Aircraft face grounding

Press, 11 February 1986, Page 10

Aircraft face grounding

NZPA-AAP London More than a quarter of the world’s Boeing 747 aircraft might be grounded during the next few weeks after the discovery of structural faults. The “Sunday Times” reported yesterday that sev-

eral aircraft had been flying with only the outer skin holding the nose section together and that the same weakness could occur in other aircraft of the same age. The grounding threat follows last week’s assurances that the latest round of safety checks ordered for the aircraft had been made satisfac-

torily. One industry source said: “We have got a serious problem here. These aircraft should be put on the ground and thoroughly examined. We have to know just how bad this problem is.”

The United States Federal Aviation Administration, which issued the initial Boeing 747 inspection order, said it was now reserving its option to issue a further probe which might ground more than 160 of the world’s 600 jumbo jets. Last week’s tests on all 747 s with more than 10,000 landings were only

visual inspections of the outer skin, not of the ribs which form the 747 skeleton.

The structural weakness was discovered by Pan Am and Japan Air Lines about 10 days ago during routine heavy maintenance. British Airways reported a similar find on one of its older aircraft, the paper said. Engineers detected cracks on the skin and near the cockpit and firstclass cabin floor but it was only when they removed the affected sections that the full extent of the damage was revealed.