The European Aviation Safety Agency is considering issuing an airworthiness directive ordering Airbus to replace six aluminium rivets in the fuselage of the A380 due to concerns they may have unsatisfactory tolerance levels.
In a “notification of a proposal” to issue such a directive, EASA said that an engineering review had shown that the rivets, located in the fuselage, might not be strong enough to withstand the extreme stresses placed upon them, particularly during an emergency. The proposal from the EASA is to replace the rivets with much stronger titanium fasteners.(…)
via Further woes for Airbus A380 as rivets called into question | The Manufacturer.