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FAA Proposes A220 Fuel Line Checks For Delta, JetBlue, Breeze Jets
Confirmed
In Short: The Federal Aviation Administration has proposed a new directive to check a fuel hose on certain A220 aircraft operated by Delta, JetBlue, and Breeze.
The A220 family of aircraft has faced reliability issues, with the type spending much of the past two years dealing with engine troubles that grounded a significant portion of the fleet.
Delta operates more than 80 of these aircraft and is adding more to its fleet, while JetBlue flies around 60, and Breeze has built much of its route map on the A220, making the US the busiest A220 market globally.
The FAA has proposed a new directive to check a fuel hose on certain A220-100 and A220-300 aircraft, targeting 13 US-registered Airbus A220s.
The target is the motive-flow flexible fuel hose, which helps move fuel inside the wing. Electrical harness connectors run nearby, so a chafed line that weeps fuel could introduce an ignition source.
The directive focuses on a flexible fuel hose inside the wing that may twist and chafe against itself, potentially near electrical connectors, according to reports.
Airlines like Delta, JetBlue, and Breeze operate hundreds of A220s, but only specific tail numbers with the affected part are impacted, meaning minimal impact on fares or availability.
Unlike past engine-related groundings that cost millions and grounded dozens of jets, this new directive is of lower cost and narrower scope, ensuring a minimal impact on operations and passenger experience.
What's confirmed
- The A220 family of aircraft has faced reliability issues, with the type spending much of the past two years dealing with engine troubles that grounded a significant portion of the fleet.
- Delta operates more than 80 of these aircraft and is adding more to its fleet, while JetBlue flies around 60, and Breeze has built much of its route map on the A220, making the US the busiest A220 market globally.
- The FAA has proposed a new directive to check a fuel hose on certain A220-100 and A220-300 aircraft, targeting 13 US-registered Airbus A220s.
- The target is the motive-flow flexible fuel hose, which helps move fuel inside the wing. Electrical harness connectors run nearby, so a chafed line that weeps fuel could introduce an ignition source.
- The directive focuses on a flexible fuel hose inside the wing that may twist and chafe against itself, potentially near electrical connectors, according to reports.
- Airlines like Delta, JetBlue, and Breeze operate hundreds of A220s, but only specific tail numbers with the affected part are impacted, meaning minimal impact on fares or availability.
- Unlike past engine-related groundings that cost millions and grounded dozens of jets, this new directive is of lower cost and narrower scope, ensuring a minimal impact on operations and passenger experience.
What's still developing
- Landing A220 Courtesy of Delta Air Lines (Photo by Chris Rank/Rank Studios 2018) The A220 Cannot Catch A Break Last year I wrote about the A220 family engine troubles grounding a big share of the fleet, and the type has spent much of the past two years living down a reputation for reliability problems it did not entirely earn.
- This time it is a fuel line, and the fix is less serious than other air worthiness directives.