Aviation

New Singapore Airlines A380 takes to the skies

oulouse, 13^th December 2017 – Singapore Airlines has taken delivery of the first of five new A380 aircraft scheduled to join the carrier’s fleet over the coming year, at a special ceremony hosted by Airbus in Toulouse. The aircraft delivered today is the first in the airline’s fleet to feature its recently launched on-board cabin products and innovations.

In addition to the five new aircraft, Singapore Airlines will also retrofit 14 A380s already in service with its new cabin products. The retrofit work is expected to begin late in 2018 and will be undertaken by the airline in conjunction with Services by Airbus. All 14 aircraft are scheduled to be retrofitted by 2020.

The new Singapore Airlines A380 offers more personal space in all classes, accommodating a total of 471 passengers. The cabin features six private Suites and 78 Business Class seats on the upper deck and 44 Premium Economy Class and 343 Economy Class seats on the main deck. The aircraft also features the latest in-flight entertainment systems and full connectivity from every seat.

“The delivery of our newest A380 with all-new cabin products is indeed an exciting occasion, and we are pleased to be celebrating this important milestone with our great partner Airbus,” said Singapore Airlines CEO Mr Goh Choon Phong.

“When we put the world’s first A380 into commercial service in 2007, it set new industry benchmarks for premium full-service air travel. A decade later, the Singapore Airlines A380, featuring our flagship products and legendary service, remains a customer favourite, and we continue to receive highly positive feedback about the travel experience on the aircraft.”

Capable of flying up to 8,200 nautical miles non-stop, the A380 is the world’s largest and most spacious airliner and offers the most efficient solution to meet growth in passenger traffic on the world’s most heavily travelled routes.

The A380 is the only aircraft with two full decks, featuring wider seats, broader aisles, and more floor space. Today the A380 is flying with 13 world class airlines on 120 routes around the globe. Since entry-into-service in 2007 the A380 world fleet has carried over 190 million passengers.

Related Topics:Airbus A380 new cabin singapore Airline

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.”