Argieffoto. (Photo: Marcin Golba/AFP)
Airbus says 16 of its A380 planes are being checked after cracks were discovered in a key wing component on some planes from airlines Emirates and Qantas.
The European Union’s (EU) aviation safety agency ordered the investigation and instructed airlines to examine the wing spar structure of the planes in question after inspectors noticed cracks during routine maintenance checks.
The cracks were found in a structural beam that runs alongside the wing and carries much of the aerodynamic load of the massive biplanes in flight.
Of the 16 aircraft under investigation, 15 are operated by Emirates and one by Qantas.
Airlines using the A380 include Emirates, Singapore Airlines, British Airways, Qantas, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Korean Air, Etihad Airways, ANA and Asiana Airlines.
Emirates operates the largest A380 fleet in the world. Airbus stopped production of the A380 in 2021.
“The inspections will begin within the next 48 hours and all necessary work will be completed before the aircraft are returned to service,” Emirates said on Wednesday.
The airline added that it was working closely with Airbus and authorities to limit disruption to flight schedules.
((Photo: Frederic Scheiber / Hans Lucas/AFP)
According to Airbus, the cracks could potentially compromise the structural integrity of the wing.
All A380 aircraft with the same production history have now been identified, and Airbus will carry out immediate inspections on five of these aircraft.
The A380 has had problems with its wings before. In 2012, the aviation safety agency ordered inspections after cracks were discovered in brackets that connect the wing cover to the internal framework.
That problem affected the entire A380 fleet worldwide and led to an expensive repair program. Airbus later bridged this with design changes in newer aircraft.