FAA Orders Checks of Airbus Rudders

The FAA has ordered American Airlines and Federal Express to inspect their 112 Airbus A300s and A310s after a Canadian airliner lost its rudder on a flight from Cuba earlier this month. (Reported to you here on 14 March! - ed note)

The tests ordered by the FAA last Friday include a visual test and a tapping test to check on the condition of the carbon composite materials used. Federal Express forecast no difficulty in testing its 100 planes within the three month FAA deadline.

French aviation regulators issued a similar directive about a week ago.