Samwise Aeronautical Mechanics
Monday, June 29, 2026
EASA Issues Emergency Directive Ordering Inspection of Wing Mid-Spars on 16 Airbus A380s
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency issued an emergency airworthiness directive effective June 24 requiring operators to inspect wing mid-spars on 16 Airbus A380s—15 operated by Emirates and one by Qantas. Regulators determined that cracks identified during earlier inspections could reduce the structural integrity of the wing. Five Emirates aircraft must complete inspections before their next passenger flight, while the remaining 11 must be inspected within 25 flight cycles. Operators must report results to Airbus within seven days regardless of findings. The hydrogen embrittlement phenomenon, first identified three years ago in A380s stored for extended periods, is the confirmed cause of accelerated crack development in affected wing spars.
Sources: Aviation Week / FlightGlobal Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
FAA Orders Inspections of PW210 Turboshaft Engines on Sikorsky S-76D and Leonardo AW169 Helicopters
The Federal Aviation Administration released an airworthiness directive on June 26 requiring operators of Pratt & Whitney Canada PW210-powered helicopters to inspect turbine exhaust frames for circumferential cracks. The AD covers PW210A engines on Leonardo AW169s and PW210S turboshafts on Sikorsky S-76Ds, affecting 48 turbines on U.S.-registered aircraft. Manufacturer investigation traced cracks to thermal stress from engine starts acting on exhaust frame walls thinner than the minimum required specification. Engines exceeding 7,000 cycles must be inspected within 5 flight hours or 20 engine starts. The AD takes effect July 14. Canada issued a similar emergency order in June for the same defect.
Sources: FlightGlobal Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury Reaffirms 2030 Launch Plan for A320 Successor Program
Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury confirmed in an Aviation Week interview published June 25 that the company will launch its A320 successor—internally called eAction—in 2030, with entry into service expected in 2037 or 2038. Faury said Airbus plans to select an engine partner in 2027 and aims to offer airlines a choice of two engine options. Demand for the aircraft is expected to remain strong at entry into service despite the substantial backlog of current A320-family orders. Faury welcomed signals that Boeing’s competing program may face delays, noting that Airbus is “really serious” about delivering the successor on schedule.
Sources: Aviation Week Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Airbus and Safran Sign Agreement to Acquire Tikehau Capital’s Stake in Metal Supplier Aubert & Duval
Airbus and Safran signed a binding agreement on June 25 to acquire Tikehau Capital’s aerospace and defence fund stake in Aubert & Duval, securing majority control of the French metals specialist. The two aerospace groups will divide Tikehau’s share equally between them, subject to regulatory approval. Aubert & Duval produces titanium, aluminium, and steel alloys along with forgings and additive-manufacturing powders used in aircraft landing gear, bulkheads, door frames, slat tracks, engine pylons, and wing mounts. The company employs 3,700 workers—mostly in France—and generates approximately €550 million in annual revenues. The move consolidates aerospace industry control over a supplier of critical structural and propulsion components.
Sources: Airbus / Aviation Week Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Beta Technologies and Surf Air Begin Electric Aircraft Flight Trials on Hawaii Routes
Beta Technologies and regional airline Surf Air launched demonstration flights of the Beta Alia CX300 electric aircraft in Hawaii on June 25, validating operations, charging infrastructure, and environmental readiness on island routes. The aircraft, registered N401NZ and carrying Surf Air branding, flew Hawaii routes in a series of trials. Surf Air ordered Beta’s Alia aircraft in March 2026 for planned commercial Hawaii service. Beta Technologies has accumulated more than 100,000 nautical miles of test flying, and certification of the electric propulsion system is anticipated in the first half of 2026. The Hawaii trials represent a real-world validation milestone for short-range electric aviation.
Sources: Aviation International News Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Leeham News Series Examines Fiberglass as Aircraft Structural Material in Seventh Installment
Leeham News published the seventh installment of Bjorn Fehrm’s Aircraft Structures series on June 26, covering fiberglass—glass-fibre-reinforced polymer—as an aircraft structural material. Fiberglass delivers acceptable tensile strength at substantially lower cost than carbon-fibre composites, making it practical for secondary airframe elements, fairings, and radomes where aerodynamic form matters more than peak stiffness. The installment addresses key trade-offs in material selection: glass fibre’s inferior stiffness-to-weight ratio compared to carbon fibre, offset by its lower material cost and more accessible repair procedures. The series, which covered carbon-fibre composites in Part 6, continues to examine how designers apply different material families to specific structural roles across modern commercial and military aircraft.
Sources: Leeham News Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
BAE Systems to Begin Fuselage Final Assembly for UK’s Sixth-Generation Combat Air Demonstrator
BAE Systems will begin fuselage final assembly for the UK’s Future Combat Air Demonstrator, marking the first time BAE has assembled a UK-only combat aircraft in 40 years. Around 75 percent of the demonstrator’s volume has been manufactured, with major structural sections in production for 12 to 18 months. The crewed, supersonic platform features low-observable design, an internal weapons bay, and composite skins described as among the largest carbon-fibre structures BAE has produced. The fuselage will travel to Warton for mating with wings and vertical stabilizers ahead of a planned 2027 rollout. The demonstrator supports the Global Combat Air Programme between the UK, Italy, and Japan.
Sources: FlightGlobal / Aviation Week Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
IATA Study Calls for Urgent Action to Ease Engine MRO Bottlenecks Disrupting Airlines
The International Air Transport Association, with research firm Emerton, released a study on June 24 identifying engine maintenance, repair, and overhaul bottlenecks as a major operational disruption for airlines. Demand for shop visits on LEAP engines from CFM and Geared Turbofan engines from Pratt & Whitney is forecast to reach up to 2,000 and 1,800 per year respectively by 2030. IATA identified four recommended actions: increase parts availability through approved repair solutions and used serviceable material; ensure fair independent MRO market access; secure long-term predictable spare-parts pricing; and adopt OEM best practices for competitive aftermarket access. Engine durability problems, spare-parts shortages, and limited spare-engine availability are cited as primary drivers.
Sources: IATA / Aviation Week Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Curated by JD · samwise.agency