FAA orders new 787 electrical fix to prevent power failure

All Boeing 787 operators will be required to periodically deactivate the electrical system to avoid a problem with a newly-discovered software bug that could cause the aircraft to lose alternating current (AC) power, the US Federal Aviation Administration says in a new airworthiness directive. The agency adopted the final rule after Boeing reported the results of a laboratory test showing a total loss of power is possible if the generator control units run continuously for eight months, says the… (www.flightglobal.com) More...

Airbus displaces Boeing as aerospace’s biggest company

Seattle’s tumultuous 2019 has seen it slip behind its European rival in our latest annual Top 100 rankings Airbus has ousted Boeing as aerospace’s biggest business after a year in which the 737 Max crisis led to the US manufacturer’s revenues plunging by a quarter. (www.flightglobal.com) More...

Boeing expects delamination issue to slow 787 deliveries in the near term

Boeing expects the inspection and repair of 787s affected by composite delamination due to improper longeron shimming to slow near-term deliveries, but is unlikely to change its full year delivery forecast. "We don't think it will impact deliveries for the year, it will slow things down initially though," said Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Jim Albaugh at a dual 747-8F and 777F delivery to Korean Air Cargo in Everett, Washington 6 February. (www.flightglobal.com) More...

NTSB urges grounding for certain GEnx-powered 787 and 747-8s

US aircraft safety investigators have called for grounding certain Boeing 787s and 747-8s powered by General Electric engines until they are inspected for cracks and also revealed that a cracked fan midshaft was discovered on a third engine last month. (www.flightglobal.com) More...

First flight-test A350 emerges in full colours

Airbus has unveiled the first A350-900 flight-test prototype in its full paint scheme, as the airframer makes final preparations for the twinjet's maiden sortie. The aircraft has been fitted with its Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines and the painting process marks one of the final stages before the flight-test regime begins. Customers have ordered 414 of the -900 variant, the first of the three-member family to be developed. (www.flightglobal.com) More...

ANA 787s affected by defect in Trent 1000 gearbox

All Nippon Airways (ANA) grounded five of its 11 Boeing 787 aircraft on 21 July, after being notified by Boeing that there may be a defect in the gearbox of the Rolls Royce Trent 1000 engine. "We received a message from Boeing to the effect that there may be an issue with the gearbox on the engines of the 787s in ANA's fleet. No related problems have arisen on our 787s, however we have ascertained that the part at issue is fitted to five of our aircraft," says an ANA spokesman. (www.flightglobal.com) More...

First flying A350 prototype rolls out of assembly line

Airbus has completed primary structural assembly of the first flying prototype A350-900, and transported it to the testing station next to the assembly line in Toulouse. The twinjet, MSN1, has been moved, on its own undercarriage for the first time, from the final assembly line. It has yet to be equipped with its Rolls-Royce Trent XWB powerplants. (www.flightglobal.com) More...

Delamination prompts Boeing to inspect 787 fleet

Boeing again faces a manufacturing quality issue, requiring inspections and repairs of its 787 fleet. Structural stiffeners were found to be improperly joined to the composite skin in the aft sections of the aircraft, causing parts of the aircraft's carbon fibre structure to delaminate, confirms the airframer. "Boeing has found that incorrect shimming was performed on support structure on the aft fuselage on certain airplanes in our facility in Everett, [Washington]," said the… (www.flightglobal.com) More...

NTSB calls for safety upgrades for Boeing 737 cabin, pilot seats

Passengers and pilots in a series of survivable Boeing 737 crashes may have been injured by approved cabin overhead systems or crew seat belt restraints designed or tested to inadequate levels for an actual crash. (www.flightglobal.com) More...

First A380s with line-fit wing-fix to be delivered in 2014

Airbus is expecting one-off charges to implement a retrofit solution to the A380 wing-rib cracking problem to reach €260 million ($330 million) over 2012. The airframer's parent, EADS, revealed in its first-quarter results that it had already taken a €158 million charge relating to fixing 71 in-service A380s - a fix which, it says, is "more complex" than originally anticipated in March this year. (www.flightglobal.com) More...