Bloomberg reported on problems with the world's largest aircraft, Airbus.

The world's largest commercial passenger jet, the Airbus SE A380, whose popularity soared amid the resumption of air travel after the COVID-19 pandemic , has once again encountered problems, this time due to its age, Bloomberg reports. Maintaining the aging super-large aircraft is becoming increasingly costly for airlines.

The Airbus SE A380 made its maiden flight in 2005. Two decades later, regulators are increasingly issuing airworthiness directives mandating inspections or replacement of aircraft parts, Bloomberg reports. Some of these are routine, such as requiring timely equipment inspections, while others are more serious.

An Airworthiness Directive (AD) is a mandatory document issued by aviation authorities, such as the FAA or EASA, to correct an unsafe condition in an aircraft, engine, propeller, or other equipment. In other words, it's a legally binding rule that requires specific actions to be taken on an aircraft to correct a problem that could jeopardize flight safety.

Bloomberg cites outdated emergency escape slides and broken landing gear axles as problems faced by airlines operating the Airbus SE A380. Since January 2020, carriers have received 95 airworthiness directives for the Airbus SE A380. In terms of the number of directives issued, the largest aircraft has issued approximately twice as many as competitor Boeing's aircraft over the same period.

Bloomberg notes that airlines are forced to continue operating the Airbus SE A380 due to a shortage of new aircraft. In its youth, the Airbus SE A380 was a triumph of international cooperation: 1,500 companies worldwide produced its parts. Now, in its advanced years, the aircraft's complex design has become a challenge for disparate supply chains.

Given that the Airbus SE A380 can carry approximately 500 passengers, flight delays caused by technical issues can not only be costly for airlines but also create a host of disruptions to flight schedules. According to aircraft repair company Lufthansa Technik, a comprehensive inspection of such a large aircraft can require 60,000 man-hours.

Airbus stated that the A380 "continues to operate scheduled flights with a high level of operational reliability, reaching 99% for the entire global fleet over the past 12 months." Airbus is committed to providing customers with comprehensive technical support to optimize the performance of their A380 fleets, and this will continue for as long as the aircraft remains in service, the company noted.

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