FlightGlobal
• David Kaminski-Morrow
A Qantas Airbus A380 flew from Sydney to Dallas Fort Worth and back—carrying nearly 1,000 passengers—after engineers inadvertently left a maintenance floodlight inside the aircraft’s wing. The ATSB report has prompted Qantas to revise tool-control procedures and assess technology for tracking maintenance equipment.
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Airbus is preparing to fly the A350F for the first time in the third week of September, although the milestone could slip into early October, according to industry sources. The flight would begin the delayed freighter’s certification campaign ahead of planned 2027 deliveries and intensify competition in the large freighter market.
Airbus’s System Development Lab generated virtual allies and threats inside Timber Express, the German Air Force’s annual data-link exercise. The demonstration shows how synthetic aircraft can be introduced into live military training environments to expand scenarios and test networked operations without requiring additional physical platforms.
SWISS will move two 180-seat Airbus A320neos to Geneva for summer 2027, replacing two A220-300s and adding capacity on its London Heathrow route. The fleet change responds to strong demand on one of the airline’s busiest Geneva services while preserving the base’s overall aircraft count.
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A Qantas Airbus A380 flew from Sydney to Dallas Fort Worth and back—carrying nearly 1,000 passengers—after engineers inadvertently left a maintenance floodlight inside the aircraft’s wing. The ATSB report has prompted Qantas to revise tool-control procedures and assess technology for tracking maintenance equipment.
The Indian Air Force is seeking bids for a new medium military transport aircraft, with Lockheed Martin, Embraer and Airbus potentially in contention. The competition could shape India’s future airlift capability while opening a significant defense opportunity for three major aerospace manufacturers.
Air France has extended scheduled Airbus A318 operations through March 27, 2027, moving beyond its previously planned November 2026 retirement timeline. The fleet’s final months are expected to include 37 routes across 13 countries, giving operators and travelers a defined view of the aircraft’s remaining network.
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Lufthansa City Airlines is preparing to receive its first A220-300 in November, while airBaltic is reducing its long-term fleet targets and AirAsia plans to return 25 older aircraft to lessors by the end of 2026 before new A220-300 deliveries begin in 2028.
SkyDrive has appointed Stéphane Ginoux, former president of Airbus Japan and head of Airbus operations in North Asia, as an advisor. The Japanese eVTOL developer is adding senior Airbus experience as it works to advance commercialization of its aircraft.
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