FAA orders new MD-80 series inspections

The airworthiness directive affects 670 MD-80 series aircraft Safety inspections to look for cracking on overwing frames The directive takes effect August 12; airlines will have two years to comply ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) -- The Federal Aviation Administration is ordering U.S. airlines to conduct safety inspections to look for cracking on overwing frames on certain MD-80 series aircraft, a directive that could be a headache for an industry reeling from soaring fuel prices. The airworthiness directive, listed in the Federal Register on Tuesday, affects 670 MD-81, MD-82, MD-83, MD-87 and MD-88 aircraft registered in the United States. American Airlines, a unit of Fort Worth, Texas-based AMR Corp., has 212 MD-82s and 86 MD-83s, while Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines Inc. has 117 MD-88s. Representatives of both carriers said their... [read full story]