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    Airbus says new cracks found in A380 wing

    Associated Press – Thu, Jan 19, 2012

    PARIS (AP) — Airbus found new cracks on metal brackets inside the wings of two A380 superjumbo jets after inspections launched following the 2010 incident in which a Qantas A380's engine disintegrated in flight, the company said Thursday.

    The cracks were found "on a limited number of non-critical brackets inside the wings of some A380s," Airbus said in a statement. These "wing rib feet," as the part is known, connect the wing's ribs to its skin.

    Airbus spokesman Stefan Schaffrath said the new cracks were found on two of the nine aircraft inspected so far.

    Sixty-eight of the double-decker, $390 million jets are flying with seven airlines, including Dubai's Emirates, the largest A380 operator with 20 of the aircraft now flying. The jet seats 525 people in three classes.

    Europe's air safety authority, the Cologne, Germany-based EASA, will issue instructions known as an air worthiness directive to airlines flying the A380 on Friday. The timing and frequency of checks that airlines will have to carry out because of the new cracks was still being discussed late Thursday, EASA spokesman Dominique Fouda said.

    A different kind of crack on the same part was discovered and repaired on two of Singapore Airlines' seven A380s following inspections that followed the November, 2010 explosion of a Rolls Royce engine on a Qantas A380 flying from Singapore to Sydney.

    The plane, carrying 466 people, returned to Singapore and made a safe emergency landing.

     

    27 comments

    • Mockingbird
      Mockingbird  •  Oakland, California  •  4 mths ago
      If you are on the plane, the wing parts are non-critical. If I am on the plane, they are ALL critical.
    • Mockingbird
      Mockingbird  •  Oakland, California  •  4 mths ago
      When you are carrying 500 + passengers, there are NO non-critical WING parts.
      • S
        S 4 mths ago
        When you have any souls on board an aircraft you want things to be safe as humanly possible. I'm positive they are watching and on top of all of this.
    • Alan
      Alan  •  4 mths ago
      The "finest" airplane illegal European subsidies can buy!
    • Derek
      Derek  •  4 mths ago
      I would think any wing bracket is considered a critical part, otherwise, why is it there? Cracks are not really a good thing in any part.
    • PlayTheGame
      PlayTheGame  •  Livingston, New Jersey  •  4 mths ago
      A small loss of foam off a leading wing edge coast 6 lives an a Space Shuttle. A small loss of a wings skin would coast 500 lives.
    • Cre
      Cre  •  Los Angeles, California  •  4 mths ago
      If it aint boeing i anit going
    • HiddenAgenda
      HiddenAgenda  •  4 mths ago
      I'll stay on the 777. That's what you get when you build flying hotels!
      • S
        S 4 mths ago
        Once they get it worked out it'll be ok. The 747 was thought of like a hotel too in the early 70's and things still progressed forward anyway. People became accustomed to it , then went right on with their lives.
    • Frank
      Frank  •  Winchester, Kentucky  •  4 mths ago
      "The cracks were found "on a limited number of non-critical brackets inside the wings of some A380s," Airbus said in a statement. These "wing rib feet," as the part is known, connect the wing's ribs to its skin."

      So these cracks get bigger and longer due to wing loading and unloading and soon these "wing rib feet" separate from skin.....then the wing loses its shape...plane stops flying....falls out of the sky.....
      • Diogenes
        Diogenes 4 mths ago
        Thanks for making me sleep sound tonight....
    • Hank N
      Hank N  •  4 mths ago
      This is the right place to say "Buy American" Airbus is European. French, Germany, United Kingdom and spain.
    • dave m
      dave m  •  Denver, Colorado  •  4 mths ago
      Airbus--what a joke--If the cracked oil pipe in the engine wasnt bad enough, I next expect to hear of an entire wing breaking off one of these 380s
      The ONLY safe jumbo--the Boeing 747--proven for over 40 years, with only a fuel system defect which was immediately corrected.
      The last safe, reliable French passenger jet aircraft---
      Sud Caravelle.
    • Watch thi..............
      Watch thi..............  •  4 mths ago
      There'll be frog's falling from the skies!
    • Robert
      Robert  •  Bangkok, Thailand  •  4 mths ago
      Ground those flying turkeys.
    • n
      n  •  4 mths ago
      There is no such thing as non-critical on any wing components, good old common sense will tell you that. Stresses, stresses, stresses!! Small crack=Bigger crack=Major Failure!!!
      Money first, safety second.
    • Yahoo User
      Yahoo User  •  4 mths ago
      Wow, That's Scary. I am sticking with 747 until they sort this stuff out. I flew in the A380 with Lufthansa once and it was a great flight. Nice takeoffs, smooth landing and very little turbulence. I worry about the 747 because some of them are older than me but their track record is excellent. But I hope that Airbus takes care of this in an effective way. A tragedy with a A380 would be an instant death for Airbus
    • Diogenes
      Diogenes  •  4 mths ago
      You've got to admire AIRBUS. They are better than our Federal Government. The cracks in the airplane wings aren't a problem. Neither is raising the National debt 1.2 TRILLION DOLLARS.
      Funny thing, though. BOTH COME CRASHING DOWN.
    • Frank
      Frank  •  4 mths ago
      It might as well been built in China
    • Agilityacres
      Agilityacres  •  4 mths ago
      Why would "non critical" parts crack? They must be taking on some serious stress to crack. I'd consider a part that endures that much stress critical!
    • Raymond
      Raymond  •  Wichita, Kansas  •  4 mths ago
      Cracks in the wing ribs feet are not critical, are you kidding? Tell me what would cause the cracks if there was not any forces being placed on them? Where would those forces go without these non critical components....
    • 0123
      0123  •  4 mths ago
      Just wait until it crashes into the ocean. You will die of drowning if the sharks don't get you first.
    • John
      John  •  Chicago, Illinois  •  4 mths ago
      Big expensive recall way to go Europe Biger is not better this proves it.
     Post a comment
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