Aviation

Cathay Pacific Grounds entire A350 Fleet Over Engine Defect, Cancels Multiple Flights

Cathay Pacific Grounds A350 Fleet Over Engine Defect, Cancels Multiple Flights

Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways has taken the unprecedented step of grounding its entire Airbus A350 fleet following the in-flight failure of an engine component on one of its aircraft.

The incident occurred on a flight from Hong Kong to Zurich, where an a350-1000 model was forced to return to Hong Kong on Monday morning due to the engine issue. In response to the incident, Cathay Pacific swiftly inspected all 48 of its Rolls-Royce-powered A350 aircraft, uncovering that 15 of them required component replacements.

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The airline confirmed that three of these aircraft had already undergone successful repairs. Despite the urgency of the situation, Cathay Pacific has stated that it expects all affected jets to return to service by Saturday.

As a result of these inspections and necessary repairs, Cathay Pacific has had to cancel at least 34 round-trip flights, affecting routes to major destinations including Bangkok, Tokyo, Taipei, and Osaka. This disruption has caused significant inconvenience to passengers and highlights the airline’s commitment to safety and precaution.

The airline revealed that the engine component failure identified on the Zurich-bound flight was the first of its kind to occur on any a350 size comparison aircraft worldwide. This led to a precautionary fleet-wide inspection, which confirmed the need for immediate component replacements on multiple aircraft. Each of the grounded planes is undergoing rigorous inspection and maintenance, with cleared aircraft returning to service as repairs are completed.

Cathay Pacific, one of the largest operators of the A350, has been working closely with Rolls-Royce, the engine manufacturer, and relevant authorities to investigate the incident thoroughly. Rolls-Royce has expressed its commitment to supporting the investigation and ensuring the safety and reliability of the engines.

Aviation

Two Russian Schoolboys Arrested for Destroying Mi-8T Helicopter

In a shocking act of sabotage, two Russian teenagers, aged 13 and 14, have been arrested for burning down a Mi-8T military helicopter at an airport.

The boys, Timur and Sasha, reportedly used flammable liquid and cigarettes to ignite the helicopter, resulting in a fiery explosion that caused severe damage, leaving the aircraft almost completely destroyed.

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According to reports by Russian media outlet BAZA, which has close ties to law enforcement, the teenagers claimed they were promised around £42,000 through the Telegram messaging app in exchange for carrying out the attack.

Two Russian schoolboys, aged 13 and 14 years, burned down a Mi-8T helicopter (RA-24519) at the airport of the city of Noyabrsk, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug of Russia on 11 September 2024.

Russian authorities arrested the teenagers on charges of blowing up a Mi-8 helicopter by… pic.twitter.com/MvVeoZFoZU— FL360aero (@fl360aero) September 15, 2024

While the source of the offer remains unknown, one theory suggests the boys may have been motivated by the hope that the act could somehow help bring home the father of one of the teenagers, who had been conscripted to fight in the war in Ukraine.

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The destruction of the £1 million helicopter led to their immediate arrest, as the boys suffered significant facial and hand burns during the incident. After fleeing the scene, they sought medical assistance, which ultimately revealed their involvement in the attack. Both teenagers are now under armed guard while receiving treatment in a local hospital.

Authorities revealed that this was not the first act of sabotage carried out by the boys. Earlier, they confessed to being paid £250 to destroy a mobile phone mast, which they successfully completed before targeting the helicopter. During their interrogation, they admitted to receiving 30,000 rubles for setting fire to the cell tower and were promised 5 million rubles for the helicopter attack.

The Mi-8T helicopter, used for military purposes, was reportedly left “almost completely wrecked,” with only the tail remaining intact following the explosion.