A320 Gets Range Boost From Reactivated Load Alleviation

摘要

Airbus is offering operators of certain A320 family variants a modification to increase the maximum take-off weight and boost range through a software upgrade to its flight-control system. The upgrade, which takes advantage of the twinjet's load-alleviation system, is being developed for new and later-build examples of the A320-200 - raising the MTOW by around 1t to 78t - and the A319-based Airbus Corporate Jetliner, which gains a 1t increase to 76.5t. For the A320, the modification provides around 280km (150nm) additional range. The load alleviation software uses control surfaces of the wings - the ailerons and outer spoilers-to relieve structural loads during manoeuvring and gust turbulence. While the load-alleviation function was originally introduced for a specific certification purpose, it subsequently became redundant and the software was removed.