Air New Zealand Boeing 737-300 ZK-FRE (which is no longer with the carrier) at Auckland airport in 2009. Photograph: AirSpace user FlyPHANUK
All 15 of Air New Zealand's Boeing 737-300 aircraft will require fatigue crack inspections since the aircraft have line numbers in the affected series (2553-3132) identified by Boeing as being at risk for fatigue cracking based on different lap-joint designs in the manufacturing process.
Flightglobal's ACAS database shows one aircraft in the carrier's 737 fleet has slightly exceeded 35,000 cycles, meaning that under the FAA's airworthiness directive it will need to be inspected within five days of receiving the directive. The Southwest aircraft that formed a five foot long fatigue crack over the weekend had accumulated 39,781 cycles, the FAA says.
Three additional 737-300s have accumulated 30-35,000 cycles, which under the directive require inspection within 20 days.
The remaining 11 aircraft will need to be inspected the sooner of 20 days from receiving the directive or before the aircraft reach 30,000 cycles.
Air NZ's fleet has averaged approximately 5.6 flights a day, according to calculations from ACAS data.
The FAA's prescribed inspection regime consists of inspections of the lap joint at stringers S-4R and S-4L, along the entire length from body station (BS) 360 to BS 908. Any cracks found will require an eddy current inspection or repair, the FAA says.
NZ 737 operator Jetconnect is not affected. Air NZ does not expect any service disruptions resulting from the inspections.
All 15 of Air New Zealand's Boeing 737-300 aircraft will require fatigue crack inspections since the aircraft have line numbers in the affected series (2553-3132) identified by Boeing as being at risk for fatigue cracking based on different lap-joint designs in the manufacturing process.
Flightglobal's ACAS database shows one aircraft in the carrier's 737 fleet has slightly exceeded 35,000 cycles, meaning that under the FAA's airworthiness directive it will need to be inspected within five days of receiving the directive. The Southwest aircraft that formed a five foot long fatigue crack over the weekend had accumulated 39,781 cycles, the FAA says.
Three additional 737-300s have accumulated 30-35,000 cycles, which under the directive require inspection within 20 days.
The remaining 11 aircraft will need to be inspected the sooner of 20 days from receiving the directive or before the aircraft reach 30,000 cycles.
Air NZ's fleet has averaged approximately 5.6 flights a day, according to calculations from ACAS data.
The FAA's prescribed inspection regime consists of inspections of the lap joint at stringers S-4R and S-4L, along the entire length from body station (BS) 360 to BS 908. Any cracks found will require an eddy current inspection or repair, the FAA says.
NZ 737 operator Jetconnect is not affected. Air NZ does not expect any service disruptions resulting from the inspections.
Leave a comment