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weight and performance calculations for the Airbus A321neo

***** PRELIMINARY FILE ****

The first A321neo, leased by  GECAS , was delivered in Hamburg to Virgin America, configured with 184 seats and LEAP engines, and entered service in May 2017.

Seen here is A321-253N N923VA landing.

Airbus A321neo

role : jet airliner

importance : ****

first flight : 9 February 2016 operational : May 2017

country : EU-consortium

design :

production : 887 aircraft

general information :

This lengthened fuselage variant has  structural strengthening  in the  landing gear  and  wing , increased  wing loading  and other minor modifications due to higher Maximum Takeoff Weight ( MTOW ). The neo empty weight is 1.8t more than the ceo due to new engines and associated airframe modifications: engine pylons, wing structure and bleed and oil systems were adapted. At the same maximum weight, it reaches FL310 30-nm before and 4 min earlier than the CEO. At FL330 (10 000 m) and 67 t (148,000 lb), it burns 2,200 kilograms per hour (4,850 lb/h) at Mach 0.76 / 515 miles per hour (829 km/h) long-range cruise or 2,440 kg/h (5,400 lb/h) at Mach 0.80 / 542 miles per hour (872 km/h) high-speed cruise. By January 2018, the A321neo had received 1,920 orders, exceeding orders for the A321ceo. By this time the A321neo accounted for 32% of all A320neo family orders, whereas the original A321 represented just 22% of A320ceo family orders. By July 2022, the A321neo represented over 53% of all A320neo family orders. In 2018, an A321neo list price was US$129.5 million. (source Wikipedia)

primary users : Virgin America, British airways, Hawaiian airlines

Accommodation:

flight crew : 2 cabin crew : 6

passengers : seating for 206 in two class : 16 business class and 190 dense tourist class seats ( 29 -in pitch)

exit limit : 244 passengers (with 2+2 over wing emergency exits)

The Airbus A321neo prototype, D-AVXB, first flew on 9 February 2016. It suffered a  tailstrike  three days later and was flown to Toulouse for repairs, delaying the certification programme for several weeks. The A321neo prototype has 4 entrance doors on each side.

engine : 2 CFM International LEAP-1A30 turbofan engines of 143.0 [KN] (32147.1

[lbf]) or Pratt & Whitney PW1100G turbofans

dimensions :

wingspan : 35.8 [m], length : 44.51 [m], height : 11.76 [m]

wing area : 122.4 [m^2] fuselage exterior width : 3.95 [m]

weights :

empty weight : 46500 [kg]

operating empty weight : 50100 [kg] max. structural payload : 25500 [kg]

Zero Fuel weight (ZFW) : 75600 [kg] max. landing weight (MLW) : 79200 [kg]

max.take-off weight : 97000 [kg] weight fuel : 26352 [kg] (32940 [liter])

performance :

Max. operating Mach number (Mmo) : 0.82 [Mach] (910 [km/hr]) at 7500 [m]

normal cruise speed : 876 [km/hr] (Mach 0.81 ) at 10000 [m] (30 [%] power)

economic cruise speed : 829 [km/hr] (Mach 0.77 ) at 10000 [m]

service ceiling : 11900 [m]

range with max fuel : 7400 [km] (ATA domestic fuel reserves - 370.0 [km] alternate)

description :

low-wing cantilever monoplane with retractable landing gear with nose wheel

two main spar fail-safe wing structure

with double slotted flaps with slotted LE flaps (slats) ,with spoilers and sharklets at the wingtips

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

fuselage shape : 0 construction : all-metal aluminium-alloy stressed-skin construction with pressurized fuselage

calculation : *1* (dimensions)

wing chord at root : 6.07 [m]

mean wing chord : 3.42 [m]

calculated average wing chord tapered wing with rounded tips: 3.41 [m]

wing aspect ratio : 10.47 []

seize (span*length*height) : 18739 [m^3]

calculation : *2* (fuel consumption)

oil consumption : 8.6 [kg/hr]

fuel consumption (econ. cruise speed) : 2811.6 [kg/hr] (3514.4 [litre/hr]) at 19 [%] power

distance flown for 1 kg fuel : 0.29 [km/kg] at 10000 [m] height, sfc : 51.8 [kg/KN/h]

total fuel capacity : 32940 [litre] (26352 [kg])

