Originally Posted by
DaveReidUK
On aircraft like the ATR where the main gear is stowed outside the contour of the pressure vessel, the fairing is typically not classed as primary structure. So a temporary repair doesn't need to contribute much in the way of strength, it just needs to minimise the drag from the hole. I would expect speed tape to figure prominently in any temporary repair scheme.
That said, judging from the NACA inlet visible in the photo, the items visible inside the cavity may well be air con/ECS components. The repair crew will want to check whether any damage has been sustained to those before any ferry flight takes place.
But I would fully expect the aircraft (which, incidentally, was the first production ATR-72-500) to position back to its birthplace in the next few days - it's only a short hop from Palma to Toulouse.
Thanks David, so just a few strips of duct tape and nothing "Toulouse".
The next question, who pays for the damage, Air Europa or Swiftair?