Aircraft
EASA Poised To Settle on A380 Fix
Airbus expects to conclude talks soon with EASA over a permanent fix for cracked rib feet in A380 wings.
Airbus still expects to deliver 30 A380s this year. (Photo: Airbus)
Airbus still expects to deliver 30 A380s this year. (Photo: Airbus)

Airbus and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) have reached the final stage of consultation over a final fix for both retrofit and so-called forward fit of replacement wing rib feet for the A380 following discoveries of cracks in a relatively small number of the parts by several operators. If all goes as expected, the discussions with the EASA will end within days, according to head of A380 product marketing Richard Carcaillet, ahead of retrofit certification some time in the third or fourth quarter and deliveries of the first retrofit kits during next year’s first quarter. However, Airbus expects to deliver 119 A380s before it rolls out the first airplane built with new wing rib feet installed during the normal course of production and under a “slightly adapted” manufacturing process in the first quarter of 2014.

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