British airways has one over wing emergency exit and door R2/L2 removed in its A321-251NX. Thrust is provided by two CFMI LEAP-1A26 turbofans.

calculation : *3* (weight)

weight engine(s) dry : 6200.0 [kg] = 21.68 [kg/KN]

weight 114 litre oil tank : 9.65 [kg]

oil tank filled with 1.8 litre oil : 1.6 [kg]

oil in engine 3.5 litre oil : 3.1 [kg]

fuel in engine 15.6 litre fuel : 11.44 [kg]

weight fuel lines 55.0 [kg]

weight engine cowling 743.6 [kg]

weight thrust reversers 114.4 [kg]

total weight propulsion system : 7139 [kg](7.4 [%])

***************************************************************

Accommodation cabin facilities:

typical 2-class cabin layout for 206 passengers : economy : pitch : 73.7 [cm] 29.0 [-in]

( 3+3 ) seating in 34.9 rows

weight seats : 1070.0 [kg]

By permanently replacing the second door pair in front of the wing (R2/L2) with a new second pair of overwing emergency exits, the capacity of the A321neo is increased from 220 seats to 240 seats and fuel efficiency per seat is increased by 6%, exceeding 20% together with the new engines and the sharklets. The modifications should weigh 100 kg more. Initial A321neos have the A321ceo exit door configuration with four exit door pairs until the Airbus Cabin-Flex (ACF) layout can be selected. JetBlue and Easyjet have the ACF 10 exit configuration. Seen here is JetBlue A321-271NX N2016J, it has 147 KN PW1133G-JM engines.

high density seating passengers : 244 [pax] at 6 -abreast seating in 40.7 rows, pitch

71.1 [cm] 28.0 [-in]

pax density, normal seating : 0.60 [m2/pax], high density seating : 0.51 [m2/pax]

Inside a Delta A321neo

weight 5 lavatories : 72.1 [kg]

weight 3 galleys : 220.1 [kg]

weight overhead stowage for hand luggage : 72.1 [kg]

weight 4 wardrobe closets : 41.2 [kg]

weight 72 windows : 64.6 [kg]

weight 6 1.83x0.86 [m] entrance/exit doors : 282.6 [kg]

weight 2 (130x122 cm) freight doors (belly) : 94.9 [kg]

belly baggage/cargo hold volume front : 24.15 [m3]

belly baggage/cargo hold volume rear : 31.36 [m3]

passenger compartment volume : 157 [m3]

passenger cabin max.width : 3.70 [m] cabin length : 34.44 [m] cabin height : 2.18 [m]

floor area : 123.3 [m2]

weight cabin facilities : 1917.6 [kg]

safety facilities:

weight 4 over wing emergency exits : 89.8 [kg]

weight 10 hand fire extinguisher : 30 [kg]

weight cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR): 20.0 [kg]

weight oxygen masks & oxygen generators : 133.9 [kg]

weight emergency flare installation : 10 [kg]

weight 6 emergency evacuation slides : 184.9 [kg]

weight safety equipment & facilities : 468 [kg]

fuselage construction:

fuselage aluminium frame : 12780 [kg]

floor loading (payload/m2): 207 [kg/m2]

weight rear pressure bulkhead : 162.9 [kg]

fuselage covering ( 427.0 [m2] duraluminium 2.55 [mm]) : 2855.1 [kg]

weight floor beams : 848.0 [kg]

weight cabin furbishing : 1113.6 [kg]

weight cabin floor : 1643.4 [kg]

fuselage (sound proof) isolation : 308.3 [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 : 21 [kg]

weight fuselage structure : 20361.0 [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]

Systems:

Air-conditioning and pressurisation system maintains sea level conditions up to 5875 [m]

and gives equivalent of 2440 [m] at 11200 [m]. pressure differential : 0.54 [bars] (kg/cm2)

pressurized fuselage volume : 418 [m3]

weight air-conditioning and pressurisation system : 246 [kg]

weight APU / engine starter: 71.5 [kg]

weight lighting : 68.0 [kg]

weight engine-driven 40kVA electricity generators : 51.5 [kg]

weight controls : 18.4 [kg]

weight systems : 455.9 [kg]

total weight fuselage : 23283 [kg](24.0 [%])

