Landing Gear — Main Landing Gear Universal Joints — Inspection / Replacement
- Published
- Effective
- Deadline
- Replaces
- 2017-0172
AI-generated summary of the official EASA document. Verify against the PDF before acting.
What to do
Operators must perform detailed visual inspections of affected universal joints within 3 months or 500 flight cycles from the effective date, whichever occurs first, and repeat inspections every 500 flight cycles thereafter. Any cracked universal joint must be replaced before the next flight along with associated pins. Replacing all affected universal joints with serviceable parts terminates the inspection requirements. Only serviceable parts may be installed from the effective date onward.
Summary
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2018-0080 is an official regulatory document addressing inspection and replacement requirements for main landing gear universal joints on ATR 42 and ATR 72 aeroplanes. It applies to multiple ATR 42 variants including -200, -300, -320, -400, and -500, as well as ATR 72 models 101, 102, 201, 202, 211, 212, and 212A. The directive mandates repetitive inspections and corrective actions to prevent structural failure of the main landing gear universal joints.
What changed
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2018-0080 supersedes the previous AD 2017-0172 and incorporates Revision 02 of the SAFRAN Landing Systems service bulletins. This update adds additional serial numbers of affected universal joints that were previously omitted and retains the inspection and replacement requirements with clarified part lists. It also introduces updated compliance instructions and expands the list of affected parts to ensure comprehensive coverage.
Why it matters
This directive is critical for aviation professionals as it addresses a potential unsafe condition involving cracks in main landing gear universal joints that could lead to landing gear collapse. Operators and maintenance organizations must ensure compliance to maintain aircraft airworthiness and safety. Failure to detect and correct these defects could result in significant damage to aircraft and risk to occupant safety.
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