Why that cargo door on 1st A350-1000 prototype?

Airbus has installed in the MSN59, the 1^st A350-1000 prototype, the same Emergency escape hatch for test-crew that was installed in the MSN1, the first A350-900 prototype.

Source: Airbus

The main cargo door, manufactured in Korea by KAI wil not be flying on the first set of test-flights of the MSN59. As it occurred in the MSN1 first flight prototype.

Each test flight is operated by a crew of 2 pilots and 3 flight engineers, who monitor the stream of data flowing from a multitude of sensors into a bank of computers installed in the middle of the cabin

Source: Airbus

On all seats is a parachute. If things should go terribly awry and the crew needs to evacuate, a bright-orange railing leads them from the cockpit door to a hatch in the floor above the forward cargo door.

By pulling a lever, the crew can trigger a set of explosive charges that will blow a hole in the right side of the fuselage. They can then leap down a slide, through the hole, and into the air.

Source: Airbus

More details about the emergency scape.

The cargo door could be installed later as it was done beginning of 2015 in the MSN1.

A350 thrust reversers actuation system to be corrected.

Airbus has modified the thrust-reverser actuation system of production A350-900s after a failure of a locking mechanism on an in-service aircraft.

 

The locking actuator was removed from the jet after several failure messages, and investigators found that it failed a primary lock integrity test, said the European Aviation Safety Agency.

EASA stated that the component can be affected by internal contamination from carbon dust, and that this can affect the retention capability of the actuator.

Source: Airbus

EASA said 2 out of 3 retention mechanisms of the thrust reversers can potentially be affected by the problem, which would leave only the 3rd system – a lock employing a different design – for retention.

Airbus has introduced a new thrust-reverser actuation system standard into A350 production, after Goodrich corrected the problem.

EASA has ordered in-service A350s to be modified to the same standard, within 750 cycles since first flight.

Goodrich Aerospace Europe (part of UTC Aerospace Systems' Aerostructures) is producing the thrust reversers in a new dedicated building at its Toulouse site, with a 50.000-square-foot thrust reverser robotic production area with a moving assembly line.

 

 

Goodrich is providing all three members of the A350 XWB family's nacelle and thrust reverser system, wheels and carbon brakes, air data system and ice detection system, external video system and cabin attendant seats.

Additionally, for the new A350-1000, Goodrich is providing the main landing gear.

Based on the article “A350 thrust-reversers modified after lock flaw” published in FlightGlobal.

 

3 areas with particular attention in the A350 operation

 “You cannot expect to have no problems,” said Didier Evrard, Airbus EVP for programs, who run the A350 program until the end of 2014.

“But what is important is that you take immediate action once something comes up. We have innovated quite a bit in the way we work.”

Evrard believes the goal of 98.5% dispatch reliability can be reached within 1-2 years.

Source: Airbus

A large dedicated team inside Airbus is dealing with the A350 2 hours per day, and Didier Evrard has instructed the team to immediately escalate any serious and new issues to his management level to ensure things are properly addressed.

Airbus detected 3 areas that have needed particular attention in the A350 operation.

 

First, the system that has created the most logbook entries so far is the onboard network that hosts all MRO applications.

According to Marc Virilli (Senior Director - Customer Services at Airbus), some human-machine interface improvements as well as software updates were needed.

“We have issued an evolution of the system which has already been implemented on the Qatar and Vietnam Airlines fleets, and we are seeing a decrease in the number of reports,” he said.

The rerelease has eliminated a number of software bugs that also affected communications between the aircraft and the ground.

 

Second, Airbus was forced to issue a number of service bulletins and to remove some galley inserts, such as ovens or coffeemakers, because of leaks.

The leaks are related to a supplier that Airbus declines to identify.

But Virilli said that after corrective action was taken, the number of reports has come down 50%.

 

 

And third, the bleed system’s over heating detection has issued nuisance warnings that have caused some operational disruption.

Airbus retrofitted a sensor connection using gold-plated connectors, and the issue has been eliminated.

 

Marc Virilli said “a combination of several factors” was affecting Qatar’s operations; some have improved while others are still being addressed, but in general, the overall situation has stabilized.

 

 

Meanwhile, Finnair has experienced “the expected amount of small technical issues that can typically be addressed by resetting the system.” Rather than a clear pattern, there have been “isolated things here and there”. However, Finnair has noticed a slightly higher use of spare parts in the cabin.

 

Based on the article “A350 Dispatch Reliability By Daniel Omale” pubished in Jimi Disu´s blog.