CX grounds A350 fleet

[MarkR]

Issues with the Trent engine, so far 15 have been confirmed as needing further work.

[Greg Hyde]

Incident: Cathay Pacific A35k at Hong Kong on Sep 2nd 2024, engine fire indication
By Simon Hradecky, created Tuesday, Sep 3rd 2024 05:48Z, last updated Tuesday, Sep 3rd 2024 06:17Z
A Cathay Pacific Airbus A350-1000, registration B-LXI performing flight CX-383 from Hong Kong (China) to Zurich (Switzerland), was climbing out of Hong Kong's runway 07R when the crew stopped the climb at 9000 feet after receiving a right hand engine (Trent XWB) fire warning. The crew worked the related checklists shutting the engine down and discharging one fire bottle with the fire warning ceasing, dumped fuel and returned to Hong Kong for a safe landing on runway 07L about 70 minutes after departure.

A replacement A350-1000 registration B-LXR reached Zurich with a delay of about 4 hours.

On Sep 3rd 2024 the airline reported following the activation of the engine fire warning, that they have identified an engine component failure and took all their 48 A350s (A350-900 and A350-1000) out of service for a precautionary inspection. A number of such components have been identified needing replacement. A number of flights have been cancelled as result.

According to information The Aviation Herald received a flexible fuel line was damaged, damaged flexible fuel lines were also found in engines of other A350 aircraft during the inspections.
The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Hong Kong about 36 hours after landing back.

https://avherald.com/h?article=51d3713b&opt=0

[Kent Broadhead]

Interesting that CX appears to be the only airline impacted at this stage. Unless the engines were delivered sequentially, or CX used a custom installation, you'd expect other RR fitted A350s to also be impacted.

[MarkR]

Originally Posted by Kent Broadhead

Interesting that CX appears to be the only airline impacted at this stage. Unless the engines were delivered sequentially, or CX used a custom installation, you'd expect other RR fitted A350s to also be impacted.

Maybe it’s the quiet before the storm, given no AD has been issued.

Deformed fuel lines used to transfer fuel to Cathay Pacific Airways’ fleet of A350 aircraft are behind an engine part failure that has forced Hong Kong’s flag carrier to cancel 68 flights this week, the Post has learned.
Cathay Pacific completed inspections of its Airbus A350 fleet on Monday night and found 15 of the 48 aircraft had the Rolls-Royce engine part that required replacement.

A well-informed source said on Tuesday that multiple small fuel manifolds surrounded an aircraft engine for fuel delivery and Cathay’s inspection revealed a number of fuel pipes exhibited some “form of distortion”.

Once the deformed fuel lines were replaced, the planes could resume service, the insider said, adding the carrier was under “no mandate” from the manufacturer or any regulator to inspect or replace the pipes.

“These parts are not intended to be checked or replaced during regular maintenance on the line. So it is not in any way a maintenance failure or oversight,” the source said.

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/...nging-total-68

[Lauren J]

Originally Posted by Kent Broadhead

Interesting that CX appears to be the only airline impacted at this stage. Unless the engines were delivered sequentially, or CX used a custom installation, you'd expect other RR fitted A350s to also be impacted.

Japan Airlines has also inspected their A350-1000 fleet for engine issues.

[MarkR]

EASA have now issued an AD

COLOGNE, September 5, 2024 — The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has mandated inspections on the Airbus A350-1000 fleet, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, as a precautionary measure following a serious incident concerning a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong earlier this week.

In an Emergency Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2024-0174-E, EASA mandated a phased one-off inspection of flexible fuel hose connections inside the engines to check for damage. The inspections need to take place over the next 3-30 days, depending on the individual engine history. In total, 86 A350-1000 aircraft are in service worldwide.

“This action is a precautionary measure, based on the information received from the initial investigation of the recent Cathay Pacific serious incident and on the airline’s findings in its own subsequent inspections,” said EASA Executive Director Florian Guillermet. “We will continue to follow closely all information that will be made available through the ongoing safety investigation.”

https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/newsro...xwb-97-engines

Qatar Airways: 24
Cathay Pacific: 18
British Airways: 18
Virgin Atlantic: 12
Etihad Airways: 5
Japan Airlines: 5
Air Caraïbes: 3
French Bee: 2

[Lauren J]

Originally Posted by MarkR

Qatar Airways: 24
Cathay Pacific: 18
British Airways: 18
Virgin Atlantic: 12
Etihad Airways: 5
Japan Airlines: 5
Air Caraïbes: 3
French Bee: 2

Is this a list of grounded aircraft, or a list of A350-1000s in service?

[MarkR]

Originally Posted by Lauren J

Is this a list of grounded aircraft, or a list of A350-1000s in service?

It’s a list of the fleet affected by the AD

[Lauren J]

Originally Posted by MarkR

It’s a list of the fleet affected by the AD

Wow that's very severe. Interesting that problems are still presenting themselves on aircraft that are established in the market.