Airbus has secured European certification for the Pratt & Whitney-powered A321XLR, following the validation earlier this month of US FAA approval for the aircraft’s PW1100G engines.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency issued the type certificate for the variant on 20 February, two weeks after the powerplant validation.
Certification enables delivery of the PW1100G-powered A321XLR to customers.
EASA had previously approved the A321XLR with CFM International Leap-1A engines on 18 July last year.
“With the certification and entry-into-service of the [P&W]-powered A321XLR we will see more operators introduce this game changing aircraft,” says Airbus commercial aircraft chief Christian Scherer.
Over 500 XLRs have been ordered. Central European budget carrier Wizz Air is among those taking the XLR with PW1100Gs.
Thirteen customers have chosen the PW1100G to power the XLR, covering a total of 217 aircraft, says Pratt & Whitney.
Commercial engines president Rick Deurloo says the XLR with P&W engines will provide “longer range and higher payload capability”, allowing airlines to open new routes.
The US FAA had certified the P&W engines for the XLR in December last year, and FlightGlobal previously reported that EASA validated this approval on 7 February.
Pratt & Whitney is developing an updated version of the powerplant, the GTF Advantage, which it says is “particularly well-suited” to the XLR, offering higher take-off thrust and improved operating economics.
