Duct tape on a plane initially thought to be holding its wing together has been revealed as having a far less questionable purpose.
The seemingly widespread issue has been played down by Boeing, which has since made attempts to alleviate concerns of travelers about the tape suggesting issues with structural integrity, as seen for example by airlines Kenya Airways B787 Dreamliner.
@KenyaAirways @boeing Please confirm that this aircraft is safe for operation? This has been like this since June 2022, when I took a flight to SA with the same equipment. Today is 21 October, nothing has changed though this worries me about the KQ maintenance regime. pic.twitter.com/ra148Oy0nJ
— Phillip A. Stander (@phillipstan) October 22, 2022
Boeing said on Monday that it recommends using… adhesive tape on the affected areas.
“Even if the use of tape has no effect on aircraft safety, the public may not be reassured by seeing tape on the wing surfaces,” said the American manufacturer in its request to the FAA as reported by Reuters.
According to the manufacturer, several paint peelings on the wings and horizontal stabilizers of its 787 Dreamliner aircraft are linked to exposure to ultraviolet rays.
Boeing therefore asked the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) – the body in charge of regulations for civil aviation in the United States – to approve a plan to solve this problem.
Another recommendation from Boeing, that of a coat of black paint blocking certain ultraviolet rays on the wings. The FAA said for its part that it would examine “carefully” these requests.
Paint problems have become an issue for manufacturers
The announcement is the most recent evidence of exterior problems on the latest carbon-composite jets as plane manufacturer Airbus has also been struck by paint peeling issues with its A350 aircraft, having faced legal action from Qatar Airways.
European airplane manufacturer faces a $2 billion London court battle with Qatar Airways over the deteriorating surface of its competing A350.
However, Qatar Airways’ complaint has since been dismissed by European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) which responded saying the paint issue didn’t affect the structure of the aircraft or introduce other risks.
