Landing Gear – Main Landing Gear Sliding Tube – Inspection
Superseded. Comply with 2020-0258, which replaces this document.
- Published
- Effective
- Deadline
AI-generated summary of the official EASA document. Verify against the PDF before acting.
What to do
Operators of affected Airbus A318, A319, and A320 aircraft must perform a general visual inspection of the identified main landing gear sliding tubes within 500 flight cycles from 10 July 2018 and repeat every 500 flight cycles thereafter. Any detected cracks require immediate replacement of the affected part before the next flight. Installation of affected parts is restricted and conditional on recent inspection compliance. Overhaul of affected parts after 21 September 2009 terminates the inspection requirement for those parts.
Summary
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2018-0136 is an airworthiness directive issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency addressing the Airbus A318, A319, and A320 aircraft models. It focuses on inspecting the main landing gear sliding tubes that were last overhauled between 27 October 2003 and 21 September 2009 to detect cracks that could lead to landing gear collapse. The directive mandates repetitive visual inspections and replacement of affected parts if cracks are found.
What changed
This directive introduces mandatory repetitive general visual inspections of specific main landing gear sliding tubes identified by part and serial numbers. It requires replacement of any cracked parts before further flight and allows installation of affected parts only if they have passed inspection within the last 500 flight cycles. It also defines terminating action upon overhaul of the affected parts after 21 September 2009.
Why it matters
This directive is critical for aviation professionals to prevent potential main landing gear failure due to fatigue cracks caused by improper magnetic particle inspection during overhaul. Operators and maintenance organizations must ensure compliance to avoid landing gear collapse, which could cause aircraft damage and occupant injury. It ensures continued airworthiness and safety of affected Airbus A318, A319, and A320 aircraft.
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