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weight and performance calculations for the Airbus A321-200
***** PRELIMINARY FILE ****
BMI Airbus A321-231 G-MIDJ flies 26 May 2003 over Hungary in a heavy hailstorm with 213 passengers and 8 crew members on board c/n 1045 V2533-A5 engines.
This one has wingtip fences, others A321’s have more winglets (sharklets called by Airbus)
Airbus A321-200
role : jet airliner
importance : ****
first flight : December 1996 operational : April 1997 (Monarch Airlines)
country : EU-consortium
design :
production : 1700 A321 aircraft final assembly in Hamburg, Germany, or Mobile, Alabama, USA. Total production including A321neo : 2646 aircraft. November 2021 2371 A321 were in service with more then 100 airliners.
general information :
The –200 version has a longer range, due to one or two additional 2990 liter fuel tanks,
which gave it a full-passenger transcontinental US range. It had a higher gross weight
and higher thrust engines > V2533-A5 or CFM56-5B3. With two additional tanks total
fuel capacity is 30030 liters.
engines :
-211 : CFM56-5B3
-212 : CFM56-5B1
-213 : CFM56-5B2
-231 : V2533-A5
-232 : V2530-A5
As of November 2021 2,371 Airbus A321 aircraft were in service with more than 100 operators. [1]
American Airlines and China Southern Airlines operate the largest A321 fleets of 260 and 149 aircraft, respectively. [1]
A321-231 D-ALAS. Aero Lloyd was the launch customer, their aircraft can accommodate 212 passengers in a single-class layout and have an MTOW of 88996 kg and have a 742-1113 km longer range. They are equipped with the V2533-A5 engines.
primary users : Aero Lloyd, Monarch airlines, BMI, Middle East Airlines
Accommodation:
flight crew : 2 cabin crew : 6
passengers : seating for 186 in two class : 16 business class and 170 economy deluxe class seats ( 33 -in pitch)
exit limit : 220 passengers
engine : 2 IAE V2533-A5 turbofan engines of 140.6 [KN] (31607.6 [lbf])
dimensions :
wingspan : 34.09 [m], length : 44.51 [m], height : 11.81 [m]
wing area : 122.4 [m^2] fuselage exterior width : 3.95 [m]
weights :
operating empty weight : 48000 [kg] max. structural payload : 23500 [kg]
Zero Fuel weight (ZFW) : 71500 [kg] max. landing weight (MLW) : 75500 [kg]
max.take-off weight : 88996 [kg] weight fuel : 21280 [kg] (26600 [litre])
performance :
Max. operating Mach number (Mmo) : 0.84 [Mach] (940 [km/hr]) at 7500 [m]
normal cruise speed : 884 [km/hr] (Mach 0.82 ) at 10000 [m] (28 [%] power)
economic cruise speed : 837 [km/hr] (Mach 0.78 ) at 10000 [m]
service ceiling : 11900 [m]
range with max fuel : 4907 [km] (ATA domestic fuel reserves - 370.0 [km] alternate)
description :
low-wing cantilever monoplane with retractable landing gear with nose wheel
tapered multi-cellular wing with flush-riveted stressed skin
with double slotted flaps with slotted LE flaps (slats) ,with spoilers airfoil : Airbus
sweep angle 3/4 chord: 25.0 [°]
engines attached with pylons to the wing, main landing gear attached to the wings, fuel tanks in the wings and fuselage
construction : all-metal aluminium-alloy stressed-skin construction with pressurized fuselage. fuselage shape : 0
calculation : *1* (dimensions)
wing chord at root : 6.07 [m]
mean wing chord : 3.59 [m]
calculated average wing chord tapered wing with rounded tips: 3.61 [m]
wing aspect ratio : 9.49 []
seize (span*length*height) : 17920 [m^3]
calculation : *2* (fuel consumption)
oil consumption : 8.4 [kg/hr]
fuel consumption (econ. cruise speed) : 3375.3 [kg/hr] (4219.1 [litre/hr]) at 22 [%] power
distance flown for 1 kg fuel : 0.25 [km/kg] at 10000 [m] height, sfc : 55.4 [kg/KN/h]
total fuel capacity : 26600 [litre] (21280 [kg])
calculation : *3* (weight)
weight engine(s) dry : 5190.0 [kg] = 18.46 [kg/KN]
weight 77 litre oil tank : 6.54 [kg]
oil tank filled with 1.8 litre oil : 1.6 [kg]
oil in engine 3.4 litre oil : 3.1 [kg]
fuel in engine 15.3 litre fuel : 11.25 [kg]
weight fuel lines 64.0 [kg]
weight engine cowling 731.1 [kg]
weight thrust reversers 112.5 [kg]
total weight propulsion system : 6120 [kg](6.9 [%])
***************************************************************
Accommodation cabin facilities:
typical 2-class cabin layout for 186 passengers : economy : pitch : 83.8 [cm] ( 3+3 ) seating in 31.5 rows
Air Transat cabin lay-out
weight seats : 970.0 [kg]
high density seating passengers : 213 [pax] at 6 -abreast seating in 35.4 rows, pitch 76.2 [cm]
pax density, normal seating : 0.66 [m2/pax], high density seating : 0.57 [m2/pax]
weight 4 lavatories : 57.9 [kg]
weight 3 galleys : 218.1 [kg]
weight overhead stowage for hand luggage : 65.1 [kg]
weight 4 wardrobe closets : 37.2 [kg]
Airbus A321-200 JetBlue Airways cabin interior, economy seats.
