Footage surfaced on the Internet showing the wing of an Uzbekistan Airways plane covered with gray duct tape. The company in its commentary stated that the problem of paint peeling has been occurring on the composite parts of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft for several years.
“This problem is due to the fact that the Boeing 787-Dreamliner is a new generation aircraft made from materials that are relatively new to aviation - approximately 80% composites. Taking into account ultraviolet radiation, as well as the flexibility of the wing in flight, the applied layers of paint do not withstand and peel off in large fragments,” the report says.
“According to the analysis of the manufacturing company, this detachment is a cosmetic defect and in no way affects the airworthiness or flight safety of the aircraft,” the company assured.
Uzbekistan Airways is experiencing a similar problem with aircraft such as the Boeing 787, where a temporary solution, as recommended by Boeing, is to use special adhesive tape (speed tape), the company reported.
The aircraft manufacturer is now developing a special procedure for applying paint to surfaces, which, according to preliminary data, will be completed in the coming months. Based on the results of negotiations with Boeing, the concern is ready to bear all the costs of repainting the surfaces of the aircraft and flying them to the contractor’s base, Uzbekistan Airways noted.
“Taking into account the above, Uzbekistan Airways has planned for the near future a phased repainting of three Boeing 787-Dreamliner aircraft... It should be noted that this problem does not in any way affect the flight safety and comfort on the airline’s Boeing 787-Dreamliner aircraft,” the statement says.
Uzbekistan Airways noted that almost all operators of the “dream airliner” faced a similar problem, regardless of climatic operating conditions: All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines, United Airlines, American Airlines, Air New Zealand and others.
