NZ grounds planes due to cracks (regional - Eagle air)

[markis10]

Air New Zealand has grounded a fleet of 18 aircraft after hairline cracks were found on a plane's tail area during a routine maintenance inspection.
Engineers inspecting the Beech 1900Ds, which were operated by subsidiary Eagle Air, have already examined four aircraft and found three were affected.
Eagle Air general manager Carrie Hurihanganui said Eagle Air services were cancelled this afternoon as a precautionary measure and alternative arrangements would be made for the about 800 customers affected.

Read more: Air New Zealand grounds planes over cracks in tail
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[Major]

Are there any of these aircraft in Australian fleets ?

 

[Mal]

Weren't they grounded about a year ago for similar reasons?

Sent from my GT-I9100 using AustFreqFly

 

[markis10]

Are there any of these aircraft in Australian fleets ?

Yes there are quite a few including the QLD police, Vincent Aviation, Air Link in Dubbo, Air South in SA :

CASA Search -- CASA Aircraft Register

They have always been a strange aircraft that gives the impression the designers just kept throwing little appendages on it until it worked in the wind tunnel!

 

[Major]

That looks like the aircraft I flew from AKL to Rotorua on a few years ago

 

[serfty]

Reports from NZ indicate of the first four they checked they found cracks in three.

Posted on a wing and a prayer ...

 

[Mal]

That looks like the aircraft I flew from AKL to Rotorua on a few years ago

Yep quite likely. That's what I was on when I did AKL-ROT a few years ago as well.

(BTW - My reference earlier to a previous grounding for the same reason is incorrect. I was actually thinking of the ATR grounding in March this year).

 

[serfty]

Reports from NZ indicate of the first four they checked they found cracks in three.

Posted on a wing and a prayer ...

Air NZ grounds Eagle Air fleet - National - NZ Herald News

Air New Zealand has grounded its fleet of Beech 1900D aircraft after hairline cracks were found in the tail area of one during routine maintenance work.

Engineers are inspecting the fleet of 18 aircraft, which are operated by Eagle Air. Inspections have been completed on four aircraft, three are affected.

The Beech aircraft have been in service with Eagle Air since October 2001. The 19-seat aircraft operate to 20 destinations around New Zealand.

Eagle Air General Manager Carrie Hurihanganui said Eagle Air services were cancelled this afternoon as a precautionary measure and alternative arrangements would be made for about 800 affected customers.

Eagle Air will use other aircraft from the Air New Zealand fleet instead.

"We apologise to customers for the inevitable inconvenience caused by undertaking a full check of our fleet. However, the safety of our customers, our staff and our aircraft is paramount and non-negotiable for the airline," said Ms Hurihanganui.

Customers travelling with Eagle Air are advised to check flight arrivals and departures on Air New Zealand's website for latest schedules.

A further update will be made this evening.

- APNZ

 

[pauly7]

They have always been a strange aircraft that gives the impression the designers just kept throwing little appendages on it until it worked in the wind tunnel!

View attachment 8794

Only a mother could love em just like the old humpback whale ATRs lumbering past CBR, I kinda like seeing them rumble past.

 

[sail0r]

Eagle Air fleet being inspected Tuesday, 7 August 2012, 4:32 pm Press Release: AirNZ

[TABLE="class: story-top"]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 2"]Eagle Air fleet being inspected

Tuesday, 7 August 2012, 4:32 pm
Press Release: Air New Zealand[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Media release
7 August 2012
Eagle Air fleet being inspected
Air New Zealand is inspecting its fleet of Beech 1900D aircraft after hairline cracks were found in the tail area of an aircraft during routine maintenance inspection.
Aircraft engineers are currently inspecting the Beech 1900D fleet of 18 aircraft, which are operated by Eagle Air. Inspections have already been completed on four aircraft, three have been found to be affected.
The Beech 1900D aircraft have been in service with Eagle Air since October 2001 and have an average age of 10.5 years. The 19-seat aircraft operate to 20 destinations around New Zealand.
Eagle Air General Manager Carrie Hurihanganui said Eagle Air services have been cancelled this afternoon as a precautionary measure whilst checks across the Beech fleet are undertaken, and alternative arrangements would be made for the approximately 800 affected customers.
Eagle Air will utilise other aircraft from across the Air New Zealand fleet to assist with moving affected customers.



