Rajesh Kumar Singh Singh, Tim Hepher

PARIS/CHICAGO, (Reuters) – European regulators issued a warning about the possibility that lightning protection patches may have been incorrectly installed on more than a dozen Airbus A350 aircraft. Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines (NYSE 🙂 joined a group of airlines facing “paint problems”.

This proposed safety warning is the first to be issued by regulators in the midst of a rising commercial and industrial headache about flaws found on Airbus’ jets.

EASA, European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), proposed an airworthiness Directive that Expanded Foil may have not been properly applied to the wing covers on 13 aircraft. The ECF is designed for safely disperse lightning strike and was intended to be used in safety.

EASA stated that if a combination of factors is present, including an adjoining fastener being installed incorrectly, then fuel vapour ignition and subsequent loss of the jet could occur.

Although the proposed directive requires gradual inspections, repairs and enforcement of a Bulletin from Airbus to enforce inspections, it does not require any planes be grounded.

Airbus spokeswoman said that the draft directive was a normal part of continuing airworthiness processes.

Airbus and Qatar Airways are locked in an A350 dispute over what Airbus calls a “surface painting” issue. The airline refers to problems that occur under the paint and affect the composite shell and ECF.

EASA claims it did not find any evidence that there was an airworthiness issue, but Qatar Airways insists this is yet to be proved. According to its regulator, it has ground 20 of 53 A350s because of skin damage.

The row widened last week when documents seen by Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/airbus-a350-insight-idTRNIKBN2IE0TB revealed that at least five other airlines had complained about paint or ECF flaws since late 2016. Airbus had previously suggested that the Qatar Airways issue was isolated.

DELTA TALKS

Industry sources claim that Delta has now discovered problems with at least one plane.

Delta refused to discuss specific jets, but admitted that the company had only experienced limited problems with one of its aircraft.

A spokesperson for Airbus stated, “We have not experienced any significant painting issues on our A350 airplanes,” and that they were in discussion with Airbus about the matter.

Airbus representatives stated that they understand the root cause and are working closely with customers to improve the product.

According to the documents reviewed by Reuters. Manufacturing issues first surfaced internally in 2019, when Finnair engineers advised Airbus that ECF protection was being detached from A350 wingtips because of missing resin.

Airbus confirmed last week the Finnair manufacturing accident and stated that it was an isolated production problem that has been solved. According to Reuters, Airbus confirmed that the Lightning Protection was being modified.

The “production quality problems” that were reported on the 13 jets included in EASA’s draft directive are not yet known.

According to Airbus data, and the online database Airfleets, the 13 A350s that were built between 2016-2020 represent 3% of all the aircraft. However, 10 airlines, or 28%, currently fly the long-haul jet.