
Anonymous sources are telling the media that Rolls Royce and plane manufacturer Airbus are getting ready to update the major airlines about the status of Airbus’ wide-body A350-1000 jets.
A Cathay Pacific flight on one of the jets had to go back to its departure point in Hong Kong on September 2 after the pilots found an engine problem enroute to Zurich. The problem was later identified as a fuel leak in a flexible pipe that pushed fuel to the injection nozzles in the Rolls Royce engines. Investigators discovered that the pipe had been pierced.
Cathay Pacific immediately started inspecting its fleet of A350-1000s. Other airlines are considering whether they need to inspect their fleets, but in the end national regulators may require it. Japan Airlines and Singapore Airlines are not waiting and have started their own inspections after learning that Cathay Pacific found 15 of the jets that needed repairs to their fuel systems.
Airbus and Rolls Royce, according to unidentified sources, may start briefing airlines by the time this story goes to press.
Media outlets have asked Airbus and Rolls Royce for comment but the companies have not responded so far. If there were evidence of a widespread problem that might cause a catastrophe, it is likely that both companies would have more to say, and more quickly. So, it appears they do not believe that the planes pose immediate danger to passengers, but no one will know until the briefings are conducted.
So far there is no word on whether the European Union Aviation Safety Agency will recommend or require any inspections. While they are necessary for safety sometimes, such inspections take working planes out of service and cost airlines huge amounts of money. Finding the right balance between safety and profit is not easy. There is similarly no news from the Hong Kong Air Accident Investigation Authority on whether that body will require any specific actions from airlines or manufacturers.
Cathay Pacific says it has completed repairs on the 15 jets on which it found problems, and they should be back in service by Sunday, September 8.