空中客车公司正式启动全尺寸可折叠机翼延伸部件的飞行测试阶段[2]，计划在未来三年内完成设计、制造与测试工作[2]。该项目旨在应对畅销机型下一代飞机面临的设计难题：更长更薄的复合材料机翼无法适应全球机场现有空间[1]。
测试将在A321neo飞机上进行[1][2]，机翼延伸部件约为4-5米[1]。根据计划，首阶段测试将采用固定螺栓方式，暂不涉及折叠铰链[1]。经过地面验证后，机翼将在英国Airbus机翼技术发展中心组装，随后运至法国图卢兹进行飞行测试[2]。
为支撑这一技术探索，航空技术研究所ATI项目自2014年以来已投入2.27亿英镑[2]。空中客车已制造三个17米长的地面演示翼，探索了100多项制造和组装技术[2]。
Airbus机翼未来项目负责人Sue Partridge表示，"能够折叠机翼的价值是巨大的"[1]，并指出"机翼是我们提高飞行效率的最大杠杆之一"[2]。该技术开发与空中客车和波音争取在2030年前推出下一代飞机以降低能耗的目标相呼应[1]。
值得注意的是，波音已在777X上安装了折叠翼尖，但该技术尚未应用于单通道飞机[1]。空中客车的测试将填补这一技术空白。
Airbus has announced plans to conduct flight tests of full-scale foldable wing extensions on the A321neo aircraft as part of its effort to improve fuel efficiency and adapt longer, thinner composite wings to airport constraints worldwide. [1][2] The project, which launched on July 21, 2026, will unfold over the next three years, with design, manufacturing, and testing phases planned through 2029. [2]
The initial testing phase will involve installing approximately 4 to 5 meters of wing extension on the A321neo, with early trials focusing on fixed bolted attachments before progressing to folding hinge mechanisms. [1] The wing extensions will be assembled at Airbus's wing technology development center in the United Kingdom and subsequently flown for evaluation in Toulouse, France. [2] The testing aims to assess how extended wings perform under real flight conditions while maintaining compatibility with existing airport infrastructure.
Sue Partridge, leader of the project at Airbus, stated that "the value of being able to fold the wings is huge" [1] and described wings as "one of our biggest levers for improving flight efficiency." [2] The company has already constructed three 17-meter-long ground demonstration wings and explored over 100 manufacturing and assembly techniques to support the development. [2]
This initiative reflects both Airbus and Boeing's broader strategy to reduce fuel consumption ahead of introducing next-generation aircraft before 2030. [1] Boeing has previously installed folding wingtip extensions on the 777X, though that technology has not yet been applied to single-aisle aircraft. [1]
The project has received substantial support, with £227 million in funding provided by the Aerospace Technology Research Institute (ATI) program since 2014. [2]