Aviation
Emirates Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 open Dubai Airshow flying display in spectacular fly past with Al Fursan
Dubai, U.A.E., 12 November 2017: Emirates today offered Dubai Airshow spectators and avid aviation enthusiasts a treat with a special fly-past along the Dubai World Centre (DWC) runway in front of stands and the large static display. The special fly-past is the first time two Emirates wide body aircraft – the Boeing 777-300ER and A380 – have performed a flying display together. The aircraft were closely followed by the UAE’s air display team, Al Fursan. Both the Emirates 777-300ER and A380 flying display aircraft were decorated with the HH Sheikh Zayed decal as a tribute to the late founding father of the UAE.
The special fly-past was led by an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER at an altitude of 600 feet with an airspeed of 210 knots. It was trailed by an Emirates A380, in line astern and stepped up by 200 feet, to make room for the seven Al Fursan jets set in an arrow formation with their signature smoke trails. Together, the fly past made a large and colourful start to the Dubai Airshow flying display programme.
Check out Sheikh @HamdanMohammed's video of @emirates and Al Fursan's spectacular display. pic.twitter.com/HbLSQIDE4n
— Khaleej Times (@khaleejtimes) November 12, 2017
The Emirates aircraft were operated by a flight deck crew of four UAE National captains. Piloting the Boeing 777-300ER was Captain Ahmed bin Huzaim and Captain Ali Salahi, supported by First Officer Marti Gonzalo. Commanding the A380 was Captain Abbas Shaban and Captain Saeed Al Maktoum, supported by Captain Patrick De-Roeck.
Sheikh @HamdanMohammed captured the @emirates and Al Fursan display at #DAS17 pic.twitter.com/D0FdEXhnIz
— Khaleej Times (@khaleejtimes) November 12, 2017
The flying display appeared seamlessly choreographed but involved months of meticulous planning and collaboration between multiple stakeholders including Emirates pilots, Flight Operation Managers and Air Traffic Controllers working together with the Dubai Airshow Flying Control Committee and both aviation authorities (DCAA and GCAA). Both aircraft operated from the Emirates hub at Dubai International Airport (DXB) and established a holding pattern to the east of DWC just before being joined by Al Fursan and finally making the fly-past.
Emirates is the world’s largest operator of the Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft with 100 A380s and 165 Boeing 777s in its fleet.
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.”
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