When flying, you do not want your aircraft to come apart in midair. For example, in 1988, Aloha Flight 243’s upper fuselage came apart due to fatigue cracks and operating in a salt air environment. And, in 2016, FedEx’s incident at Ft. Lauderdale Airport where missing cadmium plating on a landing gear part allowed corrosion to start and fatigue cracks to start.
When corrosion starts, the metal becomes thinner and weakens, causing fatigue cracks. When you have an issue in the air, you can’t pull over like a car when it’s breaking down. Preventative measures must be taken and inspections must be regular. In this month’s cover story we speak with Piper about manufacturer recommendations when it comes to corrosion in older, metal aircraft. Check out the story, starting on page 8.
