Page 8 - AAA MARCH - MAY 2022 Online Magazine

Performance Upgrade result of its optimized maintenance programme, advanced systems
Similarly to the A350, the A220 is at the begin- integration and high-technology engine design
ning of its lifecycle and retains room for future
developments and innovations in order to In 2019, Airbus also received approval of the A220 evolution policy
continue to improve efficiency and passenger to launch the first evolution exercise (which will enable the extension
comfort. As a part of its standard specification, of A & C Check intervals). The first exercise which was launched
the A220 is equipped with the latest generation in 2020, focused on increasing task intervals below 1000 FH and
of engines, advanced aerodynamics and mate-
rials, electrical brakes, modular avionics, full
fly-by-wire, aircraft health monitoring system, Airbus has made recent
etc. The A220 was purpose-built for efficiency
and offers significant advantages over previ- continuous developments on
ous generations of small single-aisle aircraft,
including a 25 per cent reduction in fuel burn & the A220, which include:
CO2 emissions along with a 50 percent noise
footprint reduction.

Airbus has been constantly improving the
performance boundaries of the A220 and a
company spokesperson confirmed to AAA,
that the aircraft’s maximum zero fuel weight
(MZFW) and maximum landing weight (MLW)
will increase by 1.8 tonne. Subject to the author-
ities’ approval, the new increased MZFW/MLW
will be available as of mid-2022 for the A220-
100 and Q4 2023 for the A220-300. The
A220-300’s maximum take-off weight (MTOW)
has already been increased to up to 70.9 tonne
for the already available A220-300. The new
MTOW increases the maximum range capabili-
ties to 6,300 km for the A220-300. current and
new European customers are flying the aircraft
with up to 149 passengers on board.

“THIS NEW INCREASED MZFW/ • Software upgrades to the Brake and Tire
MLW WILL OFFER EVEN FURTHER Pressure Indicating System (TPIS)
OPERATIONAL FLEXIBILITY TO • Avionics Software Build upgrades (several
AIRLINES IN THE FORM OF versions)
ADDITIONAL PAYLOAD, AS IT
ENABLES OPERATING AIRLINES • New Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and
TO OFFER TO THEIR PASSENGERS Flight Data Recorder (FDR)
MORE WEIGHT ON-BOARD THE

AIRCRAFT,” the company spokesperson • New Satcom
said.
• New version of Fly-By-Wire control laws
“Also on the in-service and maintenance front, (CLaws)
very early on, we had started a study and
data collection process in order to be able
to increase scheduled maintenance intervals • Full Authority Digital Engine Control
from 850 FH for light maintenance (“A” checks) (FADEC) Software upgrades
to 1,000 FH, as well as 8,5000 FH for base
maintenance (“C” checks) to 10,000 FH,” the • Fuel Computer Software upgrade
spokesperson said. In fact, the A220 already
had longer maintenance intervals than other • New engine hardware modifications
small single-aisle aircraft (850 hours for “A”
checks and 8,500 hours for “C” checks), as a

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