A321 NEO: Finally a B752 replacement or not?

[Una Due Tfc]

An Airbus A321 with a 97-ton Maximum Weight - Where Can I Get One!? - AirlineReporter.com

For years I've been wondering about whether there would ever be a B752 replacement. I've seen over the last 10-15 years a big upsurge in the number of B752s being flown to smaller airfields in Europe by U.S. carriers, routes that wouldn't be economically viable for a larger frame. Think SNN/DUB/BFS/NCL/EDI/MAN/BHX/BRU etc, or on routes into the likes of LHR or AMS at times where a widebody is not needed. The 757 was obviously designed for hot and high airfields and ones with rwy length restrictions. A marvelous aircraft that is being phased out by many European and U.S. carriers in favour of the current A321 and B738/9. We know these haven't got the legs of the B752 and as such can't do flights between the East Coast USA hubs and western Europe.

Is the above linked A321 NEO the aircraft the U.S. majors and European carriers need? Are we still waiting? Or will we ever really see the old Boeing replaced like for like? The NEO can't carry much cargo. I'm curious to hear the opinions of folks who have previously/are currently flying 757s across the Atlantic. UA/US/AA/DL guys and gals, what percentage of your flights would have too much belly cargo for this new bird?

Thanks in advance folks

[Romeo Hotel]

Personally I'd love to see the 757 stay in service for many years. I've always been a fan of it's distinctive looks and no nonsense performance. Lets not forget the buzz-saw effect from the rb211s

[Gilles Hudicourt]

A 97 tonne aircraft on single axle bogies ? I think the 757's range will be mostly there, but not so much its runway performance...... unless they add a main center gear (with brakes), a la 340.....

We used the 757 Trans-Atlantic from places like Newcastle, Cardiff and Exceter. Never did carry any cargo on these flights though.

http://blogs.wsj.com/corporate-intel...s-757-dilemma/

[Una Due Tfc]

Another braked bogey = more weight, and hydraulics to operate it. The 757 get's it's short field performance from it's double bogeys, larger wings and beefed up engines. All these = much higher weight + fuel burn. Where does the line get drawn with operating to a minority of restricted airfields versus operating on better situated and equipped airfields to the hubs? It's a tricky question. Will this new Airbus be a hit with the U.S. legacies replacing their 757s? I thought Boeing had already stated replacing the 757 directly was uneconomical. The gap in the market between the B739 and B788 just wasn't large enough to justify the expense?

Funny isn't it, the B752 has excelled in a niche towards the end of it's life that hasn't been matched by another frame

[Gilles Hudicourt]

Looking through existing and past aircraft, the heaviest single axle bogie aircraft I found so far was the B727-200 Advanced, which had a MTOW of 95 tonnes, so pretty close to what the LR A321NEO is planning. Yet the B727-200 Advanced was not known for poor runway performance.

But it had nose wheel brakes as an option (I read somewhere that all B727-200s were built with nose wheel brakes but that those operators that didn't need them, had them removed)

[Just a spotter]

If single bogey is an issue, don't forget that there is a double bogey variant/option in the current 320 family, so perhaps not an show stopper for the NEO if required.

[Gilles Hudicourt]

Double bogey A320

Had no idea. Thanks for that info.

[Denti]

Wasn't the double bogey A320 discontinued very early in the program life?

But i guess if a customer really wants it airbus will be more than willing to certify it on the NEO as well for a couple millions per airframe extra.

[Gilles Hudicourt]

If they determine that it provides the A321NEO access to X thousands extra runways worldwide, it will be standard equipment.

Two aircraft that are slightly heavier than the 97 tonnes LR A321NEO, the TU-154M at 100 tonnes and the TU-204 at 103 tonnes, have 6 and 4 wheel MLG bogies respectively. The 727-200 Advanced, at 95 tonnes had 2 wheel bogies but nose wheel brakes.

A bit lighter is the 737-900ER at 85 tonnes

http://www.pprune.org/tech-log/48727...rformance.html

[TURIN]

Bogie A320