Aviation

Air Mauritius takes delivery of its first A350 XWB

Toulouse, 20 October 2017 – Air Mauritius has taken delivery of its first Airbus A350-900 aircraft,
opening a new chapter for the Indian Ocean carrier. The aircraft, leased from AerCap, was
delivered during a ceremony held in Mauritius today.
The Mauritian airline based airline has chosen a very comfortable two class layout with a total of
326 seats comprising 28 in Business Class and 298 in Economy Class.

The A350-900 equipped with Air Mauritius’ latest cabin products including new seats, an all-new
inflight entertainment system and inflight connectivity will offer passengers unparalleled levels of
comfort and convenience.

This A350-900 is the first of six to be delivered to Air Mauritius. Four will be purchased
directly from Airbus and two leased from AerCap. The carrier will deploy the aircraft on its
expanding route network connecting Mauritius with Asia, Africa and Europe.
Air Mauritius already operates a fleet of 10 Airbus aircraft including six A340-300s, two A330-
200s and two A319s on its regional and long haul services.

The A350 XWB features the latest aerodynamic design, carbon fibre fuselage and wings,
plus new fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce engines. Together, these latest-generation technologies
translate into unrivalled levels of operational efficiency, with a 25 per cent reduction in fuel
burn and CO 2 emissions, in addition to significantly lower maintenance costs.
The spacious, quiet, tastefully-appointed interior and mood lighting in the A350 XWB
Airspace cabin contribute to superior levels of comfort and well-being, setting new standards
in terms of flight experience for all passengers.
To date, Airbus has booked a total of 858 firm orders for the A350 XWB from 45 customers
worldwide, making it one of the most successful widebody aircraft ever.

Aviation

Lost Tool Found in Qantas A380 After 34 Flights

An Australian Transportation Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation recently revealed that a Qantas A380 operated 34 flights with a 1.25-meter nylon tool lodged in one of its engines.

This turning tool, used during borescope inspections to rotate the intermediate-pressure compressor, was left behind during scheduled maintenance at Los Angeles on December 6, 2023. It remained inside the engine until it was discovered by maintenance staff during a subsequent check at Los Angeles on January 1, 2024.

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The ATSB report highlights two critical lapses. First, maintenance engineers failed to notice the tool during final checks for foreign objects after the borescope inspection. Second, the lost tool procedure was not activated when the tool was identified as missing.

The certifying engineer ultimately cleared the aircraft for service without accounting for the misplaced tool. During the time qantas films the tool was inside, the A380 completed 34 flight cycles, accumulating nearly 294 hours without any noticeable effect on engine performance.

Although the tool was deformed by high-energy airflow within the engine, there was no reported damage to the engine itself. ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell commented.

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“This incident underscores the importance of following established maintenance protocols. Engineers missed the tool during foreign object checks, and the required lost tool procedure wasn’t started after realizing the tool was missing.”

Following the investigation, the airline issued a safety directive, urging all engineering and tool storage teams to adhere strictly to these protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future.

A qantas spokesperson stated, “While the tool didn’t impact engine performance, we take this incident very seriously. It is critical to follow the correct lost tool procedures.”