BERLIN (AFP) - New problems have been detected on Airbus's giant A380 super jumbo jet, adding to the woes of the fledging aircraft which is already afflicted with wiring problems. Problems with section 19 of the fuselage were detected during trial flights in Toulouse, southern France, according to an internal Airbus document, the weekly Der Spiegel reported in its edition which goes on sale Monday.The European aircraft manufacturer decided in early March to reinforce section 19, the aft cone of the fuselage, Der Spiegel reported.
The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), which owns 80 percent of Airbus announced in June that deliveries would be delayed by six to seven months because of a production problem involving wiring connections. Only nine of the aircraft would be delivered in 2007, seriously affecting the EADS's financial results.
The double-decker plane is designed to carry 555 to 840 passengers, about 35 percent more than the Boeing B747. To date, 16 airline companies have ordered 168 of the super jumbo jets.