weight 65 windows : 58.6 [kg]
weight 8 1.83x0.86 [m] entrance/exit doors : 386.3 [kg]
weight 2 freight doors (belly) : 76.7 [kg]
belly baggage/cargo hold volume front : 23.22 [m3]
belly baggage/cargo hold volume rear : 30.16 [m3]
passenger compartment volume : 155 [m3]
passenger cabin max.width : 3.66 [m] cabin length : 34.39 [m] cabin height : 2.18 [m]
floor area : 121.8 [m2]
weight cabin facilities : 1869.9 [kg]
safety facilities:
weight 9 hand fire extinguisher : 27 [kg]
weight cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR): 20.0 [kg]
weight oxygen masks & oxygen generators : 120.9 [kg]
weight emergency flare installation : 10 [kg]
weight 8 emergency evacuation slides : 167.0 [kg]
weight safety equipment & facilities : 345 [kg]
fuselage construction:
fuselage aluminium frame : 13086 [kg]
floor loading (payload/m2): 193 [kg/m2]
weight rear pressure bulkhead : 162.8 [kg]
fuselage covering ( 426.5 [m2] duraluminium 2.60 [mm]) : 2921.6 [kg]
weight floor beams : 722.3 [kg]
weight cabin furbishing : 1090.4 [kg]
weight cabin floor : 1569.2 [kg]
fuselage (sound proof) isolation : 308.7 [kg]
weight 8250 [litre] main central fuel tanks empty : 462.0 [kg]
weight 2990 [litre] additional central fuel tank (ACT) empty : 167.4 [kg]
weight empty waste tank : 19 [kg]
weight fuselage structure : 20509.3 [kg]
Avionics:
weight HF and UHF radio : 7.0 [kg]
weight dual cloud-collision radar : 25.0 [kg]
weight VOR/ILS,RMI,Doppler,radio altimeter : 12.0 [kg]
weight Integrated Flight System / auto-pilot : 23.0 [kg]
weight artificial horizons, compass, alti-meters : 7 [kg]
weight engine monitoring gauges & control switches : 6 [kg]
weight avionics : 80.0 [kg]
Cockpit of Lufthansa D-AIDF A321-200
Systems:
Air-conditioning and pressurisation system maintains sea level conditions up to 5625 [m]
and gives equivalent of 2440 [m] at 10700 [m]. pressure differential : 0.53 [bars] (kg/cm2)
pressurized fuselage volume : 418 [m3]
weight air-conditioning and pressurisation system : 229 [kg]
weight APU / engine starter: 70.3 [kg]
weight lighting : 61.4 [kg]
weight engine-driven 40kVA electricity generators : 46.5 [kg]
weight controls : 18.2 [kg]
weight systems : 425.4 [kg]
total weight fuselage : 23230 [kg](26.1 [%])
***************************************************************
total weight aluminium ribs (1266 ribs) : 3174 [kg]
weight engine mounts : 141 [kg]
weight 6 fuel tanks empty for total 15360 [litre] fuel : 860 [kg]
weight wing covering (painted aluminium 4.49 [mm]) : 2967 [kg]
total weight aluminium spars (multi-cellular wing structure) : 2635 [kg]
weight wings : 8776 [kg]
weight wing/square meter : 71.70 [kg]
weight thermal leading-edge anti-icing : 37.5 [kg]
weight fin & rudder (13.5 [m2]) : 969.2 [kg]
weight stabilizer & elevator (13.8 [m2]): 988.2 [kg]
weight flight control hydraulic servo actuators: 64.6 [kg]
weight double slotted flaps (20.7 [m2]) : 635.4 [kg]
weight leading edge slats (6.6 [m2]) : 134.4 [kg]
weight spoilers (4.5 [m2]) : 28.9 [kg]
total weight wing surfaces & bracing : 12635 [kg] (14.2 [%])
*******************************************************************
tyre pressure main wheels : 14.60 [Bar] (nitrogen), ply rating : 24 PR
Can only operate from paved runways
wheel pressure : 19579.1 [kg]
weight 4 Dunlop main wheels (1240 [mm] by 455 [mm]) : 1024.9 [kg]
weight 2 nose wheels : 256.2 [kg]
weight multi-disc wheel-brakes : 71.5 [kg]
weight flywheel detector type anti-skid units : 5.4 [kg]
weight oleo-pneumatic shock absorbers : 95.3 [kg]
