customers. Working together on such a challenge created a positive spirit defined by a “can do” attitude, and the team is proud to have met such big milestones.”
Time for delivery!
Once the aircraft makes its way through the flight line, there is an industrial handover and the aircraft moves to a delivery centre. The customer arrives onsite to complete the Technical Acceptance Process and the title transfer. “This is the stage where you get to see customer satisfaction firsthand, when they see their new aircraft cabin and livery for the first time,” explains Marie-Pierre. “Five years of effort went into preparing these first customer versions of the XLR, and seeing their first flights makes it all worthwhile!"