Airbus Is Ordered To Inspect 16 Jets After Cracks Are Found In Wings (wsj.com)
(Friday June 26, 2026 @11:00AM (BeauHD)
from the would-you-look-at-that dept.)
- Reference: 0184095956
- News link: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/26/06/25/2113249/airbus-is-ordered-to-inspect-16-jets-after-cracks-are-found-in-wings
- Source link: https://www.wsj.com/business/sixteen-airbus-a380s-to-undergo-inspection-after-cracks-found-on-wings-d51229c1
[1]schwit1 shares a report from The Wall Street Journal:
> The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has [2]ordered (PDF) urgent inspections of 16 Airbus A380 planes operated by Emirates and Qantas, after [3]cracks were found in a wing component on some aircraft (source paywalled; [4]alternative source ). . Cracks were found during earlier inspections of the wing spars structure, a key component of the wing, EASA said in a directive effective Wednesday. EASA determined that they "could reduce the structural integrity of the wing."
>
> "To address this potential unsafe condition, Airbus determined that an additional special detailed inspection has to be accomplished," EASA said. The first group of five aircraft, operated by Emirates, need to be inspected immediately, while the second group of 11 aircraft can be inspected later but within 25 flight cycles, EASA said in a separate statement. From the second group, 10 are operated by Emirates and one by Qantas, the aviation safety agency said.
[1] https://slashdot.org/~schwit1
[2] https://ad.easa.europa.eu/blob/EASA_AD_2026_0119_E.pdf/EAD_2026-0119-E_1
[3] https://www.wsj.com/business/sixteen-airbus-a380s-to-undergo-inspection-after-cracks-found-on-wings-d51229c1
[4] https://people.com/cracks-discovered-on-wings-of-airbus-a380s-prompt-urgent-inspection-of-aircraft-12005843
> The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has [2]ordered (PDF) urgent inspections of 16 Airbus A380 planes operated by Emirates and Qantas, after [3]cracks were found in a wing component on some aircraft (source paywalled; [4]alternative source ). . Cracks were found during earlier inspections of the wing spars structure, a key component of the wing, EASA said in a directive effective Wednesday. EASA determined that they "could reduce the structural integrity of the wing."
>
> "To address this potential unsafe condition, Airbus determined that an additional special detailed inspection has to be accomplished," EASA said. The first group of five aircraft, operated by Emirates, need to be inspected immediately, while the second group of 11 aircraft can be inspected later but within 25 flight cycles, EASA said in a separate statement. From the second group, 10 are operated by Emirates and one by Qantas, the aviation safety agency said.
[1] https://slashdot.org/~schwit1
[2] https://ad.easa.europa.eu/blob/EASA_AD_2026_0119_E.pdf/EAD_2026-0119-E_1
[3] https://www.wsj.com/business/sixteen-airbus-a380s-to-undergo-inspection-after-cracks-found-on-wings-d51229c1
[4] https://people.com/cracks-discovered-on-wings-of-airbus-a380s-prompt-urgent-inspection-of-aircraft-12005843
"Emergency Airworthiness Directive" (Score:2)
by JoeyRox ( 2711699 )
"...while the second group of 11 aircraft can be inspected later but within 25 flight cycles"
It's an emergency but we'll get to it when we get to it...
As expected... (Score:2)
by Morky ( 577776 )
This is what happens when you poach Boeing.
What's it made of? (Score:2)
by NMBob ( 772954 )
I'm guessing metal, but are the spars, or the parts that are connected to them that are cracking, made of metal or OceanGate Titan plastic?
Would a Spar be Repairable? (Score:2)
Woah... Dumb question, but would a wing spar be repairable or replaceable?
Re: (Score:3)
Possibly repairable with the application of doubler plates, depending on the extent of cracking. Replacing a wing spar may be uneconomical and result in the aircraft being written off. Such major structural repairs may be possible in other parts of an aircraft. But not so much the wings. The entire weight hangs from those.