American Airlines MD80 Wiring Issue



American Airlines MD80 wiring issue
 
This is a photo of the wiring bundle that has grounded so many AA flight the past several days.   The FAA came out with a maintenance directive over a year ago that stated the wire ties must be one inch apart.  The AA maintenance managers determined that AA's MD80's were close enough to 1 inch as shown in the photo and did not change the spacing of the wire ties.
 
Some MD80 did come from the factory with wire ties spaced 4-8 inches apart and that prompted the FAA directive that warned of possible chaffing and a potential fire hazard.  The deadline to comply with this directive was last week.
 
The FAA says no way to the above spacing and grounded our entire MD80 fleet.
 
We operate over 300 MD80's and have canceled 700-1000 flights a day!
 
The FAA was really beat up in a congressional hearing last week by several FAA inspectors who told congress that they were forced by their supervisors to ignore discrepancies they found on Southwest Airlines B737's.  The inspectors were from the same regional office that inspects American Airlines and so now the FAA is proving that NOTHING will get by their inspectors.  
 
So, the FAA inspectors are grounding planes that have spacing of anything more than +/- 125!!!
 
I honestly do not think this is a safety issue but simply revenge from the FAA from being so embarrassed on Capital Hill.  There is just no way that the spacing of the wire ties in the above photo would be more of a fire hazard than wire ties spaces 1" apart but................

This is BS.  The faa got their peepee spanked with the SW 737 deal then they get a hard-on over stupid lacing chord spacing.   The AD not only required the spacing on the chord but also rerouting the hyd pump power cable and adding extra clamps.

Regardless most of hte groundings where due to not having 1" chord spacing.

yes I agree that I have personally seen far worse issues that could be at least "reasonable" to ground an aircraft. This is another waste of american money, time, and peoples patience.

seems a bit much to ground all those airplanes for this....

When you have people enforcing rules they aren't qualified to understand and inspecting manitenance they aren't qualified to do only Chaos can result.
Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach. Those who shouldn't be allowed to, are making the rules. . .