For the want of a good fitting cup holder, Airbus had to reengineer the center console of its new flagship A350 long-range twin (with apologies to Ben Franklin). As we reported in February, the use of the conveniently flat and accessible center console as, well, a coffee table prompted the costly diversion of at least two A350s last winter. That resulted in an emergency AD from the European Aviation Safety Administration that essentially banned liquids within reach of the pilots. The AD also mandated a long-term fix and Airbus has reworked the nerve center of the aircraft’s engines to make it “liquid resistant” according to Flight Global.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/airbus-spill-proofs-a350-consoles