NICHOLAS IONIDES / SINGAPORE
Five PIA aircraft remain grounded for structural repairs following corrosion discovery
Airbus has issued an all-operators advisory calling for checks on the worldwide fleet of 146 A300B series aircraft for rear pressure bulkhead corrosion. The advisory follows structural inspections by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on its nine ageing Airbus A300s after a sudden depressurisation incident on 25 May.
PIA grounded five of the A300 fleet after structural weaknesses were discovered, and says that a five-member team from Airbus is investigating the incident. The20-year-old aircraft (AP-BBV), carrying more than 200 passengers and crew, was operating as flight PK305 from Lahore to Karachi when its cabin depressurised at 28,000ft (8,540m), forcing it to return to Lahore. PIA says it grounded the A300B4-200s following inspections which uncovered the structural problems.
An investigation is continuing, but initial findings indicate that the pressure bulkhead failure was due to unnoticed corrosion caused by its proximity to a lavatory.
Inspections on PIA's eight other A300B4s found similar problems in four aircraft and the carrier says it has been working with Airbus on a "comprehensive process of checks, repairs and modifications", adding: "PIA has ordered the requisite spare parts for replacement on four of its grounded A300s."
Work on the four aircraft is being carried out in Lahore and is expected to take up to two weeks to complete, although repairs to the first were due for completion by 17 June.
"Extensive work" on the aircraft involved in the incident, however, "could take up to two to three months", according to PIA. It is due to be ferried to Karachi for further repairs and modifications.
Source: Flight International
