Airbus has changed the components used in its A350 fuselage amid the ongoing legal dispute with Qatar Airways. The European planemaker is now using a different copper foil as the layering in new deliveries since late last year. The decision to use a new design has been noted as significant, despite Airbus claiming the original design remains safe.

Change is design

According to Reuters, Airbus has moved from expanded copper foil (ECF) to perforated copper foil (PCF) for the layering between the paint and carbon fuselage below on the A350. The ECF is key to ensuring the fuselage can deal with lightning strikes safely and is central to the $2 billion dispute between Airbus and Qatar Airways.

Now, Airbus has confirmed that it is using the new PCF on the rear fuselage for aircraft delivered at the end of 2022. The material was previously under study but was not added to new jets. The planemaker has admitted the new material is lighter but will also help with the ongoing cracking problem.

Read the timeline of events in the Qatar Airways-Airbus dispute here.

Qatar Airways is now demanding more information about the change as part of its court proceedings. However, Airbus maintains its stance that the ECF-using design remains completely safe. While not a hint toward anything, Judge David Waksman, the judge overseeing the trial, noted that the design change is significant to the case. More details will emerge in the coming months on the design change, but there could be some hurdles before that.

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Government's intervene

To further its case, Qatar Airways is requesting raw modeling data of the A350 to simulate a lightning strike to prove the paint gaps could create a safety risk. However, Airbus has told the court that French security services have raised concerns about sharing data on the A350's design due to its growing use among European governments (including for use by Germany's Chancellor).

Despite Qatar calling the concern a mere tactic to refuse to share data, the two sides have reached a provisional agreement to share the data under secure conditions. For now, the highly complex case looks to be continuing (albeit it has been split up), with a trial scheduled for mid-2023 unless a settlement can be reached.

Neither side seems willing to concede, despite French and Qatari leaders now discussing the case, according to diplomatic sources. The two nations have strong diplomatic ties, but their flagship companies are scheduled to go toe-to-toe in the courtroom in a few months' time.

Is there a safety concern?

Qatar Airways has contended that chipping paint on the fuselage, exposing the metallic protective layer, is a potential danger to aircraft safety. While Airbus concedes the chipping is an issue, it has repeatedly stated that there is no effect on safety, a stance backed by European regulator EASA. It maintains the issue is only cosmetic, but Qatar and its regulator vehemently disagree.

Qatar Airways has escalated the dispute to court and refused deliveries of new aircraft, resulting in Airbus canceling its A350 and A320neo orders in response. Keep an eye out as the two industry titans prepare to publicly argue their cases.

What do you think about Airbus' recent A350 design change? Let us know in the comments.

Source: Reuters

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  Qatar Airways

  IATA/ICAO Code:

  QR/QTR

  Airline Type:

  Full Service Carrier

  Hub(s):

  Doha Hamad International Airport

  Year Founded:

  1993

  Alliance:

  oneworld

  CEO:

  Akbar Al Baker

  Country:

  Qatar

• 

  Airbus

  Stock Code:

  AIR

  Date Founded:

  1970-12-18

  CEO:

  Guillaume Faury

  Headquarters Location:

  Toulouse, France

  Key Product Lines:

  Airbus A220, Airbus A320, Airbus A330, Airbus A340, Airbus A350, Airbus A380

  Business Type:

  Planemaker