weight wheel hydraulic operated retraction system : 890.0 [kg]
weight undercarriage struts with axle 2062.0 [kg]
total weight landing gear : 4405.3 [kg] (5.0 [%]
*******************************************************************
On 18 July 2006, Onur Air A321-231 TC-OAN c/n 1421 made a tail strike upon landing at Rotterdam airport. None of the 154 passengers and 7 crew members were injured. However, the rear pressure bulkhead was torn. Location : +-200m 51°57'37"N 4°26'57"E Onur Air had been in the news before. For example, on 01 June 2005, an A321 on Eindhoven had to remain grounded after a large amount of kerosene had leaked from the aircraft. V2533-A5 engines.
********************************************************************
calculated empty weight : 46390 [kg](52.1 [%])
weight oil for 6.7 hours flying : 63.8 [kg]
weight lifejackets : 83.7 [kg]
weight 3 life rafts : 116.2 [kg]
weight catering : 363.5 [kg]
weight water : 290.8 [kg]
weight crew : 648 [kg]
weight crew lugage,nav.chards,flight doc.,miscell.items : 44 [kg]
operational weight empty : 48000 [kg] (53.9 [%])
********************************************************************
weight 186 passengers : 14322 [kg]
weight luggage : 2976 [kg]
weight cargo : 6202 [kg] (cargo+luggage/m3 belly : 158 [kg/m3])
zero fuel weight (ZFW): 71500 [kg](80.3 [%])
weight fuel for landing (1.2 hours flying) : 4000 [kg]
max. landing weight (MLW): 75500 [kg](84.8 [%])
max. fuel weight : 69280 [kg] (77.8 [%])
payload with max fuel : 212 passengers+luggage 19716 [kg]
published maximum take-off weight : 88996 [kg] (100.0 [%])
American Airlines operates the largest A321 fleet with 260 aircraft. Seen here is A321-231(WL) N142AN coming in for landing.
calculation : * 4 * (engine power)
power loading (Take-off) : 316 [kg/KN]
power loading (Take-off) 1 PUF: 633 [kg/KN]
max. total take-off power : 281.2 [KN]
calculation : *5* (loads)
manoeuvre load : 4.1 [g] at 1000 [m]
limit load : 3.0 [g] ultimate load : 4.5 [g] load factor : 1.1 [g]
design flight time : 3.91 [hours]
design cycles : 21231 sorties, design hours : 82989 [hours]
max. wing loading (MTOW & flaps retracted) : 727 [kg/m2]
wing stress (2 g) during operation : 183 [N/kg] at 2g emergency manoeuvre
calculation : *6* (angles of attack)
angle of attack zero lift : -1.69 ["]
max. angle of attack (stalling angle, clean) : 11.04 ["]
max. angle of attack (full flaps) : 10.24 ["]
angle of attack at max. speed : 2.22 ["]
calculation : *7* (lift & drag ratios
lift coefficient at angle of attack 0° : 0.15 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. speed : 0.35 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. angle of attack : 1.13 [ ]
max. lift coefficient full flaps : 1.63 [ ]
drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0359 [ ]
drag coefficient at econ. cruise speed : 0.0446 [ ]
induced drag coefficient at econ. cruise speed : 0.0142 [ ]
drag coefficient (zero lift) : 0.0305 [ ]
lift/drag ratio at max. speed : 9.69 [ ]
China Southern Airlines operates also a large fleet of A321’s, it has 149 of this type in its inventory
calculation : *8* (speeds
stalling speed clean at sea-level (OW loaded : 85621 [kg]): 358 [km/u]
stalling speed at sea-level with full flaps (normal landing weight): 253 [km/u]
landing speed at sea-level (normal landing weight : 75173 [kg]): 291 [km/hr]
approach speed at sea-level with full flaps (normal landing weight): 329 [km/u]
max. rate of climb speed : 687 [km/hr] at sea-level