***************************************************************

total weight aluminium ribs (1449 ribs) : 3459 [kg]

weight engine mounts : 143 [kg]

weight 6 fuel tanks empty for total 21700 [litre] fuel : 1215 [kg]

weight wing covering (painted aluminium 4.40 [mm]) : 2905 [kg]

total weight aluminium spars (multi-cellular wing structure) : 2602 [kg]

weight wings : 8966 [kg]

weight wing/square meter : 73.25 [kg]

weight thermal leading-edge anti-icing : 39.4 [kg]

weight fin & rudder (14.9 [m2]) : 1092.0 [kg]

Air Astana crew in front of A321-271N P4-KDC c/n 7567

weight stabilizer & elevator (13.8 [m2]): 1009.6 [kg]

weight flight control hydraulic servo actuators: 72.8 [kg]

weight double slotted flaps (20.7 [m2]) : 649.1 [kg]

weight leading edge slats (6.6 [m2]) : 137.2 [kg]

weight spoilers (4.5 [m2]) : 29.5 [kg]

total weight wing surfaces & bracing : 13354 [kg] (13.8 [%])

*******************************************************************

tyre pressure main wheels : 15.70 [Bar] (nitrogen), ply rating : 30 PR

tyre speed limit: 389 [km/hr]

Can only operate from paved runways

wheel pressure : 21340.0 [kg]

weight 4 Dunlop main wheels (1240 [mm] by 455 [mm]) : 1656.9 [kg]

weight 2 nose wheels : 414.2 [kg]

weight multi-disc wheel-brakes : 75.6 [kg]

weight flywheel detector type anti-skid units : 5.4 [kg]

weight oleo-pneumatic shock absorbers : 100.8 [kg]

weight wheel hydraulic operated retraction system : 928.9 [kg]

weight undercarriage struts with axle 1416.2 [kg]

total weight landing gear : 4598.1 [kg] (4.7 [%]

*******************************************************************

********************************************************************

calculated empty weight : 48374 [kg](49.9 [%])

weight oil for 10.1 hours flying : 96.5 [kg]

weight lifejackets : 92.7 [kg]

weight 4 life rafts : 128.8 [kg]

weight catering : 366.8 [kg]

weight water : 293.5 [kg]

weight crew : 648 [kg]

weight crew lugage,nav.chards,flight doc.,miscell.items : 100 [kg]

operational weight empty : 50100 [kg] (51.6 [%])

********************************************************************

weight 206 passengers : 15862 [kg]

weight luggage : 3296 [kg]

weight cargo : 6342 [kg] (cargo+luggage/m3 belly : 159 [kg/m3])

zero fuel weight (ZFW): 75600 [kg](77.9 [%])

weight fuel for landing (1.3 hours flying) : 3600 [kg]

max. landing weight (MLW): 79200 [kg](81.6 [%])

max. fuel weight : 76452 [kg] (78.8 [%])

payload with max fuel : 221 passengers+luggage 20548 [kg]

published maximum take-off weight : 97000 [kg] (100.0 [%])

calculation : * 4 * (engine power)

power loading (Take-off) : 339 [kg/KN]

power loading (Take-off) 1 PUF: 678 [kg/KN]

max. total take-off power : 286.0 [KN]

calculation : *5* (loads)

manoeuvre load : 3.5 [g] at 1000 [m]

limit load : 3.0 [g] ultimate load : 4.5 [g] load factor : 1.0 [g]

design flight time : 3.56 [hours]

design cycles : 22091 sorties, design hours : 78679 [hours]

max. wing loading (MTOW & flaps retracted) : 792 [kg/m2]

wing stress (2 g) during operation : 192 [N/kg] at 2g emergency manoeuvre

calculation : *6* (angles of attack)

angle of attack zero lift : -1.65 ["]

max. angle of attack (stalling angle, clean) : 10.63 ["]

max. angle of attack (full flaps) : 9.83 ["]

angle of attack at max. speed : 2.72 ["]

calculation : *7* (lift & drag ratios

lift coefficient at angle of attack 0° : 0.15 [ ]

lift coefficient at max. speed : 0.40 [ ]

lift coefficient at max. angle of attack : 1.11 [ ]

max. lift coefficient full flaps : 1.61 [ ]

drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0316 [ ]

drag coefficient at econ. cruise speed : 0.0405 [ ]

induced drag coefficient at econ. cruise speed : 0.0153 [ ]

drag coefficient (zero lift) : 0.0253 [ ]

