Emirates and Qantas airlines must check the Airbus A380s in their fleets for cracks in the wings.
On Tuesday evening, the European aerospace giant announced inspections on sixteen A380 aircraft after the discovery of cracks in a structural wing component during maintenance activities.
Therefore, the European Aviation Safety Agency (Easa) has ordered urgent checks on a group of aircraft, considering that the defect could compromise the structural integrity of the wing. Most of the affected aircraft belong to Emirates, while one is operated by the Australian airline Qantas.
The A380, which entered commercial service in 2007 and is known as the “superjumbo,” is the largest passenger airliner ever built, a competitor to the Boeing 747, designed for long-haul routes, with two decks and four engines. As reminds Reuters, the Toulouse manufacturer ceased production of the model in 2021, following a drop in demand from airlines, while continuing to provide technical and maintenance support to aircraft still in service.
All the details.
EASA’S DICTATE
On Monday, the European Aviation Safety Agency (Easa) published an emergency airworthiness directive requiring the inspection of 16 Airbus A380s after cracks were found in the wing spars, fundamental structural elements that support aerodynamic stresses during flight.
According to the European authority, the cracks found on some aircraft could reduce the structural integrity of the wing. For this reason, the directive establishes that five aircraft must be checked before the next flight, while the other eleven must be inspected within 25 flight cycles.
Easa stated that a transfer flight is allowed for the five A380s requiring immediate inspection, in order to position the aircraft at a location where the checks can be carried out.
THE AIRCRAFT INVOLVED
Based on the serial numbers indicated in the directive and data from the Flightradar24 monitoring service, fifteen of the sixteen affected A380s are operated by the Emirati airline Emirates, while the remaining one belongs to the Australian airline Qantas.
If the airlines find an anomaly, they must contact Airbus to receive instructions on how to repair the aircraft and within what timeframe, explained Aerotime.
“Inspections will begin within the next 48 hours and all necessary interventions will be carried out before the aircraft return to service,” stated Emirates, which operates the largest A380 fleet in the world, with over half of all superjumbos currently in service, emphasizes Afp. The Emirati airline also said it will work closely with Airbus and the relevant authorities “to minimize any disruption to operational schedules.”
AIRBUS’ POSITION
Also yesterday, Airbus confirmed it is cooperating with the checks requested by the European authority, explaining that it has identified a small group of aircraft characterized by a similar operational history.
“Depending on the results of the inspections, Airbus will assess with Easa whether repairs are necessary or if the aircraft can return to commercial service,” said a company spokesperson. The European manufacturer will then discuss with Easa any corrective actions to be taken based on the inspection outcomes.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST WING ISSUE FOR THE A380
This is not the first time the A380 program has faced issues related to the wing structure. In 2012, Easa ordered inspections after cracks were found in the brackets connecting the wing skin to the internal ribs. This problem affected the entire global A380 fleet and led to an expensive repair program that Airbus addressed with design modifications on subsequently produced aircraft.
Among the airlines operating the A380 are Emirates, Singapore Airlines, British Airways, Qantas, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Korean Air, Etihad Airways, ANA, and Asiana Airlines.
