We don’t yet know the details of the problem that caused Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. to cancel flights and inspect its entire fleet of Airbus SE A350 aircraft after finding issues with its Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc engines. But one thing is certain: As the world struggles to slow rising emissions from jet travel, we’re pushing technology so close to its limits that defects are close to inevitable.
Eking more power out of every gallon of jet fuel was a driving force in the aerospace industry long before climate change became a concern. Kerosene makes up about a quarter of costs for most airlines. Everything from the A350’s fuselage (made primarily from huge, lightweight sheets of woven carbon fiber) to the upward-bending winglets at the tips of its wings (which help to reduce drag) has been optimized to save gas.