{"id":69464,"date":"2024-09-05T19:50:08","date_gmt":"2024-09-05T14:20:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/?p=69464"},"modified":"2024-09-20T01:02:28","modified_gmt":"2024-09-19T19:32:28","slug":"easa-orders-a350-inspection-after-cathay-engine-fire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2024\/09\/05\/easa-orders-a350-inspection-after-cathay-engine-fire\/","title":{"rendered":"EASA Orders Airbus A350 Inspection After Cathay Engine Fire"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

COLOGNE-<\/strong> The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) mandates inspections of Airbus A350 aircraft following a Cathay Pacific Airways (CX) <\/a>engine fire incident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This directive aims to identify faulty fuel hoses and prevent similar occurrences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: By Julian Herzog, CC BY 4.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=56308989<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

EU Airbus A350 Inspection<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

EASA’s statement, released Thursday evening, outlines a precautionary one-time fleet inspection. The agency targets potentially compromised high-pressure fuel hoses, focusing on a specific portion of the A350 fleet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The inspection’s details, requirements, and compliance timeline remain under development. EASA plans to issue an emergency airworthiness directive later Thursday, providing comprehensive guidelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

EASA’s decision stems from preliminary information gathered by ongoing safety investigations. Key contributors include Hong Kong’s Air Accident Investigation Authority, the city’s civil aviation authority, and manufacturers Airbus <\/a>and Rolls-Royce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Cathay Pacific incident resulted in 90 flight cancellations, highlighting the potential impact of such technical issues on airline operations and passenger travel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: By Anna Zvereva from Tallinn, Estonia – Cathay Pacific, B-LXL, Airbus A350-1041, CC BY-SA 2.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=87445090<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fleet Grounding<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cathay Pacific grounded its entire A350 fleet after discovering a unique engine part problem. The issue emerged when flight CX383 returned to Hong Kong shortly after takeoff on Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) confirmed a fire in the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engine during the flight. Crew members promptly detected and extinguished the fire, allowing the aircraft to return safely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This incident triggered inspections by other airlines using the same engine model. Cathay’s A350 fleet consists of 18 A350-1000 aircraft (average age 4.6 years) and 30 A350-900s (average age 6.2 years), all equipped with the Trent XWB-97 engine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: RVA Aviation Photography (Robin Van Acker) | Flickr<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What’s the Issue and Who Are Affected?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rolls-Royce faces pressure to explain the fuel line failures in their Trent XWB-97 engines. A source revealed deformed fuel transfer lines caused the engine malfunction, noting Cathay Pacific had no mandate to inspect or replace these components.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cathay Pacific identified 15 A350 aircraft requiring fuel line replacement. Six have been repaired and cleared for operation, with the remaining nine expected to resume service by Saturday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cirium data shows that 87 A350-1000 passenger planes currently use the Trent XWB-97 engine. Qatar Airways (QR)<\/a> operates 24, Cathay Pacific 18, and British Airways (BA) 17.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Japan Airlines (JL) conducted independent inspections on its five A350-1000 aircraft at Haneda Airport, finding no issues. Their A350-900 fleet also passed precautionary checks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Singapore Airlines (SQ)<\/a> plans to inspect all 64 of its A350-900 aircraft engines as a precaution, maintaining communication with Airbus and Rolls-Royce. They assure no flight disruptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your thoughts on Airbus A350 engine issues? Will it affect other carriers? Let us know in the comments.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Join us on\u00a0Telegram Group\u00a0<\/a>for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on\u00a0Google News<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Cathay Pacific A350 Engine Fire is Due to Cleaning Process: EASA<\/a><\/blockquote>