Inspections ordered on some Airbus A380s after wing cracks found

 

FILE PHOTO: A visitor takes a picture of an Airbus A380 as it lands after an air display at the 53rd International Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, France June 23, 2019. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol

 

PARIS (Reuters) - European regulators have ordered inspections on some older Airbus (AIR.PA) A380 superjumbo airplanes after some cracks were detected in wings on the world’s largest passenger aircraft.

 

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) directive, which formalises an instruction from the manufacturer itself, covers part of the outer wing on the 25 oldest aircraft, which first went into service in 2007 with Singapore Airlines (SIAL.SI).

 

Airbus said the safety of the aircraft was not affected.

 

“We confirm that small cracks have been found on the outer rear wing spars of early production A380 aircraft. We have identified the issue and designed an inspection and repair scheme.” an Airbus spokesman said.

 

The repairs, which must be carried out within 15 years of the initial wing box assembly, can be carried out during scheduled heavy maintenance visits, he added.

 

EASA in its directive said the condition, if not detected and corrected, could reduce the structural integrity of the wing.

 

In 2012, Airbus was forced to carry out A380 inspections and devise a costly repair programme after cracks were found on part of the wings, the world’s largest for a passenger plane.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-07-09

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17 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Airbus said the safety of the aircraft was not affected.

Cracks in the wings,no matter how small should be a concern ?

regards worgeordie

2 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Cracks in the wings,no matter how small should be a concern ?

regards worgeordie

 

Indeed they should.

 

That is why a directive was issued in Jan 2012 about (different) wing rib/skin cracks which had become apparent.

 

7 years later and all A380 passengers have disembarked in one piece.

 

 

 

 

Best aircraft I've ever flown on.

8 hours ago, Chelseafan said:

Best aircraft I've ever flown on.

+1. Superb aircraft. Spacious and so quiet. 

You may not wish to hear this but every aircraft carries cracks. To remove them from service immediately would be disruption and therefore too expensive. Cracks are monitored BY NDT until they reach a critical length and then repaired. 

17 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Cracks in the wings,no matter how small should be a concern ?

regards worgeordie

I read somewhere before that cracks in airplanes happen all the time. Due to the material expanding and contracting (depending on cold / hot). From what I understand most times it should be of no concern.

 

For example read this article: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/southwest-airplane-aluminum-cracks/

 

I do believe airplanes should be checked after every flight for problematic cracks and other issues. Not sure if every airline is diligent in this.

8 hours ago, Chelseafan said:

Best aircraft I've ever flown on.

Did you check the wings before boarding?

2 minutes ago, wolf81 said:

I read somewhere before that cracks in airplanes happen all the time. Due to the material expanding and contracting (depending on cold / hot). From what I understand most times it should be of no concern.

Stop reading, and believing that magazine.

55 minutes ago, Vacuum said:

Did you check the wings before boarding?

Yes, I counted two. Is that right?

 

9 minutes ago, Chelseafan said:

Yes, I counted two. Is that right?

 

Yes, unless it was a biplane...

So next time they have a heavy maintenance scheduled they will get fixed. The 2007 ones with Singapore have 15 years from date of wing manufacture so will be due anytime soon. 

So poor bloke has to climb inside the wings. However someone must have been in there before to find the cracks in the first place. 

 

Quote

Yes, unless it was a biplane...

Or even a triplane. 

Airlines either carry out heavy inspections on flying hours or cycles, or a mix of both. Aluminium either work hardens or age hardens or both.

For an example of work hardening Google a B52 bomber take off, the wings flex more than 20 feet.

Also Google Aloha Airlines flight 243 this pre dated the quoted article and was because the inspections were based on flying hours and as the aircraft only hopped between the Hawaiian islands it became an aging aircraft with cracks in the second layer.

We in RAF NDT were tasked with finding cracks in a second layer, without major strip down. Ultrasound bounced at first layer, x-rays using Schlieren imaging was a failure. Conventional Eddy currents didn't work. 

Eventually found that low frequency donut eddy current probes worked but required a different size depending on rivet diameter.

Regards chaspul

35 minutes ago, Chaspul said:

Also Google Aloha Airlines flight 243 this pre dated the quoted article and was because the inspections were based on flying hours and as the aircraft only hopped between the Hawaiian islands it became an aging aircraft with cracks in the second layer.
 

Regards chaspul

Due to the short trip island hopping there would have been potential for many more pressurize - depressurize cycles than the average plane would expect based on similar flying hours. Was that a factor in the failure of flight 243?

 

And thanks for the info on the second layer crack sensing techniques. It is interesting.

That combined with corrosion due to long approaches over salt water.

One untruth in the article is that cabin pressure is not "maintained at sea level", but around 3,000 ft.

At this altitude water boils at around 95C so you would never get a good cuppa cha.  

regards chas

Cracks happen indeed all the time. 

They get stop-drilled and if that isn't enough doubler plates are installed.

This one is in the structural part so it's a bit more urgent, don't want big parts falling off.

 

http://dictionary.dauntless-soft.com/definitions/groundschoolfaa/Stop+Drilling

http://dictionary.dauntless-soft.com/definitions/groundschoolfaa/Doubler

6 hours ago, Chaspul said:

We in RAF NDT were tasked with finding cracks in a second layer, without major strip down. Ultrasound bounced at first layer, x-rays using Schlieren imaging was a failure. Conventional Eddy currents didn't work. 

Eventually found that low frequency donut eddy current probes worked but required a different size depending on rivet diameter.

Blimey, thank goodness I was in the Infantry.

All we had to do was walk a long way with a big rucksack...

7 hours ago, Vacuum said:

Yes, unless it was a biplane...

Hey, leave the plane's sexuality out of this...