FAA orders A380 engine inspections after Air France incident

US aviation authorities have ordered visual inspections of fan hubs in engines used on some Airbus SE A380 jets after an engine came apart on an Air France flight last month, forcing it to make an emergency landing. The US FAA issued an emergency airworthiness directive requiring owners and operators of Engine Alliance (EA) Model GP7200 series engines to visually inspect the engines and remove the fan hub if defects are found. The FAA directive formalizes advice circulated by the engine company on Thursday. GP7200 engines account for 60% of the global market share of engines that power Airbus A380 superjumbos currently in service. In addition to Air France, the affected airlines include Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways and Korean Air Lines. The FAA said the directive, an interim measure, was prompted by the failure of the fan hub on the affected engine on the Air France aircraft. "An investigation to determine the cause of the failure is on-going and we may consider additional rulemaking if final action is identified," it said.<br/>