Older Piper planes will get new wing inspections, or new wings entirely

The US aviation regulator is extending the comment period for new rules that would require owners of certain Piper airplanes to inspect their main wing spars for cracks. Owners would also have to replace or modify these wing spars at a specific time, based on how much the plane has been flown.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) wants to update how older Piper planes are maintained. This means owners of these planes will face new costs for inspections and potential repairs or replacements. The goal is to prevent wing failures, which have led to accidents in the past.