Airbus A30X
Airbus A30X is the project name for the development of the successor to the Airbus A320 family . Further project names are or were Next Generation Single Aisle (NGSA) and Airbus NSR (New Short Range). A common name according to the Airbus scheme can then be expected for the series aircraft. Most widely known at Airbus was the transfer of a project name to the series designation for the A3XX project into A380 .
Development period
According to the first official information from 2003, the A30X was planned as the A300-600R successor and should be put into service from 2014 to 2015. In later official statements, the A30X is named as the A320 successor. In 2008, the program start of the A30X was announced for 2014 and commissioning in 2018. The commissioning was gradually postponed to 2024 and finally to 2030 by John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer at Airbus .
The reasons for the postponement are, on the one hand, technological, as new technologies are being investigated for the A30X that will probably not be available by the middle of the 2020s , such as the new Open Rotor / Propfan engine technology . On the other hand, in December 2010, Airbus announced a facelift of the A319, A320 and A321 models in the new neo variant (New Engine Option) , which, in addition to Sharklets, will also receive new, modern turbofan engines and will be delivered from the end of 2015. By deciding to develop this improved version of the A320 Family, Airbus has gained time to develop a completely new A320 successor without running the risk of an outdated A320 Family losing market share to the competition.
technology
At this point in time, no firm decisions regarding new technologies are known. An important aspect will be the investigation of new engine technology. An open rotor or an “advanced” turbofan with a very large bypass ratio are possible. Airbus expects about 30-40% fuel savings compared to a typical narrow-body aircraft from 2010 using an open rotor and other (not precisely specified) new technologies on the aircraft.
The following technologies are also being considered for the A30X:
- Fuel cell : APU replacement, fresh water and inert gas
- "Smart Wing": Laminar wing with reduced aerodynamic drag
- Improved cockpit
- Advanced materials
Fuel cell system
Together with Parker Aerospace , Airbus is investigating the use of a fuel cell system as an APU replacement. A flight test with this system should take place in 2015.
In addition to the pure APU replacement, the fuel cell system can take on other tasks, such as the provision of fresh water (as the end product of the chemical process of the fuel cell) or the prevention of fires by providing protective gas for filling the tank ( tank inerting ).
Laminar wing
In the European research project CleanSky Smart Fixed-Wing Aircraft , Airbus and other project partners are developing a laminar wing. According to Jens Koenig, Airbus coordinator in the CleanSky project, the results of this project could be used for the wings of the A30X. A wing drag reduction of 25% is to be achieved in cruise flight, which would lead to an overall drag reduction of 5–6% and a reduction in fuel consumption of 6%.
The technology has been tested on an A340 test aircraft since October 2017. For this, the wings outside of the engines should be replaced on both sides. The left and right wing should have the same geometry, but should be designed differently for the investigation of structural and manufacturing concepts. The project aimed to investigate solutions for good surface qualities and precise surface tolerances, low surface waviness and the prevention of contamination. These properties are important for maintaining laminar flow .
Final assembly
While the final assembly of the A320 is still being carried out at different locations, the entire final assembly of the future series is to take place in Hamburg.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Flug Revue : Airbus: Future A320 successor will be final assembled in Hamburg alone. ( Memento from February 10, 2013 in the web archive archive.today ) August 10, 2009, accessed on October 29, 2018.
- ↑ flightglobal.com: The 737 story: Smoke and mirrors obscure 737 and Airbus A320 replacement. February 7, 2006, accessed September 2, 2011 .
- ↑ Flightglobal: Airbus reveals long-term plan for new 'regional people-mover'. December 9, 2003, accessed September 2, 2011.
- ↑ a b c Handelsblatt : Airbus plans to launch new A320 in 2014. July 8, 2008, accessed August 11, 2009.
- ↑ Aero.de: new Airbus single aisle program probably not before 2030. April 8, 2011 called, on 2 September 2011th
- ↑ Flightglobal: No viable all-new single-aisle before 2030 - Leahy. April 6, 2011, accessed December 21, 2011.
- ↑ Flightglobal: A320neo entry advances to 2015 with PW as lead engine. April 5, 2011, accessed September 2, 2011 .
- ↑ a b Flightglobal: Airbus outlines future A30X concepts ( Memento from May 14, 2010 in the Internet Archive ). May 11, 2011.
- ↑ Aviation Week: Airbus Refines A30X Design ( Memento from January 21, 2012 in the Internet Archive ). February 8, 2009.
- ↑ Flightglobal: Airbus details A30X thinking, dismisses Boeing 'all-new airplane' talk. May 12, 2010, accessed September 9, 2011.
- ↑ a b c d e f Flightglobal: Smart wing design takes shape for next-generation narrowbody. July 26, 2011, accessed December 2, 2011.
- ↑ AIN online: Clean Sky To Test Laminar Flow On Modified Airbus A340. Retrieved October 9, 2014 .
- ↑ European laminar flow research takes a new step with Airbus' BLADE Flight Lab.Retrieved October 11, 2017
- ↑ Focus : A320 successor is to be assembled in Germany. August 10, 2009. Retrieved August 11, 2009.
- ↑ Spiegel Online : A320 successor will be completely assembled in Hamburg. August 10, 2009. Retrieved August 11, 2009.
- ↑ Reuters : Germany insists on more Airbus work shares. August 10, 2009. Retrieved August 11, 2009.