European Regulator Recommends A380 Wing Inspections

Airlines flying some of the oldest Airbus A380s would have to inspect those aircraft's wings for cracks, according to a proposed airworthiness directive released last week by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

Some such cracks have already been reported by airlines, and they could cause structural issues if not addressed, according to EASA.

The airworthiness directive, if approved, would affect only the 25 oldest A380s. It would allow airlines to conduct the inspections and repairs during regular heavy maintenance, so long as they are carried out within 15 years of the wing's original manufacture date.

The Airbus A380 will soon be out of production, but it's still flying for a number of airlines around the world. Emirates, Singapore, Qantas, Air France, Lufthansa and HiFly will all be affected if EASA's airworthiness directive goes into effect, according to data from airfleets.net.