Global Regulatory Update, Jan. 3-9, 2021

Commenting on a recent press release by Ryanair, Paul Smith at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said, “It is incorrect for the airline to state that the UK Civil Aviation Authority has changed its wet-leasing policy at short notice. It has been our long-standing position that a UK airline with a significant presence in the UK, such as Ryanair UK, should not rely heavily on using wet-leased, foreign-registered aircraft…Doing so undermines the competitiveness of the UK aviation industry and effectiveness of the regulatory regime. This is a view shared by regulators around the world and has nothing to do with our preparations for the end of the transition period, which we have planned for extensively.”

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore is further tightening COVID-19 safety measures in view of the heightened risk of COVID-19 infection overseas. These include an increase in the frequency of PCR tests for crew. Those who layover in high-risk destinations must undergo COVID-19 PCR tests on arrival and on the third and seventh day following return to Singapore. Crew traveling to and from the UK are required to don full personal protective equipment, including N95 masks, face shields, protective gowns and gloves, as are crew traveling to and from South Africa. Singapore’s government is committing an additional S$84 million to the aviation sector to support aviation companies and workers as they weather the impact of COVID-19.

India’s Director General of Civil Aviation suspended non-cargo flights to or from the UK after Dec. 20, 2020.

EASA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-0279 for Airbus A330s and A340s, requiring re-torque of pitot probe attachment nuts, effective Dec. 21, 2020.

EASA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-0277 for Rolls-Royce Deutschland Trent XWB-75s, -79s, -79Bs and -84s, requiring inspection of intermediate pressure compressor rotor 1 blades, effective Dec. 25, 2020.

EASA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-0276 for Airbus A380-841s and -842s, amending aircraft flight manual’s freezing fog time limit, effective Dec. 25, 2020.

EASA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-0280 for Airbus A318s, A319s and A320s, requiring inspection of fuselage skin above lap joint, effective Dec. 28, 2020.

EASA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-0278 for Pilatus PC-6s, amending time limits and maintenance checks under airworthiness limitations section, effective Dec. 28, 2020.

EASA has issued proposed airworthiness directive 20-196 for Airbus A340-211s, -213s, -311s and -312s, requiring modification and reinforcement of type A emergency exit door frames, effective 14 days after airworthiness directive is issued.

EASA has issued proposed airworthiness directive 20-199 for ATR72s, amending time limits and maintenance checks under certification maintenance requirements and airworthiness limitations, effective 14 days after airworthiness directive is issued.

EASA has issued proposed airworthiness directive 20-200 for Airbus A380-841s and -842s, requiring inspection of front engine mount strut mount and thrust link, effective 14 days after airworthiness directive is issued.

EASA has issued proposed airworthiness directive 20-200 for Airbus A380-841s and -842s, amending time limits and maintenance checks under airworthiness limitations section part 4, system equipment maintenance requirements, effective 14 days after airworthiness directive is issued.

EASA has issued proposed airworthiness directive 20-102R2 for Airbus A330s and A340s, requiring inspection of trimmable horizontal stabilizer actuator lower attachment parts, effective 14 days after airworthiness directive is issued.

EASA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-0283 for Airbus A330s and A340s, requiring inspection of fuel pump, effective Dec. 31, 2020.

EASA has issued proposed airworthiness directive 20-201 for Airbus A350-1041s and -941s, amending time limits and maintenance checks under airworthiness limitations section part 4, system equipment maintenance requirements, effective 14 days after airworthiness directive is issued.

EASA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-0285 for Airbus A380-841s, -842s and 861s, requiring software update on flight data recording system, effective Jan. 1, 2021.

EASA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-0286 for Airbus A380-841s, -842s and -861s, requiring inspection of pylon-wing interface bleed duct and fuel pipe, effective Jan. 1, 2021.

EASA has issued proposed airworthiness directive 20-202 for Fokker F28 Mark 0070s and 0100s, requiring inspection of outer wing lower skin, effective 14 days after airworthiness directive is issued.

EASA has issued proposed airworthiness directive 20-203 for Rolls-Royce Deutschland RB211 Trent 970-84s, 972-84s and 972E-84s, requiring inspection and replacement of low pressure turbine seal panel, effective 14 days after airworthiness directive is issued.

EASA has issued proposed airworthiness directive 20-204 for ATR42-200s, 300s and -3202, requiring inspection and modification of angle of attack probe electrical routing and amending aircraft flight manual, effective 14 days after airworthiness directive is issued.

EASA has issued proposed airworthiness directive 20-205 for Airbus A340-211s, -212s, -213s, -311s, -312s and -313s, requiring modification of center wing spar to rib 1 attachment, effective 14 days after airworthiness directive is issued.

EASA has issued proposed airworthiness directive 20- for Airbus A340-211s, -212s, -213s, -311s, -312s and -313s, requiring modification of bottom wing skin panel, effective 14 days after airworthiness directive is issued.

EASA has issued proposed airworthiness directive 20-207 for Airbus A340-211s, -212s, -213s, -311s, -312s and -313s, requiring modification of outer wing center spar, effective 14 days after airworthiness directive is issued.

EASA has issued proposed airworthiness directive 20-208 for Airbus A350-1041s and -941s, requiring inspection and replacement of passenger door guide arms, effective 14 days after airworthiness directive is issued.

EASA has issued proposed airworthiness directive 20-209 for Airbus A350-1041s and -941s, requiring inspection of slat transmission shafts slat power control unit torque sensing units, effective 14 days after airworthiness directive is issued.

EASA has corrected airworthiness directive 2020-0283 for Airbus A330s and A340s, requiring inspection of fuel pump, effective Dec. 31, 2020.

