Gulf Air Grounds its 767 fleet

Bahrein-based Gulf Air is rotating its 767-300ER fleet through SR Technics in Dublin to have some previously undetected serious corrosion problems resolved. Gulf Air operates a fleet of nine 767-300ERs, mainly on routes to the Indian sub-continent and the Far East. Gulf Air is claiming that all their 767's will be back in service by 24 March. However three of the first four aircraft have proven to have quite severe issues requiring sheet-metal repairs in accordance with a repair scheme. The first aircraft has reportedly been in Dublin since November. Since they were finding similar corrosion issues on several of the fleet they'd decided, in coordination with Boeing, to inspect the whole fleet for similar corrosion, and have grounded the fleet of 9 aircraft until the inspections are carried out. Filiform and other types of corrosion would tend to affect whole fleets at a time so the measure is deemed to be very prudent. Such inspections take time as they will involve extensive NDT (non-destructive tests via xray/eddycurrent inspections for min thickness etc).

As usual, when you take a very much closer look at aircraft, you may find more than you were looking for - such as a cracked landing gear on one of the aircraft during its C checks as well. That has caused extra scheduling issues.... understandable when over 25% of an airline's fleet is suddenly unavailable.

The airline has warned passengers that this could lead to “significant delays” while aircraft are re-positioned in its network. Gulf Air operates Airbus A320s, A330s and A340s, and had announced earlier this month that it would be progressively replacing the 767's with newer aircraft.

On (or with effect) March 23, 2006 SR Technics Holding (“SR Technics”) signed a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) with Gulf Air, which saw SR Technics assume total technical management for Gulf Air’s entire fleet of 34 aircraft and the phase-in of new aircraft types in a contract valued at USD750 million over five years. In addition, the parties intend to establish an aircraft maintenance and technical training joint venture based in the Sultanate of Oman. Gulf Air's previous technical relationship was with GAMCO.