The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has mandated immediate inspections of 16 Airbus A380 planes due to the discovery of cracks in wing components. The directive, effective from Wednesday, necessitates examinations of wing mid-spars on the affected aircraft to address concerns about potential compromises to wing strength. Among the impacted planes, 15 are operated by Emirates, with the remaining one belonging to Qantas.
The directive specifies that five aircraft must undergo inspections before being cleared for service, while the other 11 need checks within the next 25 flight cycles. EASA’s decision stems from a review of inspection data gathered from previous directives, underscoring the agency’s commitment to ensuring safety standards are met. Airlines have been directed to follow detailed inspection protocols from Airbus and report findings within seven days, regardless of crack detection.
Emirates, which boasts the largest A380 fleet globally with over 100 planes, has a significant number of aircraft covered by the directive. Qantas, on the other hand, has stated that its affected aircraft, registered as VH-OQI, is currently undergoing extensive maintenance in Dresden, Germany, with operations expected to continue unaffected. Despite the directive, EASA has not flagged an immediate safety hazard for the broader A380 fleet, permitting limited non-passenger ferry flights for aircraft repositioning and maintenance purposes.
