Company Says Wing Rib Attachment Cracks Are Not Caused By Fatigue

The cracks that have cropped up in the wing skin rib attachment points on several A380 superjumbo airplanes are not caused by fatigue, are easily repaired, and pose no threat to safety, according to the planemaker.

As many as 20 of the company's flagship airplanes are covered by an emergency AD issued by EASA late last week to have their wings inspected. Airbus vice president Tom Williams told the French news service AFP "this is not a fatigue cracking problem."

EASA spokesman Dominique Fouda said the goal of the mandated inspections is to have a "better understanding of the origin of these problems." He said there are still questions as to why the cracks have appeared.

The carrier most affected by the AD is Singapore Airline, which had six A380s covered by the AD. A spokesman for the airline said one of its superjumbos has already been repaired and was back to flying. The others were still undergoing repairs.

Other airlines with airplanes which must be inspected include Emirates and Air France. One of the airplanes is a test and evaluation aircraft owned by Airbus.

FMI: www.airbus.com