One More Step - Today, Airbus Carried out RTO (Rejected Take off) of it's Experimental A321 Neo Aircraft Fitted with

" E-rudder" for A320 family Getting Tested !

Today, Airbus Carried out a RTO (Rejected Take off) test of  it's Experimental  A321 Neo Aircraft ( MSN : 8639) Fitted with " E-rudder" at Toulouse !

Airbus aims to replace the mechanical rudder controls system with an electronic rudder control on it's  A320neo-family aircrafts by the year 2024.

According to Airbus, the proposed 'E-rudder' modification will save up to 40kg in weight and reduced maintenance by enabling the removal of several structural fixtures and approximately three computer units.

Airbus Expects to make a qualifying test flight early next week , with the D-AVXB  ( MSN : 8639) aircraft before approching for the certification.

In this modification, the last standing mechanical control system (hydraulic jacks) will be replaced by electrical motors and will have back up power from RAT (Ram Air Turbine) and batteries as well.

The Modification 

E-rudder system modification basically involves,

• Installation of a new rudder-pedal unit in the cockpit, rudder-position sensors, and a back-up control module.
• Withdrawal of both flight-augmentation computers (FAC) and one of the spoiler-elevator computers .
• Withdrawal of yaw-damper and rudder-trim actuators, and the travel limiter unit.
• Rudder control through the two elevator-aileron computers (ELAC), for normal law.
• Two remaining spoiler-elevator computers(SEC), plus the back-up module, in direct law.
• Reconfiguration of control of the inboard spoilers, which were previously allocated to the third spoiler-elevator computer.

The primary flight-control computers will have updated hardware and software, and modification to the rudder-actuation system.

Pictures : matdu20eme