A monthlong flurry of airline inspections and flight cancellations is expected to wind down today as the Federal Aviation Administration wraps up the first stage of a sweeping inquiry into the way U.S. carriers are maintaining their aircraft.
But the challenge of keeping the nation's aging commercial fleet in top shape is far from over. Next week, the FAA will release its findings so far from an audit of maintenance record-keeping and performance of the nation's 118 larger airlines.
American Airlines and Delta Air Lines said they expected to finish inspections Thursday of the wiring on their MD-80 jets after canceling hundreds of flights during the day.
US Airways said it too had canceled flights this week to inspect its 45 Boeing 757s after a wing panel fell off one of the planes during a flight Saturday, striking the side of the jet.
The inspections had only modest effects at Southern California airports.
Maintenance issues have been high profile at America's airports for weeks after the FAA assessed a $10.2-million fine against Southwest Airlines on March 6. Since then United Airlines, American Eagle, American and Delta have conducted voluntary inspections in conjunction with the FAA's audit of aircraft maintenance records.
FAA officials said the "unusual" number of inspections this month would culminate in next week's briefing of the results from the first part of its two-part audit of the airlines. The second stage of its review will conclude June 30, said FAA spokeswoman Alison Duquette.
"I can't predict what the airlines will do, but it is an extremely safe industry and this is an example of the airlines taking precautionary measures to make sure that maintenance work has been done properly," she said. "Basically, it is a short-term snapshot to make sure that the airlines are complying."
Aviation experts said they expected next week's results to focus on the job the FAA and airlines were doing to assure quality maintenance control as the U.S. airline fleet ages.
Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta said the government needed to monitor the airlines with more vigilance.
"The FAA is going to have to step up their pressure on the airlines and do more frequent inspections," Mineta, now vice chairman of public relations firm Hill & Knowlton, said in an interview. But "they do not have enough FAA inspectors to do the job. That is something that Congress is going to have to take a look at as well."
