"New" Zimbabwe Airways Plane Flown Back To Malaysia For Repairs

The Daily News reports that the newly acquired Zimbabwe Airways planes which were bought from Malaysia been sent back to the Asian country for repairs before it has made a single commercial flight.

Government is yet to receive the remaining three wide-bodied aircraft from Malaysia Airlines. Sources who spoke to Daily News yesterday said the Boeing 777 jetliner had recently flown back to Malaysia for A checks and other maintenance works. A subsequent visit by a Daily News crew to Robert Mugabe International Airport confirmed the reports.

According to experts consulted by Daily News, A-Check maintenance refers to checks that are carried out on an aeroplane every eight to 10 weeks — where “filters will be changed, key systems (like hydraulics in the ‘control surfaces’ that steer the aircraft) will be lubricated and a detailed inspection of all the emergency equipment (like inflatable slides) is completed”. When contacted for a comment, Transport minister Joram Gumbo, said: