The Airbus A350 paint problem appears to be more widespread than was initially thought. While Qatar Airways has been vocal on the issues it has experienced, it now seems that at least another five airlines have experienced early surface degradation of the paint on their Airbus widebodies.
Paint problem runs deeper than first thought
The issue with the A350 and its paint flaws has seen Qatar Airways grounding 20 of its fleet of 53, and even bringing back the A380 to provide relief capacity. The problem has been ongoing for many months, but until now, it seemed to be isolated to just Qatar’s A350s.
But today, new reporting by Reuters suggest that the issues with the A350 go further than previously thought. While some had speculated that the degradation of the paint surface had been a consequence of the severe desert heat in Doha, investigations by Reuters have revealed that it is much more widespread and likely unrelated to heat.
Costly Airbus A350 paint flaw goes wider than the Gulf https://t.co/MUShsC1XIB
— Jamie Freed (@Jamie_Freed) November 29, 2021
Perusing a private maintenance message board used by Airbus and A350 operators, Reuters has discovered at least five other airlines who have complained about deterioration of the painted surface on the A350. The publication names Finnair, Cathay Pacific, Etihad, Lufthansa and Air France (on behalf of Air Caraibes) as all raising concerns about the issue.
According to the investigation, Finnair, Cathay and Lufthansa have all cited some ‘cosmetic damage’ on their A350s. In messages on the board, Finnair – who was Europe’s first A350 operator – reported paint damage just a year after taking its first A350. Cathay Pacific reported similar problems just weeks later, and in one post said the issue had been found on an A350 just two weeks after taking delivery.
Lufthansa sent messages in 2017 saying that areas of peeling paint had been discovered on its A350s, some as big as a meter square. The German flag carrier had begun repainting its fleet of A350s in February this year, ostensibly to apply the new livery to the aircraft. However, it was notable that Airbus was carrying out the work rather than Lufthansa’s own teams, and it was alleged that the repaint was being done free of charge under warranty.
Stay informed: Sign up for our daily and weekly aviation news digests.
What’s the problem with the paint?
The precise issue with the paintwork on the A350s has been closely guarded, but more details are beginning to emerge. Airbus describes the problem as ‘early surface wear’, which in some cases has led to the lightning mesh under the surface becoming exposed. It’s not an unsafe condition, with the affected airlines agreeing that it is a cosmetic problem rather than a safety concern.
However, a source told Reuters that for Qatar Airways and at least one other airline, the wear had become so great that the mesh itself had begun to develop gaps. This would leave the carbon composite fuselage exposed to the elements, and could lead to eventual damage.
At the root of these problems is the new material used in the construction of the A350. Rather than an aluminum body, the A350 follows the Dreamliner in having a composite fuselage. With a non-metal body, the aircraft needed a mesh installed for lightning conduction. This makes it more difficult to get a good stick on the paint. Adding to the complexity is the fact that, like metal, paint expands and contracts with changes in temperature, while carbon fiber does not.
While airlines and Airbus both maintain this is not a safety issue, it’s not a good look for a brand new plane. Qatar Airways is not so sure, and has grounded large numbers of aircraft on what it says is a demand from its local regulator. It is pressing for compensation from Airbus, and has paused deliveries of any new A350s until the issue is resolved.
from Simple Flying https://ift.tt/313euJe
via IFTTT
Comments
Post a Comment