By Lisa Barrington
(Reuters) - Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways (OTC:CPCAY) said on Tuesday it had inspected its entire Airbus A350 fleet after the in-flight failure of a component in an engine that is made by British manufacturer Rolls-Royce (OTC:RYCEY).
WHAT HAPPENED ON THE FLIGHT?
A problem unfolded several minutes after take-off on flight CX383 from Hong Kong to Zurich on Monday, according to flight tracking service FlightRadar24.
A source familiar with the matter said a leak in a fuel system appeared to have caused a brief engine fire that was quickly extinguished by the crew of the Zurich-bound jet.
The five-year-old A350-1000 plane performed two wide circles and dumped fuel over the sea before returning to Hong Kong where it landed safely about 75 minutes after its departure.
WHY DID THE A350 ENGINE FAIL?
Cathay Pacific has not specified which engine component failed in that particular flight, but the carrier said it was the "first of its type to suffer such failure on any A350 aircraft worldwide".
After inspecting the fleet it said it found engine fuel lines that required replacement in 15 A350s.
The source said the incident involved a leak in a system designed to inject fuel to the XWB-97 engine, the Rolls-Royce model used on the A350-1000.
The system comprises a pipe that feeds fuel from an entry point or manifold to a nozzle that sprays fuel into the combustion chamber, the hot inner core of the engine.
Sources said partially scorched parts were being analysed at Rolls-Royce facilities on behalf of Hong Kong investigators, but that no leaks had been found so far in other engines.
HOW MANY TYPES OF A350S ARE THERE?
The Airbus A350 is a twin-aisle long-haul aircraft that can carry between 300 and 480 passengers. It comes in two sizes: the A350-900 and the larger A350-1000, both powered exclusively by Rolls-Royce engines.
WHAT ENGINE DOES THE A350 USE?
The A350-1000 and the A350 freighter use Trent XWB-97 engines, Rolls-Royce's largest civil jet engine.
The more popular A350-900 uses its Trent XWB-84 engines.
ARE ALL A350 ENGINES AFFECTED?
Cathay Pacific said the incident occurred on one of its 18 A350-1000 planes. It has since identified 15 aircraft with engine components that require replacement and six have already gone through repairs, it said, without specifying which models.
Rolls-Royce on Tuesday noted the replacement could take place while the engine remained on-wing. It also said it was committed to working closely with Cathay Pacific, Airbus and authorities conducting an investigation of the incident.
There were no immediate signs the incident would trigger significant regulatory action involving all A350s, according to the source familiar with the matter.
HOW MANY A350 AIRCRAFT COULD BE IMPACTED?
There are 88 A350-1000 jets in operation worldwide, according to Swiss aviation intelligence provider ch-aviation.
The top six operators are Qatar Airways with 24 planes, British Airways with 18, Cathay Pacific with 18, Virgin Atlantic with 12 and Etihad Airways and Japan Airlines (JAL) with five each.
There are 520 A350-900s in operation worldwide, ch-aviation data showed.
Broker Jefferies said in a note to clients on Monday that 234 XWB-97 engines had been delivered to customers by the end of June.
WHICH CATHAY PACIFIC FLIGHTS HAVE BEEN CANCELLED?
Cathay Pacific said on Wednesday it had cancelled 45 return flights on mostly regional Asian routes this week and all A350s would be operational by Saturday.
WHAT ARE OTHER AIRLINES WITH A350S DOING?
JAL, which has five A350-1000s that are all less than a year old, said it has conducted its own engine inspections. By Tuesday, three had been inspected and found to be safe, the carrier said, with the two others due to be checked on Wednesday.
Qatar Airways, the largest A350-1000 operator, said the issue had no impact on its planes and it continues to monitor developments.
Singapore Airlines (OTC:SINGY) said it was inspecting its A350-900 engines as a precaution but there would be no impact on flights. It does not have any A350-1000s.
Taiwan's Starlux, which has six A350-900s said: "Out of caution, we have contacted Rolls-Royce, the engine manufacturer, and are awaiting an official reply."
Taiwan's China Airlines, which also operates 15 A350-900s but no A350-1000s, said its fleet did not use the affected engines, so its operations would not be impacted.
Air China (OTC:AIRYY), a major A350-900 operator, will perform general engine checks, Chinese media reported. Air China did not respond to a request for comment.