The new Airbus A321LR long-range aircraft comes into service under the colors of Turkish Airlines

On Thursday, July 12, 2018, the A321LR officially entered into service under the colors of Turkish Airlines. After a hundred hours of flight testing, the aircraft, registered as MSN 8155, was delivered to the launching airline. 

As the latest addition to the A320neo family, the A321 Long Range is a single-aisle aircraft with the widest fuselage manufactured by Airbus; it can carry up to 240 passengers and boasts a range of 4,000 nautical miles (7,400 kilometers). Its "mid-market" positioning means that it can operate both transatlantic flights (e.g. Paris-New York) and routes such as Singapore-Sydney and Dubai-Beijing.

Among Safran's many systems and equipment aboard the A321 Long Range, Safran Landing Systems supplies the landing gear along with wheels and carbon brakes (in joint venture with UTC Aerospace Systems). The company also equips the aircraft with extension/retraction, control, steering and braking systems, and maintains and repairs all of these devices. The increase of the MTOW to 97T led to a reinforcement of the main gear. The development launched in early 2015 was led by Vélizy's LGI teams.

Klaus Roewe, Head of the A320 Family Program, explains: "With its outstanding performance and unrivaled efficiency, the A321LR will enable our customers to fly distances of up to 4,000 nm, open up new lines such as transatlantic lines, and penetrate new markets." Airbus thanked Safran Landing Systems for its support in achieving this milestone and this evolution of the A320 family.

To date, the manufacturer has taken in excess of 1,900 A320 eo orders from approximately 40 customers. This long-range aircraft has a bright future in the low-cost long-range market.