Experts explain viral photo of Australian plane with tape on wing
Tape was likely covering peeling paint
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Aviation experts have explained why an Australian airliner in a viral photo appeared to have duct tape holding together its wings, and they’re reassuring passengers they have nothing to worry about.
The speculation began on 22 September, when Australian singer David Wakeham responded to a news story about Australian airline Qantas with a photo of the wing of a plane covered with patches of silver tape.
“When choosing your favourite airline choose wisely,” he wrote, tagging Qantas. “Profits before safety.”
The tape picture is not holding together the wing, as some speculated. Instead, according to fact-checkers from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, it’s “speed tape”.
“The tape pictured — known as speed tape — is used regularly in the aviation industry and, in this case, was likely applied to cover peeling paint,” they wrote.
Boeing, the likely manufacturer in the plane in Mr Wakeham’s photo, has previously alerted US air officials that its 787 jets are "prone to paint adhesion failures due to Ultra Violet (UV) ray damage”.
The company told aviation publication Simple that the peeling paint doesn’t affect safety on Boeing planes.
“The peeling does not affect the structural integrity of the wing, and does not affect the safety of flight,” a Boeing spokesperson said.
The Independent has contacted Qantas and Boeing for comment.
Outside of the viral tape photo, Qantas has been hit with worker strikes this year, and was ranked the worst airline in the country for delays and cancellations during June, the Australian aviation industry’s worst-ever month on record.
The Qantas Group canceled 8.1 per cent of all scheduled flights in June, with almost half of its being delayed, according to the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments