Misaligned Rivets Found on Ruptured Southwest Jet

Older 737s to be inspected after Southwest crack

(NEWSER) - The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered emergency inspections of 80 older Boeing 737s similar to the Southwest plane that suddenly cracked open last week during a flight. The order covers aircraft built with a specific process in the '80s and '90s and those that have more than 30,000 flight cycles, ABC News reports. Some 78 of the jets in question belong to Southwest Airlines—which has carried out its own inspections—and two are being used by Alaska Airlines. More»

Meanwhile, airline grounds 79 planes, cancels hundreds of flights

(NEWSER) - Fatigue cracking has been found along the entire 5-foot section of a Southwest Airlines jet that ripped open on Friday, forcing an emergency landing in Arizona. The NTSB says that mechanics will cut a 9-foot by 3-foot section of the plane and send it to Washington, DC, for testing. Southwest has responded by grounding at least 79 planes, reports the AP; at least 300 flights were canceled yesterday. More»

'Pandemonium' erupts as 6-foot gash opens; no serious injuries

(NEWSER) - A Southwest Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing at a military base in Arizona after a gaping hole developed in the top of the plane. Passengers say they heard a "real quick blast, like a gun," which was followed by "pandemonium" as the Boeing 737 made a terrifying 36,000-foot descent, AP reports. A flight attendant and at least one passenger passed out and fell over as the plane lost cabin pressure, one passenger says. More»

(NEWSER) - Southwest Airlines' maintenance practices are coming under tight scrutiny after a football-sized hole opened in the top of a Boeing 737 midflight and forced an emergency landing, reports the Dallas Morning News. Nobody was injured, but the NTSB and FAA have launched probes and lawmakers are being briefed on the investigation. More»

Airbus faces series of setbacks at Paris Air Show

(NEWSER) - The world’s biggest air show begins today, but Airbus won't be showing off the gem of its fleet—the superjumbo A380 has been grounded after it collided with a taxiway building, damaging its wingtip. It’s just one of several Paris Air Show embarrassments for the Boeing rival, the AP reports: Airbus also canceled the demo of its A400M military transport plane due to a gearbox issue, and the company on Saturday announced that two versions of its A350 jet would be delayed two years. More»