A350 Fuselage coating cracks
Thread Starter
A350 Fuselage coating cracks
Does anyone have more information on this? A Qatar Airways’ Airbus A350-900, registered A7-ALL, was ferried to Shannon Airport (SNN) in Ireland, on November 13, 2020. There, aviation painting company International Aerospace Coatings (IAC) was supposed to give it a special livery to celebrate the 2022 FIFA World Cup to be held in Qatar.
However, after the original livery was removed, cracks in the fuselage were reportedly found in the composite (CFRP) fuselage. It should now be ferried to Airbus headquarters in Toulouse for inspection and repairs.
https://www.aerotime.aero/26851-crac...qatar-a350-xwb
However, after the original livery was removed, cracks in the fuselage were reportedly found in the composite (CFRP) fuselage. It should now be ferried to Airbus headquarters in Toulouse for inspection and repairs.
https://www.aerotime.aero/26851-crac...qatar-a350-xwb
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Canada
Posts: 594
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
re the ground strike, it was evidently on the left elevator.
Serious incident Airbus A330-343 9M-XXC, 07 Jul 2018 (aviation-safety.net)
There is a link to the accident investigation than can be downloaded as a pdf file.
Serious incident Airbus A330-343 9M-XXC, 07 Jul 2018 (aviation-safety.net)
There is a link to the accident investigation than can be downloaded as a pdf file.
Thread Starter
What has this ground incident got to do with the Qatar A350 reg A7-ALL? Has this A350 been involved with any unusual incdents? We need some information from Airbus.
Thread Starter
Apologies to one and all, I should have read the report rather than just looking at the headlines. But we still need information from Airbus.
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Ireland
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"The issue is superficial / cosmetic and only visible when the top coat of paint is stripped. It is not a structural composite issue."
Interesting to see what Airbus will come back with - it was ferried from Shannon to Toulouse yesterday.
Interesting to see what Airbus will come back with - it was ferried from Shannon to Toulouse yesterday.
Ap news has the following story
https://apnews.com/article/middle-ea...ae6aaa15982317
https://apnews.com/article/middle-ea...ae6aaa15982317
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Canada
Posts: 597
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This is not a safety related issue. Qatar's main issue is that the cracks are appearing too early in the life cycle of the plane. They are now in discussion (argument) with Airbus over the way forward. They feel the aircraft are aging too quickly.
End of story. This sort of thing happens between manufacturers and their customers all the time. Qatar is just using the regulator and the media to add more pressure on Airbus to resolve.
End of story. This sort of thing happens between manufacturers and their customers all the time. Qatar is just using the regulator and the media to add more pressure on Airbus to resolve.
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: ex EGNM, now NZRO
Posts: 551
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
OK, so there are two threads about what appears to be the same issue
a350 Abnormal skin problems
As stated in the other thread, considerable feeling that this is Qatar looking to extract $$'s from Airbus.
a350 Abnormal skin problems
As stated in the other thread, considerable feeling that this is Qatar looking to extract $$'s from Airbus.
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: USVI
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This could be a number of things...there is a skim coat applied to the aircraft to smooth it all out prior to painting...cracks in this coating can translate to surface cracks in the composite material.
It may be something as simple as sanding off the skim coat and re-application of a different kind of skimcoat....
It may be something as simple as sanding off the skim coat and re-application of a different kind of skimcoat....
Pegase Driver
Join Date: May 1997
Location: Europe
Age: 73
Posts: 3,558
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I fly a composite GA aircraft , much smaller, not the speed of an 350/787 of course, but cracks in the surface are not uncommon because the 2K paint typically used is not exactly as flexible as the composite it covers. Not nice to look at and needs repair as moisture gets into the cracks, but not really a safety issue. But I do not know which paint /primer they use on 350s/787s.one would expect they had an engineering solution to this as this phenomenon is known.
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: The sunny side
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It looks like EASA does not agree with the QCAA actions
Qatar A350: EASA Taking No Action (at this time)! - Mentour Pilot
“Based on the data provided to EASA, there is no indication that the paint and protection degradation affects the structure of the aircraft or introduces other risks, and so EASA is not intending to take any action as State of Design for this issue at this time. No other airlines have reported paint and protection damage.”
“Based on the data provided to EASA, there is no indication that the paint and protection degradation affects the structure of the aircraft or introduces other risks, and so EASA is not intending to take any action as State of Design for this issue at this time. No other airlines have reported paint and protection damage.”
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: ex EGNM, now NZRO
Posts: 551
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
And also this https://www.airlinerwatch.com/2021/0...on-airbus.html
Singapore have 55 with no problems detected
Singapore have 55 with no problems detected
