Airbus Unveils A350 Software Update to Prevent Fuel Tank Explosions

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Call it growing pains for Airbus’ fanciest new aircraft, the A350.The aircraft maker has introduced a software update for the A350-900, which is used on long-haul flights, to help stop the possibility of a hydraulic system from becoming too warm. This, along with other factors, could cause an explosion.

a plane flying in the sky

Here are more details according to Reuters 

In the directive, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) said that an overheat failure mode of the hydraulic engine driven pump had been found, which could cause the temperature of the hydraulic fluid to rise fast.

If that is not noticed and corrected, it could, if combined with an inoperative fuel tank inerting system, lead to the fluid overheating uncontrollably, which could then in turn lead to the fuel-air mixture in the affected fuel tank igniting, EASA said.

The airlines currently using the A350 include Qatar Airways, Finnair, Lufthansa and Cathay Pacific.

Only about 100 A350s have been delivered. Delta Air Lines received its first A350 in August and will reportedly begin incorporating the jetliner into some of its U.S.-Asia routes in the coming months.

The A350 is similar to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner with its composite fuselage, larger windows, and more fuel-efficient engines.

The 787 also faced growing pains when it first was unveiled and was even slapped with an engine safety warning from the Federal Aviation Administration in 2016. The 787 was also grounded in 2013 amid battery issues.

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