AIRBUS A320CEO WING CRACK INSPECTIONS

[Malcolm]

EASA Extends A320Ceo Wing Fatigue Cracking Inspections To All A320neo Models

BYRYTIS BERESNEVIČIUS

PUBLISHED 4 DAYS AGO

 

Initially, EASA required operators to inspect certain areas of the wing for only the A320ceo aircraft family.

 

Photo: Frédéric Lancelot - Master Films | Airbus

SUMMARY

•  EASA has extended inspections for certain areas of the wings of Airbus A320ceo family aircraft to the A320neo family.
•  The new directive superseded the previous one.
•  If any fatigue cracks are found during inspections, airlines must contact Airbus for approved repair instructions, and specific actions have been outlined for Airbus A321neo aircraft.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has superseded a previous airworthiness directive (AD), extending inspections of certain areas of left-hand and right-hand side wings for all Airbus A320ceo and A321neo family aircraft that have the Sharklets modification installed on them.

Previously, the directive only required operators to inspect A319ceo, A320ceo, and A321ceo wing manhole access panel attachment holes in the bottom wing skin panels 2, between Rib 13 and Rib 23. The European regulator superseded the AD on January 25, 2024.

Inspecting A320ceo and A320neo wings

According to EASA, fatigue cracking might happen in the affected areas of the wings if an affected aircraft has the Sharklets installed. While all Airbus A320neo family aircraft come with modifications from the factory, some A320ceo family aircraft were built with wingtip fences. The manufacturer introduced the extended winglets in 2009, delivering the first Airbus A320 with Sharklets in 2012. The Sharklet retrofit program began in 2013.

“This condition, if not detected and corrected, could lead to crack initiation and propagation, possibly resulting in reduced structural integrity of the wings.”

Initially, Airbus issued an Airbus Alert Operator Transmission (AOT) A57N018-21, providing visual inspection instructions. Subsequently, EASA issued AD 2021-0256 in November 2021, requiring airlines to repeatedly conduct detailed visual inspections (DET) of the affected wing areas, according to the AD’s requirements.

However, since AD 2021-0256, new investigations revealed that the inspections have to be extended to all Airbus A320 models, including the A319neo, A320neo, and A321neo. In response, the European plane maker issued AOT A57N018-21 Revision (Rev.) 01 with the affected area's Structural Repair Manual (SRM) tasks. Still, EASA detailed that the previous SRM tasks needed to be more adequate for the A321neo specifically.

As a result, the European regulator issued the latest AD on January 25. Its effective date is February 8, 2024. EASA also defined Group 1 aircraft as those with a post-modification (MOD) and/or post-Service Bulletin (SB) configuration, meaning either a post-delivery Sharklet retrofit or aircraft that already had the winglet upon delivery. All other aircraft are considered to be Group 2.

SPCIFIC==Repairs For Russian And CIS Operated Airbus A320s & A320neos

The specific nose landing gear (NLG) repairs or replacement will have to be done on CIS-approved aircraft.

 

 

Inspections and corrective actions for potential cracks

For Group 1 aircraft, EASA has defined several thresholds, depending on the MOD and/or SBs used to fit Sharklets, to accomplish DETs of the affected areas. Airlines must contact Airbus before the jet’s next flight for approved repair instructions if any fatigue cracks are found. Inspections and corrective actions done before the effective date of the directive are accepted as compliant with the AD.

However, airlines still have to report the results of each DET of the affected areas of the wings to Airbus. Specific actions were defined for Airbus A321neo aircraft, with operators having to contact the manufacturer for approved repair instructions within five months of the directive's effective date.

furthermore, EASA has outlined additional future repair(s) requirements, compelling airlines to do post-repair inspections of the affected areas within the defined flight hour (FH) or flight cycle (FC) thresholds. If an airline wants to fit Sharklets to an aircraft with wingtip fences, the applicable actions of the directive will apply to the A320ceo family aircraft from the effective date of the AD.

[Specs]

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