CEO of Ryanair Michael O’ Leary in front of one of his company’s Boeing 737-800 NGs aircraft after delivery of the first of 180 new 737-800 NGs in September, 2014

This afternoon.

Via RTÉ:

Ryanair has confirmed that some 737NG planes have been taken out of service due to cracks, a problem that has grounded dozens of the jets globally.

In a statement to RTÉ News, Ryanair said Boeing is carrying out repairs on behalf of the airline after an inspection of more than 70 of its oldest aircraft in full compliance with the Airworthiness Directive.

But the carrier dismissed reports [see below] that some of its Boeing 737NGs have been affected by the ‘pickle fork’ issue. Pickle forks are components that attach the wings and the aircraft’s body.

Ryanair confirms some 737 planes being repaired for crack (RTÉ)

Earlier…

At least three Ryanair Boeing 737s have been grounded due to cracks between the wing and fuselage but this was not disclosed to the public, the Guardian can reveal.

The budget Irish airline is the latest to be affected by faults in the “pickle fork” structure, which has sparked an urgent grounding of 50 planes globally since 3 October.

Boeing 737 cracks: Ryanair grounds three planes due to cracking between wing and fuselage (The Guardian)

Rollingnews

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15 thoughts on “The Crack-Up

    1. martco

      no NG are the standard issue b737 been operating since the mid 90’s

      MAX (or whatever codology name they eventually settle into in a very weak attempt to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes) is when you take the existing NG, squeeze in some more seats, slap on bigger engines & add some extra resultant instability spice which has to be then corrected…not directly by the pilot but by handing responsibility for it over to two already implemented separate lumps of control software STS (Speed Trim System) & MCAS (Manouvering Characteristics Augmentation System) which sometimes have a disagreement over what to do about the planes instability keep arguing with earth other (and the pilot) and ensure the plane takes a nosedive back to earth killing everyone onboard. Why? well many opinions exist but the main theory is Boeing saved a load of money & time in bodging an existing happy product rather than make a new product.

      now look at them. dead people, lies & a product line that should have ended them already but won’t because, shareholders.

      1. Pip

        Outstanding, Martco.
        Automation has generally made things a lot safer up there, but when it either knocks off or takes complete and hidden control (in the case of MCAS) the pilots can so easily end up holding the shi**y end of the stick. Didn’t see that pun coming.
        New pilot “What’s it doing now?” Experienced pilot “It’s doing it again!”
        PS Air France 447 has nowt to do with any of this, before anyone gets excited.

  1. Paulus

    One of these cracks was measured as being 89mm.
    If it gets any worse…the crack will be ninety!

    I’ll get my flying jacket.

  2. Increasing Displacement

    Non news really
    Why do they need to disclose to public? Do the public own them?

    In 1994 I was in Team Aer Lingus and they were patching cracks on fuselage of Airbus Aircraft

    1. Niallo

      Yep, a british midlands 727 once rocked up to the apron with a big section of external fuselage skin missing…
      Local maintenance lads patched it with regular aluminium sheeting fixed in place with pop rivets, then liberally coated in halfords diamond white from rattle cans.
      …bon voyage !

    2. Rob_G

      You know, I never thought that BS heads would be so knowledgeable on the subject of aircraft maintenance; every day is a school day.

  3. dav

    Very strange that it wasn’t mentioned on yesterdays’ morning news, especially since The Guardian had it up 1st thing.

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