Fed: CASA begins inspections on Ansett fleet

AAP General News (Australia)
04-13-2001
Fed: CASA begins inspections on Ansett fleet

Inspections have begun on Ansett's fleet of grounded Boeing 767s with other planes
undergoing random spot checks at east coast airports.

Authority spokesman PETER GIBSON says Civil Aviation Safety Authority inspectors began
work on the first of 10 grounded planes in Melbourne.

He says inspectors will check the plane's airframe, engines and undercarriage as well
as documents supplied by the carrier.

CASA yesterday took the unprecedented move of grounding Ansett's entire 767 fleet over
safety and maintenance concerns.

It's given the airline three weeks to show why it shouldn't lose its licence.

The move has caused chaos for thousands of Easter holiday travellers but Ansett is
confident of accommodating passengers with minimal disruption.

Mr GIBSON has told AAP the inspections will take two days for each plane and have to
be carried out one at a time.

He says by the end of the weekend, they may have one or two planes back.

Engineers from Sydney and Brisbane are being flown to Melbourne to help speed up the process.

All inspections will be carried out in Melbourne and Ansett will have to ferry its
767 fleet there.

Meanwhile, random spot checks are being carried out on all Ansett planes at east coast airports.

No fresh problems have been detected so far.

AAP RTV sal/alt

KEYWORD: ANSETT CASA (SYDNEY)

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