Airbus Identifies ‘Cracking Behavior’ in A400M Military Aircraft
- Issue involves an aluminum alloy material, planemaker says
- While inspections are needed, flight safety isn’t at stake
An Airbus A400M military aircraft operated by the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) stands on display at the Singapore Airshow.
Photographer: SeongJoon Cho/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Airbus Group SE disclosed a cracking issue in its A400M military transport aircraft Friday and said its government customers must inspect the planes and make fixes if necessary. The issue doesn’t impact flight safety, the European planemaker said.
The issue was first identified in 2011 in tests before the plane went into service, Airbus said in an e-mailed statement. The company has agreed with the European Air Safety Agency and A400M customers on solutions that are currently being implemented.