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AA grounds the sp80 fleet....

alexe

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Just cancelled all sp80 flights for today....!!!

😱
 
As someone who flies the S80 all the time, I don't know what an sp80 is. Are those the former TW a/c?
 
Anyone know why the Super 80's were all grounded today? Please tell me the FAA had something better to do than use the millimeters edge on the ruler for another the tape is 1/8'' off again...
 
Anyone know why the Super 80's were all grounded today? Please tell me the FAA had something better to do than use the millimeters edge on the ruler for another the tape is 1/8'' off again...
Same as last time, and a big NO to the FAA having something better to do.
 
AMERICAN AIRLINES CANCELS FLIGHTS

TO INSPECT MD-80 FLEET AGAIN

TO ENSURE TECHNICAL COMPLIANCE WITH FAA DIRECTIVE


American Airlines is canceling several hundred flights today to conduct additional inspections of its MD-80 fleet to ensure precise and complete compliance with the Federal Aviation Administration's airworthiness directive related to the bundling of wires in the aircraft's wheel wells. These inspections – based on FAA audits – are related to detailed, technical compliance issues and not safety-of-flight issues.

"We've been working in good faith to ensure that we are in complete compliance with this airworthiness directive," said CEO Gerard Arpey. "We regret and apologize that we are once again causing inconvenience to our customers, but we will continue to work in good faith until we satisfy all of the technical issues related to this airworthiness directive."

It is not known at this time how many cancellations will result, but it could be as many as 500 today. Additional cancellations are likely tomorrow.

American will re-accommodate customers on other American flights or on flights operated by airlines in the same market. Customers may be automatically notified of flight changes; they should also check AA.com or with their travel agents for flight status.

The FAA raised additional concerns regarding the recent inspection of American's aircraft and the manner in which American followed the engineering change order (ECO) that had been written for the airworthiness directive related to the wiring in the MD-80s wheel wells. Specifically, some areas of concern included the spacing of the ties on the wiring bundle and the direction in which the retention clips and lacing cords were facing.

American has assigned teams of employees that include aviation maintenance technicians, quality assurance inspectors, and engineers to inspect the aircraft and ensure full compliance, as well as to make the necessary adjustments.

Any aircraft that does not completely comply with the detailed technical specifications of installation will be removed from service until all specifications have been met. Aircraft will return to service as they have been inspected and all necessary work completed.

Additionally, American has applied for and received FAA approvals of an alternative method of compliance (AMOC) for this airworthiness directive that has already been applied to the MD-80 fleet of other carriers.
 
Same as last time, and a big NO to the FAA having something better to do.

Christ almighty, if it isn't a safety of flight issue then there is no reason this couldn't be taken care of the next time the planes come in for a C-Check right? Why the hell do the need to ground the whole fleet over something, the FAA admits, doesn't affect the safety of the planes in the air?
 
Christ almighty, if it isn't a safety of flight issue then there is no reason this couldn't be taken care of the next time the planes come in for a C-Check right? Why the hell do the need to ground the whole fleet over something, the FAA admits, doesn't affect the safety of the planes in the air?

Well, there's more than one way, and obviously, more than one excuse, to save on fuel. Based on this savings, I'm betting someone will get a bonus for it.

Now I'm wondering how many pilots, flight attendants and baggage handlers will be sent home for a day or two . . . . without pay!
 
FAA has to try and repair its own image, which was dragged thru the muck last week by Congress.

It doesn't matter if this is deferrable or not. FAA has to appear to be busting heads, and customers will be the one to pay the price for their own inattention over the past decade.

Too bad it makes AA's mechanics look like idiots. They're far from it as far as their quality of work goes.
 
FAA has to try and repair its own image, which was dragged thru the muck last week by Congress.

It doesn't matter if this is deferrable or not. FAA has to appear to be busting heads, and customers will be the one to pay the price for their own inattention over the past decade.

Too bad it makes AA's mechanics look like idiots. They're far from it as far as their quality of work goes.


Spot on Eric. This is just stupid and unnecessary. And Wing is correct. Pilots and F/A's are going to lose pay through no fault of their own. Last time, the only way to ensure pay was to use vacation days. APFA says they are going to try and negotiate a solution and absent that might arbitrate it.
 
Well, there's more than one way, and obviously, more than one excuse, to save on fuel. Based on this savings, I'm betting someone will get a bonus for it.

Now I'm wondering how many pilots, flight attendants and baggage handlers will be sent home for a day or two . . . . without pay!

I sincerely doubt that the savings associated from grounding the fleet (fuel costs, flight crews, ground crews) would anywhere near make up for lost revenue combined with the additional expenses of rebooking passengers on other airlines at Y-Fares and disbursement of customer compensation (ticket, food, hotel vouchers combined with AAdvantage miles handed out in compensation). It probably represents millions of dollars in losses overall, for an operation that would have probably broken even without the disruptions.

I haven't even started to talk about the number of passengers (i.e. current and potential future customers) that will be aggravated to no end by these disruptions. Many might never fly AA again.
 
I wouldn't want to be at KORD or KDFW this evening.

Just got off the phone with a Y fare passenger at DFW (my best friend). Was scheduled DFW - OMA. Not so much anymore. Currently at the Hilton Garden Inn DFW.

Apparently there are not too many happy people over there.
 

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