FAA has corrected airworthiness directive 2020-24-04 for all Boeing 787-8, -9s and -10s, requiring revising the existing airplane flight manual to incorporate procedures for conducting an approach with a localizer-based navigation aid, monitoring localizer raw data, calling out any significant deviations, and performing an immediate go around if the airplane has not intercepted the final approach course as shown by the localizer deviation, effective Dec. 18, 2020.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-25-02 for all Saab 340As, SF340As, 340Bs and 2000s, requiring replacing certain nose landing gear door attachment bolts with serviceable bolts, effective Jan. 21, 2021.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-25-08 for certain Yaborã Industria Aeronáutica ERJ 170s, 190-100s, -100 LRs, -100 ECJs, -100IGWs, -200 STDs, -200 LRs and -200 IGWs, requiring installing supports for the horizontal stabilizer control yoke pitch trim switches and re-identifying the control yokes, effective Jan. 21, 2021.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-25-10 for all GEnx-1B64/P2s, -1B67/P2s, -1B70/75/P2s, -1B70/P2s, -1B70C/P2s, -1B74/75/P2s, -1B76/P2s, -1B76A/P2s and -2B67/Ps with a certain high-pressure turbine rotor stage 2 disk installed, requiring an immersion ultrasonic inspection of the high pressure turbine rotor stage 2 disk and, depending on the results of the inspection, replacement of the rotor stage 2 disk with a part eligible for installation, effective Jan. 21, 2021.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-26-17 for all ATR42-500s and ATR72s, requiring a repetitive operational test for discrepancies of the stall warning system and stick pusher in the flight configuration, an inspection for discrepancies in the wiring bundles between angle-of-attack probes and multi-function computers, and corrective action if necessary, effective Jan. 4, 2021.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-24-08 for certain Rolls-Royce Deutschland RB211 Trent 768-60s, 772-60s, 772B-60s and 772C-60s requiring replacement of high-pressure turbine blades with parts eligible for installation before exceeding specified flight cycles since new, effective Jan. 4, 2021.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-26-01 for all Airbus A318-111s, -112s, -121s and -122s, A319-111s, -112s, -113s, -114s, -115s, -131s, -132s and -133s, A320-211s, -212s, -214s, -216s, -231s, -232s and -233s, requiring repetitive general visual inspections for cracks, and replacement if necessary, of certain main landing gear sliding tubes that were subject to improperly performed magnetic particle inspections, effective Jan. 4, 2021.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-25-13 for certain CFM LEAP-1A23s, LEAP-1A24s, LEAP-1A24E1s, LEAP-1A26s, LEAP-1A26CJs, LEAP-1A26E1s, LEAP-1A29s, LEAP-1A29CJs, LEAP-1A30s, LEAP-1A32s, LEAP-1A33s, LEAP1A33B2s and LEAP-1A35As, requiring an ultrasonic inspection of the high-pressure turbine stage 2 disk and replacement of any disk that fails with a part eligible for installation, effective Jan. 25, 2021.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-26-04 for certain Boeing 737-200s, -200Cs, -300s, -400s and -500s, requiring repetitive inspections for cracking of certain skin panels of the fuselage and of the fuselage skin along certain chem-milled lines, and corrective actions if necessary, effective Jan. 25, 2021.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-26-11 for certain Airbus A300 F4-605Rs and A310-324s, requiring modification of the airplane circuit connecting the emergency locator transmitter battery, effective Jan. 27, 2021.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-26-08 for Boeing 787-8s, -9s and -10s powered by Rolls Royce Trent 1000 engines, requiring repetitive inspections of the inner fixed structure forward upper fire seal and thermal insulation blankets in the forward upper area of the thrust reverser for damage and applicable on-condition actions, effective Jan. 27, 2021.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-26-20 for certain Airbus Canada Limited Partnership CS100s and CS300s, requiring inspecting the air extraction duct installation to determine if a protective end cap is installed, and removing any protective end cap found, effective Feb. 3, 2021.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-26-09 for all Boeing 737-100s, -200s, -200Cs, -300s, -400s, and -500s, requiring repetitive external surface high frequency eddy current inspections and repetitive external surface ultrasonic inspections or repetitive internal detailed inspections of a certain station of the center wing box for any cracking, and repair if necessary, effective Jan. 27, 2021.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-26-15 for certain Airbus A319-111s, -112s, -113s, -114s, -115s, -131s, -132s and -133, A320-211s, -212s, -214s, -231s, -232s and -233s, A321-111s, -112s, -131s, -211s, -212s, -213s, - 231s and -232s requiring replacing the clips, shear webs and angles, related investigative actions, and repair if necessary, and requires modifying or replacing the clips, shear webs, and angles at a certain rear fuselage area with new parts, effective Feb. 2, 2021.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-26-21 for certain Airbus A350-941s, requiring a rotating probe test of all fastener holes located in the affected area for any discrepancies, an eddy current inspection of the surrounding flange for any discrepancies, a detailed inspection of certain frames for any discrepancies, and corrective actions if necessary, effective Feb. 3, 2021.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-26-18 for certain Airbus A330-243s, -343s and -941s, requires replacing each fillet fairing adjustable rod affected by black stain or white oxidation with a serviceable part, effective Jan. 14, 2021.

Transport Canada has issued airworthiness directive CF-2020-30R1 for Airbus Canada Limited Partnership A220-100s and -300s, requiring removing existing forward galley slotted drain covers and replacing with solid blanking plates and blocking off the associated drain tubing, effective Dec. 25, 2020.