Four of Singapore Airlines' (SIA) Airbus A-380 airplanes will have to be inspected after the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (Easa) issued an alert about cracks in a part of the wing in the early models of the aircraft type.
Last Friday, Easa proposed an airworthiness directive on the issue, following reports of cracks in the wing outer rear spar in wing box assemblies made from 2004 to 2006.
The spar, a long beam that runs from the aircraft body to the tip of the wing, is a key component in supporting the wing structure, and cracks could reduce the structural integrity of the wing.
The directive would affect 25 A-380 jets, including a few operated by Australian carrier Qantas Airways and Dubai-based Emirates. Easa said Airbus planned to issue a service bulletin with inspection instructions in response to the "potential unsafe condition".
It recommended repeated special detailed inspections of the affected areas to detect the flaw. It said further checks may be required for more planes, depending on the findings from this round of inspections.
An SIA spokesman told The Straits Times yesterday it was aware of Easa's proposed directive, and four of its A-380s would require inspections, adding: "The safety of our customers and crew is of utmost priority, and we will ensure that we are in full compliance with the inspection requirements."
