Key facts
- Airbus and Leonardo are investigating a flaw in the protective primer of A321neo fuselage parts.
- The flaw was discovered when a technician found gaps in the primer underneath paint on a fuselage part.
- Around 500 A321neo jets are affected, including 250 in production.
- The primer is designed to prevent corrosion in the lowest point of a plane's fuselage.
- Airlines will have two years to repair the affected part, with work taking up to nine days.
- Aviation analyst Rob Morris stated that the supply chain is still not under control.
Airbus and its supplier Leonardo are investigating a quality issue affecting the protective primer on fuselage parts of approximately 500 A321neo jets. The flaw, discovered by an Airbus technician, involves gaps in the primer beneath paint on strengthening rods, known as stringers, in the forward fuselage. While Airbus confirmed the issue on Friday and stated that safety is unaffected, the problem raises concerns about quality controls within the aerospace supply chain.
Teams from Airbus and Leonardo are working at TESI, a Leonardo sub-contractor near Naples, to identify the cause of the problem. The primer is intended to prevent corrosion in the "bilge" area of the fuselage, where moisture can accumulate. Although not an immediate safety risk for new aircraft, this second fuselage glitch in less than a year could pressure Airbus's efforts to increase delivery rates and meet its targets.
Airbus has indicated that airlines continuing to take delivery of affected aircraft will be given a two-year window to complete repairs, a process expected to take up to nine days. This timeframe is less than some analysts had feared, as the parts will not require removal from the fuselage panel. Aviation analyst Rob Morris commented that the incident highlights ongoing issues with supply chain control, where a single company's problem can create widespread disruption.