Qantas Delays A380 Deliveries due to Flight Control Issues

Australia's Qantas Airways will see the delivery of its fifth and sixth Airbus A380 aircraft delayed to December owing to a flight trim problem with the fifth aircraft.

The fifth A380 was originally due to arrive this month, says Qantas. "Any suggestion that this aircraft is not able to fly straight would be incorrect," says Qantas. "Qantas has robust contractual provisions in place with all aircraft manufacturers, including Airbus, that govern tolerances around aircraft specifications, including flight trim." Flight trim governs the efficient passage of an aircraft through the air."

(The fifth A380) will be treated no differently to any other destined for our fleet and will be the subject of the usual rigorous pre-acceptance programme that includes test flying by Qantas pilots," says Qantas. "No special team has been dispatched to Europe."

(Greg Waldron - FlightGlobal.com)