Aviation

Boeing, Flydubai Sign Landmark Deal For 225 737 MAX Airplanes Worth $27 Bln

Boeing [NYSE: BA] and flydubai signed a landmark agreement today for 225 737 MAX airplanes with a list price value of $27 billion. The deal represents the largest-ever single-aisle jet order – by number of airplanes and total value – from a Middle East carrier.

Signed at the 2017 Dubai Airshow in flydubai’s hometown, the agreement includes a commitment for 175 MAX airplanes, and purchase rights for 50 additional MAXs. When finalized, the purchase promises to sustain tens of thousands of direct and indirect jobs in Boeing’s U.S. factories and network of suppliers.

More than 50 of the first 175 airplanes will be 737 MAX 10s, the newest and largest member of the 737 MAX family. The MAX 10 will have the lowest seat-mile cost of any single-aisle airplane ever produced. flydubai said the balance of the initial airplane order will be made up of the popular MAX 8 and MAX 9, giving the carrier a family of airplanes with high commonality and low operating costs.

This new deal surpasses the flydubai’s previous record order of 75 MAXs and 11 Next-Generation 737-800s which was signed at the 2013 Dubai Airshow.

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.”