Airbus is rolling out a new package of design upgrades across its A320 Family aircraft, carrying over innovations first developed for the A321XLR to the A320neo and A321neo, the manufacturer said on Friday.

The upgrade package, internally labelled "STEP4," brings XLR-derived features such as a lighter, simplified wing with single-slotted inboard flaps, a new e-Rudder that offers weight savings and lower maintenance costs, updated flight control laws, and a new flight data management unit into the A321neo, while preserving operational commonality across the existing fleet.

Torsten Hartung, Airbus' head of A320 Family Development, said the company was applying "the good ingredients" from the XLR programme to its higher-volume platform to support production commonality and Airbus' target of 1,000 single-aisle deliveries a year.

Beyond features borrowed from the XLR, STEP4 introduces new elements across the whole family, including the XLR itself: a relocated "Cobra Duct" air intake for improved cabin air quality, expanded corrosion-prevention measures, reinforced cabin flooring, and greater use of LED lighting.

Airbus said the rollout will begin with the A320neo, followed roughly a year later by the A321neo and A321XLR, using "pilot" aircraft fleets to introduce the changes progressively into production.

Source: Airbus