Four Singapore Airlines A380 planes to be inspected after safety agency alert

SINGAPORE - Four of Singapore Airlines' (SIA) Airbus A380 planes will have to be inspected after an aviation safety agency issued an alert about cracks in a part of the wing in the early models of the planes.

Last Friday (July 5), the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (Easa) proposed an airworthiness directive on the issue, following reports of cracks in the wing outer rear spar in wing box assemblies made between 2004 and 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 A380 planes, including a few operated by Australian carrier Qantas Airways and Dubai-based Emirates.

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In its proposal, Easa said Airbus plans to issue a service bulletin with inspection instructions in response to the "potential unsafe condition".

The agency 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 that it is aware of Easa's proposed directive, and that four of its A380s will require inspections.

The spokesman added: "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."

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for republication.