Aviation

Aircraft Interiors Expo 2018: showcasing A330neo and A320 Airspace cabins, A380 and A350 cabin enablers and cross-programme innovations

Airbus widens A350 cabin in mile-high real estate war

Visit Airbus at Hall B5, Stand 5A20 – from Tuesday April 10 to Thursday 12
Media briefing and stand tour: Tuesday April 10 from 09h25 to 10h30
Largest ever Airbus stand at AIX – now combining Airbus’ commercial aircraft and its services at one location

Airbus showcases its new cabin innovations at this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany – the world’s largest event dedicated to the aircraft interiors industry, in-flight entertainment, connectivity and passenger services.

The stand this year (Hall B5, Stand 5A20) is Airbus’ largest ever at AIX – around 550m². Here, the domains of Airbus’ commercial aircraft products, Services by Airbus, and Airbus Interiors Services (AIS) are integrated at one prominent location at the expo.

In terms of Airbus commercial highlights, the centrepiece of this year’s event is the company’s latest A320 Airspace cabin mockup. This features a welcome area with patterned lighting effects, full-flat seats, Airspace XL bins and a lavatory, and will give visitors a good appreciation of the high comfort that the new transatlantic-capable A321LR will provide passengers when it enters service in the near future. A second large mockup at the Airbus stand demonstrates Airspace in a partial A330neo cabin section.

There are numerous visual displays at the Airbus stand and 3D-printed models of cabin enablers and galley arrangements plus other innovations. One can also explore all Airbus Airspace cabins in full 3D virtual reality. Furthermore, visitors can try out the new “A320 Plane it Yourself” digital cabin and systems configurator, as well as the innovative “iflyA380.com” kiosk.

Meanwhile, Services by Airbus, co-located at the Airbus stand, is displaying its A320 mock-up providing an overview on the latest solutions for in-service single-aisle fleets, as well as its latest A330 cabin enablers for retrofit. In addition, the “Day & Night” premium dual suite module from AIS is demonstrated for the first time in full-scale mockup form for A350 customers.

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.”