When a bird strike turns into a 2 month recovery project

“Thanks to the effort and proactivity of the whole team, we managed to get this AOG out on time”

Juan Antonio Jiménez Renero

MAD Station Manager

A difficult landing for Wizz Air in Madrid Airport

Bird strikes are a common threat in the aviation industry. In worst case scenarios, they can cause significant damage to the aircraft structure. Unfortunately, this is precisely what happened to one of Wizz Air’s Airbus 321 NEO while landing in Madrid Airport last July.

Although the flight landed safely, the aircraft was grounded and unable to fly due to the damage suffered on its right wing. Until Brok-air Technics appeared on scene!

Our mission: to get the aircraft back in the skies as soon as possible

An AOG situation is the worst possible scenario for any airline, that’s why when Wizz Air contacted us we got the ball rolling straight away.

As soon as our Maintenance Operations Control (MOC) team received the call, we proceeded to assess the initial damages and consult with the manufacturer to clarify the repair process.

We were soon aware that it was going to be a complex job, one that required qualified personnel, a variety of tools and spare parts, and many hours of hard work. Just as well we are always up for a challenge!

When accepting this AOG we knew that time was a crucial factor, but luckily the experience of our engineers and collaborating-companies played in our favor. Also, having recently acquired Semasa MRO we were able to perform all the necessary NDT inspections in a flexible manner, avoiding possible delays in the process.

Time for action

Once the initial assessment was completed our team started working tirelessly to replace the damaged slat.

Our logistics experts also played a key role in the process, making sure that our team in Madrid had all the materials and tools they needed for the job.

Apart from the usual tasks that are typically performed in AOG situations, additional tasks were required in this case, such as emptying and venting the fuel tanks.

The High Frequency Eddy Current (HFEC) tests carried out by Semasa MRO gave us the intel we needed to establish the course of action that was to be followed at all times.

To carry out a large part of the structural work we collaborated with ATS Aviation. The company showed a high degree of professionalism in the assembly of the entire structure of the leading edge, helping us reach our goal: to get the A321 NEO off the ground!

Mission accomplished

After nearly two months of hard work, multiple inspections, parts and tool manufacturing and very complex repair procedures, we are proud to say that we helped Wizz Air get their A321neo up and flying again