Originally Posted by
MickG0105
Yes, it's decidedly difficult to see a discernible pattern. LN-RPK and SE-RET were built just over two years apart and both have cracks. You've then got LN-RNO and -RCN built just months either side of LN-RPK; no cracks.
Similar anomalies bob up in other fleets. Qantas's oldest B738, VH-VXA, cracks; -VXB, which came off the production line within a day and that actually has about 200 more cycles than -VXA, no cracks.
Obviously it is not (yet) predictable, why these cracks develop. Also the number of cycles is not consistent.
Makes it a lot harder to set preventive inspection requirements.