lift/drag ratio at max. speed : 12.54 [ ]

calculation : *8* (speeds

stalling speed clean at sea-level (OW loaded : 94188 [kg]): 379 [km/u]

stalling speed at sea-level with full flaps (normal landing weight): 261 [km/u]

landing speed at sea-level (normal landing weight : 78870 [kg]): 300 [km/hr]

approach speed at sea-level with full flaps (normal landing weight): 339 [km/u]

max. rate of climb speed : 758 [km/hr] at sea-level

max. endurance speed : 657 [km/u] min. fuel/hr : 2725 [kg/hr] at height : 8230 [m]

max. range speed : 909 [km/u] min. fuel consumption : 3.111 [kg/km] at cruise height : 11278 [m]

cruising speed : 876 [km/hr] at 10000 [m] (power:20 [%])

max. operational speed (Mmo) : 910.00 [km/hr] (Mach 0.82 ) at 7500 [m] (power:23.6 [%])

airflow at cruise speed per engine : 309.2 [kg/s]

speed of thrust jet : 1202 [km/hr]

climbing speed at sea-level (loaded) : 2194 [m/min]

climbing speed at 1000 [m] with 1 engine out (PUF / MTOW) : 728 [m/min]

calculation : *9* (regarding various performances)

take-off speed : 386.1 [km/u]

high wheel pressure, can only take off from paved runways

Take-off run at MTOW, at sea level (line 0) : 2700 [m]

take-off distance at sea-level concrete runway : 2822 [m]

take-off distance at sea-level over 15 [m] height : 2908 [m]

Landing field length, at Max.landing weight, sea level, standard day : 1600 [m]

ICAO Aerodrome reference code : 4C

landing run : 1498 [m]

landing run (C.A.R.) from 15 [m] at SL, dry runway : 1997 [m]

landing run (C.A.R.) from 15 [m] at SL, wet runway : 2297 [m]

lift/drag ratio : 15.63 [ ]

climb to 5000 [m] with max payload : 2.17 [min]

climb to 10000 [m] with max payload : 3.64 [min]

theoretical ceiling fully loaded (mtow- 60 min. fuel:94188 [kg] ) : 12600 [m]

calculation *10* (action radius & endurance)

range with max. payload: 6171 [km] with 25500.0 [kg] max. useful load (81.2 [%] fuel)

range with high density pax: 7066 [km] with 244 passengers (91.8 [%] fuel)

range with typical two-class pax: 7867 [km] with 206 passengers (100.0 [%] fuel)

range with max.fuel : 7770 [km] with 8 crew and 221 passengers and 100.0 [%] fuel

ferry range : 9359 [km] with 2 crew and zero payload (100.0 [%] fuel)

max range theoretically with additional fuel tanks total 60057.9 [litre] fuel : 15588 [km]

Available Seat Kilometres (ASK) : 1620703 [paskm]

useful load with range 1000km : 25500 [kg]

useful load with range 1000km : 244 passengers

production (theor.max load): 22338 [tonkm/hour]

production (useful load): 22338 [tonkm/hour]

production (passengers): 180456 [paskm/hour]

oil and fuel consumption per tonkm : 0.126 [kg]

fuel cost per paskm : 0.016 [eur]

crew cost per paskm : 0.006 [eur]

economic hours : 55750 [hours] is less then design hours

time between engine failure : 645 [hr]

can continue fly on 1 engine, low risk for emergency landing for PUF

writing off per paskm : 0.004 [eur]

insurance per paskm : 0.0010 [eur]

maintenance cost per paskm : 0.018 [eur]

direct operating cost per paskm : 0.044 [eur]

direct operating cost per tonkm (max. load): 0.359 [eur]

direct operating cost per tonkm (normal useful load): 0.359 [eur]

Hawaiian airlines A321-271N were delivered late due to reliability problems with the PW1127G engines. Here N202HA c/n 7917 is being pushed back at New York, JFK airport.

As per 2022 there have been no fatal accidents with an A321neo

Literature :

Airbus A320neo family - Wikipedia

AERO - Exceeding Tire Speed Rating During Takeoff (boeing.com)

Airbus A321neo commercial aircraft. Pictures, specifications, reviews. (airlines-inform.com)

Aircraft Performance Database > A21N (eurocontrol.int)

Airbus-techdata-AC_A321_0322 (3).pdf

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