European Agency Proposes Inspection of 170 Airbus JetsMay 13, 2011
The European Aviation Safety Agency ordered an inspection and possible replacement of suspected nuts installed on single-aisle Airbus jets, according to The Wall Street Journal. The order will affect more than 170 of the planes globally—including a certain version of the A319, A320 and A321 twin-engine models. According to the agency—the European equivalent of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board—"a large number" of these suspected nuts were installed in various sections of the jets during assembly, including the fuselage and fuel-tanks. The use of the suspected parts, "if not corrected … could have long-term consequences … and could impair the structural integrity" of the jets, according to the article. The regulators, however, also said the suspected parts pose no immediate danger. The potentially defective nuts can safely be replaced over six to 12 years after the first flights of the affected planes. This inquiry comes on the heels of a Southwest Airlines incident in which a Boeing 737 cruising at 34,000 feet experience a five-foot hole opening up its fuselage. The flight landed safely, but investigators said the Boeing 737 had defects in its aluminum skin, including misaligned rivets and gaps between the rivets and their holes, according to the Journal. Boeing said it was too early to know why the problem occurred. Investigators already knew about the Airbus issue before the Boeing 737 incident and now have suggested a replacement plan. The Journal noted that it is not clear how planes operated by U.S. carriers will be impacted and whether the U.S. agency will follow the recommendations of its European counterpart. Airbus has already issued nonbinding service bulletins instructing airlines on how to perform the inspections and to replace the suspect nuts if necessary. Many airlines have already conducted the recommended safety checks, the Journal reported. |
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