“We apologise to customers for the inevitable inconvenience caused by undertaking a full check of our fleet. However, the safety of our customers, our staff and our aircraft is paramount and non-negotiable for the airline.”
Customers travelling with Eagle Air are advised to check flight arrivals and departures on Air New Zealand’s website www.airnewzealand.co.nz for the most up to date schedules.
A further update will be made late this evening around 2100.
Ends


sail0r writes:
3 from 4 inspected so far are affected :shock:

 

[sail0r]

Press Release: update 2, can change if booked before 14.8.12

[TABLE="class: story-top"]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 2"]Eagle Air Beech Fleet – Update 2

Wednesday, 8 August 2012, 8:15 am
Press Release: Air New Zealand[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Media release
7 August 2012
Eagle Air Beech Fleet – Update 2
Eagle Air will resume operation this morning following the completion of a precautionary fleet inspection yesterday evening.
Air New Zealand elected to cancel Eagle Air services this afternoon after a small hairline crack was found in the tail area of an aircraft undergoing routine maintenance.
“We sincerely apologise to our customers for the inconvenience, however, safety is paramount and non-negotiable and we have deliberately chosen to take the conservative approach of completing a one-off inspection of the whole fleet,” says Eagle Air General Manager Carrie Hurihanganui.
The airline will tomorrow operate services using four aircraft that have been inspected and fully cleared to return to service after meeting all operational standards. Eagle Air will consult with the aircraft manufacturer to seek advice about any further maintenance work that may be required on the remainder of the fleet.



Other aircraft from across the Air New Zealand fleet will support Eagle Air tomorrow in order to minimise disruption. It’s estimated that around 1,000 Eagle Air passengers may be inconvenienced by unavoidable schedule changes. Customers whose flights have been cancelled will be contacted where possible and alternative arrangements made free of any change fees.
Passengers booked to travel on Eagle Air flights (NZ2000 series flight numbers) up to and including Tuesday 14 August can choose to switch to another Air New Zealand flight on the same route, apply the fare to another destination, or choose to have the fare held in credit. A full refund is available where none of these options meets the customer’s needs.
Customers are also advised to check flight arrivals and departures on Air New Zealand’s website Cheap Flights, Airfares & Holidays - Air*New*Zealand Official Site - Australia Site for the most up to date schedules.

ends

source Scoop.co.nz

 

[sail0r]

Eagle Air Beech Fleet - Update 3 confident of moving 2/3 of those booked today

[h=1]Eagle Air Beech Fleet - Update 3[/h]
[h=2]Media Centre[/h]

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8 August 2012
Eagle Air is confident of moving two thirds of passengers booked to travel today close to their scheduled times.

Four Eagle Air Beech 1900D have been fully cleared and returned to service following a precautionary fleet inspection yesterday.
“By utilising other aircraft across the Air New Zealand fleet we’re able to fly approximately 1000 of our customers to and from their destinations today,” says Eagle Air General Manager Carrie Hurihanganui.
“We are also providing air services into nearly all of the 20 airports around the country that we normally operate into, excepting Masterton, Kaitaia and Wanaka which are being covered by road transport. We regret the inconvenience caused to customers in these three regions.
“We sincerely apologise to all customers affected by unavoidable schedule changes, however, safety is paramount and non-negotiable,” she says.
The airline is consulting with the aircraft manufacturer to seek advice about any further maintenance work that may be required to on the remainder of the fleet.
Passengers booked to travel on Eagle Air flights (NZ2000 series flight numbers) up to and including Tuesday 14 August can choose to switch to another Air New Zealand flight on the same route, apply the fare to another destination, or choose to have the fare held in credit. A full refund is available where none of these options meets the customer’s needs.
Customers are also advised to check flight arrivals and departures on Air New Zealand’s websitewww.airnewzealand.co.nz for the most up to date schedules.

Ends
Issued by Air New Zealand Public Affairs ph +64 21 747 320

 

[sail0r]

Re: Eagle Air Beech Fleet - Update 3 confident of moving 2/3 of those booked today

4 have been cleared to fly, out of a fleet of 18 that has been inspected. That is a high failure rate in my book.

 

[sail0r]

looks like they were grounded around 4 years ago, when there were 17 in the fleet after one did a silky smooth belly landing after a problem with landing gear actuator (or similar). Cool video on YouTube.

 

[sail0r]

Eagle Air still in dark over fixing cracked aircraft | The National Business Review

"Eagle are still awaiting advice on how to fix hairline cracks discovered in fourteen Beechcraft 1900 aircraft, two days after they were grounded. The cracks, found near the top of the vertical stabiliser, "

(originally found, via google, at 3rd Level New Zealand )

AirNZ have not updated their site or press release, so I have emailed them direct, as I have Beech1900D flight later this month