The EU Aviation Safety Agency has ordered inspections on the Airbus A350-1000 fleet as a "precautionary measure" after a mid-air engine fire on a Cathay Pacific flight on Monday forced the airline to ground its fleet temporarily.
A phased one-off inspection of the flexible fuel hose connections inside the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines has been mandated to check for damage, the agency said in an emergency airworthiness directive late on Thursday.
Operators of the aircraft must conduct the checks in the next three to 30 days, depending on the individual engine history, it said.
"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,” Florian Guillermet, the agency's executive director, said in the statement. “We will continue to follow closely all information that will be made available through the ongoing safety investigation.”
The agency added that inspections on the smaller A350-900, powered by the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-84 engine, are "not warranted at this stage".
Qatar Airways is conducting checks on its fleet of A350-1000s after receiving the emergency airworthiness directive, the airline said in a statement on Friday. "The inspections are being conducted as a precautionary measure to ensure the continued safety and security of our passengers, which remains our highest priority," the airline said.
It is the largest operator of the A350-1000, with 24 in its fleet, aviation data company Cirium said.
There are currently 86 A350-1000 aircraft in service worldwide, according to EASA. Its inspection mandate is the first official confirmation that an engine fire caused Cathay Pacific's Zurich-bound Flight CX383 to return to Hong Kong shortly after taking off. The fire was detected and extinguished quickly and the aircraft returned safely to Hong Kong.
Airbus said it was "working closely" with Rolls-Royce and the authorities to carry out the precautionary measure.
Cathay Pacific, which was forced to cancel some flights to inspect its A350 fleet, said 15 of its 48 A350s had defective fuel hoses that needed to be replaced. It is aiming to return these wide-body aircraft to service by Saturday.
Etihad Airways on Thursday said it was inspecting its fleet of Airbus A350-1000s and had not discovered any problems with the Rolls-Royce engines.
The UAE civil aviation regulator is "closely monitoring the situation in co-ordination with EASA, Airbus and Rolls-Royce. As of today, there is no need for significant regulatory action", it said in a statement to The National on Thursday.
Global aviation regulators are under increasing scrutiny after a worldwide tightening of safety regulations, following US plane maker Boeing's safety crisis.
Company profile
Date started: January, 2014
Founders: Mike Dawson, Varuna Singh, and Benita Rowe
Based: Dubai
Sector: Education technology
Size: Five employees
Investment: $100,000 from the ExpoLive Innovation Grant programme in 2018 and an initial $30,000 pre-seed investment from the Turn8 Accelerator in 2014. Most of the projects are government funded.
Partners/incubators: Turn8 Accelerator; In5 Innovation Centre; Expo Live Innovation Impact Grant Programme; Dubai Future Accelerators; FHI 360; VSO and Consult and Coach for a Cause (C3)
'Avengers: Infinity War'
Dir: The Russo Brothers
Starring: Chris Evans, Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Robert Downey Junior, Scarlett Johansson, Elizabeth Olsen
Four stars
Mission%3A%20Impossible%20-%20Dead%20Reckoning%20Part%20One
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
DIVINE%20INTERVENTOIN
%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Elia%20Suleiman%2C%20Manal%20Khader%2C%20Amer%20Daher%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Elia%20Suleiman%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
World Cricket League Division 2
In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.
UAE fixtures
Thursday February 8, v Kenya; Friday February 9, v Canada; Sunday February 11, v Nepal; Monday February 12, v Oman; Wednesday February 14, v Namibia; Thursday February 15, final
Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Godzilla%20x%20Kong%3A%20The%20New%20Empire
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAdam%20Wingard%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBrian%20Tyree%20Henry%2C%20Rebecca%20Hall%2C%20Dan%20Stevens%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE BIO
Favourite place to go to in the UAE: The desert sand dunes, just after some rain
Who inspires you: Anybody with new and smart ideas, challenging questions, an open mind and a positive attitude
Where would you like to retire: Most probably in my home country, Hungary, but with frequent returns to the UAE
Favorite book: A book by Transilvanian author, Albert Wass, entitled ‘Sword and Reap’ (Kard es Kasza) - not really known internationally
Favourite subjects in school: Mathematics and science