max. endurance speed : 498 [km/u] min. fuel/hr : 3142 [kg/hr] at height : 4267 [m]
max. range speed : 939 [km/u] min. fuel consumption : 3.693 [kg/km] at cruise height : 11278 [m]
cruising speed : 884 [km/hr] at 10000 [m] (power:23 [%])
max. operational speed (Mmo) : 940.00 [km/hr] (Mach 0.84 ) at 7500 [m] (power:29.2 [%])
airflow at cruise speed per engine : 206.3 [kg/s]
speed of thrust jet : 1440 [km/hr]
climbing speed at sea-level (loaded) : 2061 [m/min]
climbing speed at 1000 [m] with 1 engine out (PUF / MTOW) : 670 [m/min]
calculation : *9* (regarding various performances)
take-off speed : 379.7 [km/u]
high wheel pressure, can only take off from paved runways
take-off distance at sea-level concrete runway : 3309 [m]
take-off distance at sea-level over 15 [m] height : 3393 [m]
landing run : 1831 [m]
landing run (C.A.R.) from 15 [m] at SL, dry runway : 2584 [m]
landing run (C.A.R.) from 15 [m] at SL, wet runway : 2884 [m]
lift/drag ratio : 13.55 [ ]
climb to 5000 [m] with max payload : 2.27 [min]
climb to 10000 [m] with max payload : 3.81 [min]
theoretical ceiling fully loaded (mtow- 60 min. fuel:85621 [kg] ) : 13600 [m]
calculation *10* (action radius & endurance)
possible additional cargo : 2418 [kg]
range with max. payload: 4272 [km] with 23500.0 [kg] max. useful load (82.2 [%] fuel)
range with high density pax: 5263 [km] with 213 passengers (99.8 [%] fuel)
range with typical two-class pax: 5381 [km] with 186 passengers (100.0 [%] fuel)
range with max.fuel : 5277 [km] with 8 crew and 212 passengers and 100.0 [%] fuel
ferry range : 6182 [km] with 2 crew and zero payload (100.0 [%] fuel)
max range theoretically with additional fuel tanks total 52670.4 [litre] fuel : 11343 [km]
Available Seat Kilometres (ASK) : 1000818 [paskm]
useful load with range 1000km : 23500 [kg]
useful load with range 1000km : 213 passengers
production (theor.max load): 20774 [tonkm/hour]
production (useful load): 20774 [tonkm/hour]
production (passengers): 164424 [paskm/hour]
oil and fuel consumption per tonkm : 0.163 [kg]
fuel cost per paskm : 0.021 [eur]
crew cost per paskm : 0.006 [eur]
A321-231 Monarch Airlines G-OZBT
economic hours : 22300 [hours] is less then design hours
time between engine failure : 835 [hr]
can continue fly on 1 engine, low risk for emergency landing for PUF
writing off per paskm : 0.011 [eur]
insurance per paskm : 0.0008 [eur]
maintenance cost per paskm : 0.016 [eur]
direct operating cost per paskm : 0.054 [eur]
direct operating cost per tonkm (max. load): 0.425 [eur]
direct operating cost per tonkm (normal useful load): 0.425 [eur]
Two fatal accidents have occurred with the A321-200, for more details see the accident file
Literature :
Observers Airliners page 23
Air international dec’97 page 383
Flight international 18/24 nov’98 page 45
https://contentzone.eurocontrol.int/aircraftperformance/default.aspx ?
DISCLAIMER Above calculations are based on published data, they must be
regarded as indication not as facts.
Calculated performance and weight may not correspond with actual weights
and performances and are assumptions for which no responsibility can be taken.
Calculations are as accurate as possible, they can be fine-tuned when more data
is available, you are welcome to give suggestions and additional information
so we can improve our program. For copyright on drawings/photographs/
content please mail to below mail address
(c) B van der Zalm 22 October 2022 contact : info.aircraftinvestigation@gmail .com python 3.7.4