You are here: Discussion » All airlines »
Airbus to inspect all A380 superjumbos for wing cracks, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16942361
"Aircraft maker Airbus has been ordered to check the wings of all A380 superjumbo planes currently in service."
But I thought on Sky they said they been grounded until they been checked some think different on different chanels:S
Singapore airlines grounded their fleet a few weeks back and the LHR services were operated by 777 and 747 during that time.
Qantas grounded 1 x A380 yesterday after finding cracks following a turbulence incident over India whilst flying from LHR to SIN on Jan 7th. One has to wonder what it has been doing in the last month!
Perhaps flying on a different aircraft type for a while would be a good idea until such time as the checks are complete and he aircraft has again been given a clean bill of health. At the very least you will avoid the inevitable disruption that will follow.
Qantas are having a hard time recently what with the engine blow out on the A380 and now the wings - both rather crucial elements for safe flying.
I'm just wondering whether these new super jumbo's are being pushed into service too early and if the manufacturers should maybe test fly the aircraft in realistic conditions for longer.
I feel in a way the airlines, and per se us, as passengers, are unpaid guinea pigs for Boeing and Airbus.
I find it concerning when cracks are found on Airbus 380 wings and Boeing finds delamination on the 787 and they both say there is no safey risk. When I learnt to fly I was told you increase speed for lift from the wings in order to go up and fly. I guess the laws of Physics have changed.
Binman62, your reply implies SQ grounded the entire A380 fleet - this is not the case.
Aircraft were inspected and those needing repairs had the required works undertaken.
As a result one or two services into LHR were operated by 77W's, no 747 were operated to LHR.
I thought SIA's 747s were either, or were about to be, retired from service ... ?
Besides LHR, there were also substitutions on the ZRH route:
http://www.businesstraveller.com/asia-pacific/news/singapore-airlines-substitutes-a380-with-b777-d
The reason why all A380s have now got to be checked is because on the latest grounded Qantas A380 the cracks were very different and Airbus cannot claim that the cracks this time round are not dangerous.
This new type of cracks were the cause of the "severe turbulence" experienced a couple of months by passengers including Stephen Fry when the plan had to make an unscheduled stop at Dubai. It therefore follows that the risk to passengers from these cracks is far greater.
Another UK made product going down the drain!
Hengli I will be interested to learn whether it is the design or the manufacture that is flawed. THere are those who think the 380 is too big but then there were similar views when 747 was launched...
LondonCity SIA are fading out the 747 but use them on mid haul flights mostly around Asia xx
Why are Emirates so slow in responding dont they have an order for 60 and run 5 daily services for LHR? xx
RichHI1, the answer to your question is both.
Airbus responded last month to the reports by saying that the cracks were harmless and were as a result of "manufacturing processes" that placed unnecessary strain on the wing. However, manufacturing is only ever as bad as it is designed to be!
Hengli123... i think may have been a typo or two in your earlier post... 'this new type of crack were the cause of severe turbulence' ?? Obviously turbulence is caused by the airflow/weather the aircraft is flying through...
Also just to clarify the flight Stephen Fry was on was nothing related to turbulence. That aircraft diverted to Dubai due to oil problems in one of the engines.
The aircraft which encountered severe turbulence was on Jan 7th and that did not divert, but continued its flight to SIN.
RichHI1, you are correct, both of those mistakes were related to a news article I read on a blog which was not quite accurate.
Becky, where did you get your information that SQ use their remaining 747s on mid haul flights around Asia from? They may like to know that they do that. Their latest magazine which I read on Saturday talks about the final retirement and the last remaining service being SIN-MEL now that the SIN-FRA-JFK flight has switched to the A380.
Perhaps your information is more up to date than theirs?
I read on some other forum somewhere ages ago, In the same post they even said the SIN-MEL route had swithced to an a380, sorry if it was wrong my mistake xx
They did introduce the A380 to MEL but reverted to a 747 some time back, the last date for 747 ops had been announced but it may be delayed a while to minimise disruption from the A380 checks.
Thanks for the correction sweety, sorry for any misunderstanding caused xx
Any news on what all the other , Emirates, Air france, Lufthanza, Korean air are doing about their planes? x
Appears the cracks are down to a British design and manufacturing fault, not good.
I find bad that they blame the us Brits when when the plane was tested in France and they should have found this out while testing it or they did and where trying to cut costs.
It is always the same with Europe, when things are going well it is a European success when things go wrong it is Spendthrift Greeks or Incompetent British Engineers.
Yes, Rich, EU was built on the principle to export the problems and imports the goodies! As they all thought the same way... And they went further building a currency without the fundamentals...
Regarding the A380, I guess we have to trust Airbus when they say they found the reason of the cracks. Are these the same guys who approved the plane a few years ago?
TOP SECTIONS »
Business Traveller offers tried-and-tested tips on getting more for your money. This month: communication
Read more »
Stats presented in illuminating ways. This month: BRIC flights from Europe
Read more »
Tired of flying? Let the train take the strain. Alex McWhirter suggests ten trips linking major cities
Read more »
