Airbus to cut A380 production rate by 15% to deal with wing bracket cracking

Airbus reportedly intends to reduce A380 production rates from 2.7 aircraft per month to 2.3 aircraft per month, due to the need to make modifications to A380 wings to deal with the issue of micro cracks appearing in wing brackets and fasteners, as reported by La Tribune. The changes will be performed at the A380 wing production facility in Broughton, UK, instead of the A380 final assembly line in Toulouse, France. Airbus estimated late last year the modification will cost approximately EUR105 million. Production will be affected for up to eight months. Airbus still expects to deliver around 30 A380s in 2012, up from the 26 delivered in 2011. The manufacturer has delivered four A380s for the year to Mar-2012.