Based on a Seattle Times report, it looks likely that the 787 -- already three years late -- is saddled with enormous technical problems that could delay it two more years and cost Boeing $12 billion, 120% more than its original budget.
Australian investigators suspect a manufacturing defect in a Rolls-Royce engine may have caused the A380 Airbus fire on a Qantas flight earlier this month. The airline says it has filed a statement of claim that could enable it to take further legal action against Rolls-Royce.
The Qantas Airbus A380 engine explosion earlier this month caused at least $70 million worth of damage to the plane, according to a new report from insurance-consulting company Aon. And the bill from the incident, which caused no injuries, could fly much higher.
A building boom -- and the constrained supply of materials due to mandated energy cuts -- sent Chinese cement, metal and building-equipment stocks up Thursday. Meanwhile, Hong Kong and Japanese exporters benefited from improving consumer sentiment and falling unemployment in the U.S.
Half of the Rolls-Royce engines that power the A380 Airbus superjumbo jets may need to be replaced, according to the Qantas CEO. One of the engines caught fire and caused the emergency landing of a Qantas flight earlier this month.
After a Rolls-Royce engine on one of Quantas's A380 superjumbo jets exploded last week, Singapore Airlines says it also has pulled three of its A380s from service because of engine trouble. The news comes after Boeing also announced a major engine failure during tests back in August.
It's looking more and more like the explosion of a Roll-Royce engine on a Qantas-owned Airbus A380 last week wasn't an anomaly, but a sign of an as-yet unidentified design flaw. So how deep are the problems at Rolls-Royce, and which of its competitors are most likely to benefit from its troubles?
Qantas has a lot riding on its reputation for safety, which only raises the stakes for the airline after the engine explosion on one of its Airbus A380s Thursday. It temporarily grounded its six A380s, but the airline needs a long term solution. Is that old workhorse the Boeing 747 the answer?
