On the first day of the Farnborough International Airshow 2024, European plane-maker Airbus showed off its newest passenger jet.
The Airbus A321 253 XLR will fly daily throughout the five day show with demonstrations aiming to showcase the latest innovations the plane brings.
A single-aisle plane, Airbus say the A321 burns thirty percent less fuel and boasts a prospective range of 4,700nm, which beats a lot of the aircraft’s larger traditional long-haul competitors.
The fuel efficiency of the A321 is good news for airlines that want to be able to fly cheaper, narrow-body jets on long-haul flights.
On show too is Airbus’ A350 aircraft; this one is marked with the Air India livery and expected to start transporting passengers from London to Mumbai direct.
For Airbus, fuel efficiency is a key part of the company’s future technological development.
Sue Partridge, Head of Wing of Tomorrow programme at Airbus says:
“Wings and fuel, engines, propulsion are two areas where we can make the aircraft more efficient.
Partridge continues, “So, by improving the physics of the wing, we can burn less fuel and then the second key part of our technology development in Airbus is then about developing how to burn different fuels, like for example sustainable aviation fuel and even hydrogen on the next generation of aircraft.”
Rival manufacturer Boeing is keeping a low profile this year and is not bringing any new jetliners to take part in aerial displays in this year’s airshow.
An ongoing safety and manufacturing crisis has beset the American company.
In contrast to the last show in 2022, when the American company showcased the latest versions of its 777 and 737 Max airplanes with press tours and flights, this year it’s F-15 fighter jet is the only one being used in displays.
Boeing instead used its exhibits to highlight its newest update to the long-running 777 jet range.
In its exhibition chalet at the airshow, a model display of the 777X’s interior offers visitors a chance to experience what Boeing describe as an innovative, spacious cabin environment.
Laura Fitzgerald, Regional Director of Cabin Marketing at Boeing says: “777X is a next generation of the 777 and one of the most noticeable evolutions of the cabin space is the architecture within the cabin. We’re offering two architecture types. The A-ceiling architecture, creating a sense of height within the cabin and the B-ceiling architecture which offers a greater sense of space or width within the cabin.”
Another key upgrade in the 777X range is luggage space, as Fitzgerald explains: “We also have increased bag capacity, doubled that of the 777 and reduced closing forces by over 40% on those. Furthermore, to enhance the passenger experience even more, getting more visibility to the skies, we’ve instituted larger windows which are situated more high on the fuselage offering that greater view to the outside.”
As well as the noticeable difference in Boeing’s lack of air displays, aviation analyst Richard Aboulafia, says this year’s airshow is made different due to a backlog of plane orders from airlines.
“ Typically you have the main players, Airbus, Boeing, Embraer, go up and proudly announce orders, the problem is all on the production side and not on the demand side. People are having a very hard time building on the over 10,000 jets that are on backlog. So announcing orders seems almost superfluous,” Aboulafia says.
In addition to key aircraft manufacturers, the show hosts over 100 exhibitions for businesses from the UK’s aerospace, defence, security and space sectors.
Farnborough International Airshow is one of the world’s biggest aviation trade fairs and attracts delegates, trades people and enthusiasts from across the world.
This year it takes place between 22nd and 26th July 2024.