Older Airbus cargo planes need more frequent inspections for cracks

The US aviation regulator is tightening inspection rules for certain Airbus cargo and transport planes. Operators must now perform repetitive inspections of a specific part of the horizontal stabilizer, following new European safety guidelines.

This change means operators of these older Airbus planes will face higher maintenance costs and more downtime. The FAA is responding to new reports of cracking, indicating that the previous inspection schedule was not sufficient to catch problems. This is a common pattern: as aircraft age, regulators often increase inspection frequency or introduce new checks to maintain safety.