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The European aviation safety authority EASA warns with the highest level of urgency about the danger of explosion in the fuel tanks of some older models of the Airbus A320 series.
The cause is a quality problem with fuel pumps from the French engine manufacturer Safran.
A small component was found loosely under the drive shaft of a pump.
This could become a source of ignition in the fuel tank, according to the European authority's justification.
The German Federal Aviation Office also draws attention to the risk.
The EASA has not imposed a flight ban, as was the case for months after the crash of two Boeing 737-Max models.
However, certain pumps should be replaced within ten days or a maximum of 50 flights.
Models from the A320 family that were produced before June 30, 2015 are affected.
The authority puts around 100 fuel pumps on the exchange list.
It does not mention which airlines have to exchange them.
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At Airbus it is said on request that “less than two percent” of the A320 fleet could be affected at all.
Airbus points out that Safran Aerosystems made the aircraft manufacturer aware of the quality problem.
The security measures were then started.
“No problems were reported during operation,” said Airbus.
The current Airbus production is also not affected.
The pumps with the quality problem have been identified and will be replaced with saffron according to an action plan.
As it is said in aviation circles, this can theoretically affect between 25 and 100 models in the A320 fleet with a total of several thousand aircraft.
Each model has four fuel pumps, two of which are in the wings.
The aviation authority EASA and the safety authority responsible for the USA, the FAA, publish information about weak points in aircraft, helicopters or engines several times a week. According to experts, the warnings in different levels contribute to the fact that air traffic has become a very safe means of transport. No other mode of transport has a similarly transparent risk list for the industry.