Page 23 - AAA MARCH-APRIL 2012 Online Magazine

YOU SAY I SAY

yOu SAy I SAy

CRACkS hAvE bEEN dISCOvEREd IN bRACkETS INSIdE
WINgS Of ThE AIRbuS A380. AIRbuS SAyS IT WILL TAkE
AS LONg AS IT TAkES TO fIx ThE PRObLEM.

Airbus says the cracked brackets are a result of stresses caused by the selection of incorrect materials and
the way they were designed and assembled - not flying stresses.

“Safety remains a top priority for the aviation industry
worldwide, with robust processes in place to ensure
the ongoing airworthiness of in-service aircraft.
The issue with the wing brackets on the A380 has
demonstrated that the system is clearly working,
with corrective actions taken by the manufacturer
that have been independently evaluated and
mandated by the authorities. At no time has the
safe operation of the aircraft been compromised by
what is essentially a manufacturing issue, which is
being fully addressed in a transparent way and in
line with the requirements of EASA.”

Airbus statement
“The ongoing hesitancy from regulators to deal
promptly and effectively with the Airbus A380 wing Safety remains a top priority
crack issue is not only potentially damaging for the
manufacturer, Airbus, but also increases the risks for the aviation industry
faced by fare paying passengers from an industry worldwide, with robust
that is fast losing sight of its primary responsibility, processes in place to ensure
namely safety. The issue (six months after the
discovery the cracks) of an effective airworthiness the ongoing airworthiness
directive requiring operators to perform fleet wide of in-service aircraft
inspections says more about regulatory failings
than it does about the cracks in the A380 wings.
Regulators are becoming ever more reluctant to
enforce the very regulations designed to protect
citizens, in case the business model suffers. It is
a strange yet known paradox that as safety levels
increase over a period of time, humans very quickly
forget why such measures were adopted and
attempt to undo them for the sake of a few extra
dollars profit.”

fred bruggeman,
Secretary general,
Aircraft Engineers International

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