Cathay Pacific Group is considering parking some aircraft outside of its home base in Hong Kong to protect them from the city's hot and humid summer. The company tells Cirium it is looking into this "for operation management reasons". "At the present time our aircraft are parked at Hong Kong International Airport, primarily in remote bays, taxiways and other operational areas made available at the airport," it says. "We are exploring alternative locations beyond Hong Kong’s humid summer climate that can provide appropriate conditions for our aircraft while they are not flying. This is a prudent decision from an asset management perspective." Cathay did not specify the number of aircraft it is considering parking outside Hong Kong. Newswire Reuters, citing an anonymous source, reported on 6 July that Cathay is examining plans to store more than 50 widebodies in drier locations like Dubai and Australia. Cirium has not independently verified that report. The aircraft being considered for transfer overseas are from "a number of different fleets" within the group. Its airlines include mainline carrier Cathay Pacific Airways, regional arm Cathay Dragon and budget carrier HK Express. It adds: "Meanwhile, as previously announced, we will be conducting a comprehensive review of our operations and making a recommendation on the optimum size and shape of the group to the board by the fourth quarter of this year."

Source: Cirium

ATR has embarked on flight testing to obtain Chinese certification for its ATR 42-600 turboprop. The airframer says the initial 3h test was conducted from Toulouse’s Francazal airport, which is located some 10km south of the city’s main Blagnac airport. China’s civil aviation administration CAAC co-operated with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency for the 3 July test. EASA pilots were on board the turboprop with ATR’s own. Certification of the type, an enhanced and modernised version of the ATR 42-500, will enable deliveries to Chinese operators. ATR says sub-100-seat regional aircraft account for just 2.5% of the Chinese airline fleet, compared with around 25% globally. It claims that the ATR 42-600 configured with 30 seats would offer an “ideal solution” for Chinese connectivity. Chinese testing of the variant will provide a lift to the company, which is preparing to halve its production, as a result of the air transport crisis, a measure which will result in just over 200 job losses.

Source: Cirium

Operators of Rolls-Royce-powered Boeing 787's are set to be instructed to conduct inspections of certain Trent 1000 low-pressure turbine discs, over a possible cracking risk. Assessment of certain discs in service has revealed that rubbing contact with interstage static seals can lead to cracks in the front seal fins – which, in turn, could lead to cracks in the disc. As an interim measure, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency is preparing to mandate an inspection of seal fins on the third- and fourth-stage discs – with specific part numbers – in the low-pressure turbine. The one-time ultra-high sensitivity fluorescent penetrant inspections should take place at the next engine refurbishment shop visit, according to a proposed EASA directive. If any cracking is indicated on the seal fins, the disc parts must be replaced. EASA warns that the condition could lead to propagation of cracking, possible low-pressure turbine disc failure, and expulsion of high-energy debris. Rolls-Royce has drawn up a service bulletin, dated 29 June, covering the issue. EASA has opened the directive for consultation until 3 August.

Source: Cirium