Further checks required for Qantas regional fleet

Hours after they were cleared for service, Qantas has been ordered to undertake further inspections of its fleet of Dash 8400 aircraft.

It comes after the Canadian manufacturer Bombadier ordered a worldwide grounding because of landing gear malfunctions in similar aircraft in Denmark and Lithuania.

The Australian planes are operated by the Qantas subsidiary Sunstate Airlines, based in Brisbane.

Qantas says the fleet has been replaced by Boeing 737 aircraft and charter planes on affected routes, but a number of flights have been cancelled from Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra.

Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) spokesman Peter Gibson says Qantas cleared its fleet of faults last night but further checks are needed before the planes can return to the air.

"The inspections are being done by Qantas maintenance staff and they have found some problems on a number of the aircraft in the undercarriage that obviously has to be rectified before the aircraft can fly again," he said.

"This was done in accordance with a directive from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority."