Only a few weeks ago Airbus said that the cracks discovered on the wing-rib feet of some A380s were not a threat to safety and they would be repaired as part of the four-yearly maintenance regime. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) does not agree. Carriers with A380s that have accumulated more than 1,300 takeoffs… Continue reading Airbus Wing Cracks, not as Bad is it Seemed… it is Worse
Tag: 380
Cracks in the Wings of the A380 – What Next?
Poor A380. She had a difficult birth caused in no small measure by the rather peculiar corporate structure of Airbus and the consequent mismatch of the design software used in different parts of the company… Wire harnesses turned out to be too short, then the redesigned version did not fit either. After long delays she… Continue reading Cracks in the Wings of the A380 – What Next?
Spreading my wings
Airport Blagnac (LFBO), Toulouse, France. A historic place. This is where the first Concorde took off on 2 March 1969 commanded by Andre Turcat. The biggest passenger plane, the Airbus A380 flew for the first time also from here on 27 April 2005. These days, Blagnac is Airbus’ main base, all new-born aircraft built in… Continue reading Spreading my wings
ATSB Preliminary Report on Qantas Flight 32
On the 3rd December the ATSB issued its preliminary report on the uncontained engine failure suffered by the Qantas A380 on the 4th November. The initial cause appears to have been a fatigue crack within a stub pipe that feeds oil to the HP/IP bearing structure. And this cracking was associated with a misaligned region of… Continue reading ATSB Preliminary Report on Qantas Flight 32
Would I fly on an Airbus A380?
YES, you bet I would! If there is one thing that the Qantas incident in Singapore has shown it is that this aircraft has a huge amount of redundancy built into its systems. And when the full accident investigation has been completed it will be even safer. The whole nature of civil aviation is one… Continue reading Would I fly on an Airbus A380?
QANTAS flight QF 32 – Media versus Reality
When something spectacular occurs the media tends to bring out all the hype – aircraft crashes, disaster narrowly averted, Airbus unsafe, or hero pilots save the day. Reality is not like that. Instead we should be praising the design standards that are current in civil aviation. So, what are some of the safety precautions that… Continue reading QANTAS flight QF 32 – Media versus Reality
The birth of an Airbus 380
Building any aircraft is always a fascinating process that leaves a lasting impression on those who have the good fortune of being able to witness it. Building a remarkable machine like the Airbus 380 magnifies the element of wonder by virtue of its own incredible dimensions. In the distant past, aircraft factories were exactly that.… Continue reading The birth of an Airbus 380