Airbus has resumed testing of the CFM International Leap-powered A320neo, after a break to upgrade the powerplants and on-board equipment.
The airframer currently has a single aircraft with Leap-1A engines in the development fleet but had temporarily halted tests with the type.
Airbus says the aircraft has been undergoing a “short pause” for maintenance to prepare the aircraft for the hot-weather and high-altitude test phase.
The manufacturer has also upgraded the flight-test installation on the jet. It returned to flight on 15 July.
Since its maiden flight on 19 May the Leap-powered aircraft has accumulated around 150h across some 45 cycles.
Airbus’s A320neo fleet includes two aircraft fitted with Pratt & Whitney PW1100G turbofans, but testing has been suspended for several weeks while a minor technical flaw in the engine was addressed.
The upgraded P&W engines have been shipped by the powerplant manufacturer are scheduled to arrive at Airbus, having been podded, at the end of this month.
“We will resume flight testing as soon as the engines are installed on the aircraft,” says Airbus.
Between them the two PW1100G-powered jets have completed over 175 flights, totalling more than 560h. Airbus says the A320neo is still on track for delivery this year.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
