Aircraft

FAA to meet with American on lightning strike procedures

By Mary Kirby

A decision last year by American Airlines to revise procedures for mechanics to inspect aircraft involved in suspected lightning strikes has garnered the attention of the US FAA, which plans to meet with the carrier about the issue.

At this time, however, no formal investigation has been launched by the agency.

Questions have been raised by some American mechanics about the adequacy of the airline’s revised procedures, confirms a FAA spokesman. Additionally, he says, there are two pilot reports in the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) database on the same subject. A program designed by the FAA, ASAP encourages voluntary reporting of safety issues at airlines and maintenance centres.

Citing internal company and agency documents, the Wall Street Journal reports that American ordered mechanics to start skipping certain safety inspections to detect damage to aircraft from suspected lightning strikes.

"We have certification regulations that say an aircraft has to be able to withstand a lightning strike and continue safely. The airlines are required to have procedures in their maintenance programmes to do inspections after a lightning strike and other abnormal occurrences," says the FAA spokesman.

He notes, however, that there "is no investigation yet". A meeting with American safety personnel will occur soon. "It has been brought to our attention so we’re going to talk to them about it," he says.

American in a statement says: "We understand that one of our line maintenance managers, at a lower level, will meet with the FAA soon to discuss this.

"The FAA had some issues with a portion of the language on our lightning inspection work card last year, and we remedied those issues soon after."