Airworthiness DirectiveEASA AD 2018-0162

Fuselage — Trimmable Horizontal Stabilizer Support Struts — Inspection

Published: Jul 25, 2018
Effective: Aug 8, 2018
Deadline: Aug 8, 2018
Replaces: 2016-0147

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What to do

Operators must perform special detailed inspections (SDI) of the THS support strut ends within 18 months after 28 May 2014 and continue at specified intervals—every 24 months for TAC struts and every 12 months for SARMA struts. Reinforcing clamps must be installed or re-installed as required, and any cracked struts must be replaced with new TAC struts before the next flight. Inspection results must be reported to Airbus within 30 days after the initial inspection. Repetitive inspections remain mandatory even after corrective actions.

Summary

EASA Airworthiness Directive 2018-0162 is an airworthiness directive issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency affecting Airbus A300F4-608ST aeroplanes. It mandates inspections and corrective actions for the trimmable horizontal stabilizer (THS) support struts, specifically those manufactured by SARMA and TAC, to detect and address cracks caused by stress corrosion. The directive aims to ensure the structural integrity of the horizontal tailplane support struts to prevent potential failure.

What changed

This directive supersedes EASA AD 2016-0147 and introduces a requirement that any replaced affected parts must be new TAC struts rather than serviceable used parts. It retains previous inspection and clamp installation requirements but clarifies that repetitive inspections remain mandatory even after corrective actions. The directive also expands inspection requirements to include SARMA-manufactured struts and updates compliance procedures accordingly.

Why it matters

For aviation professionals, this directive is critical to maintaining the safety and airworthiness of Airbus A300F4-608ST aircraft by preventing potential failure of the THS support struts, which could lead to loss of the horizontal tailplane. Operators and maintenance organizations must adhere to the inspection intervals and corrective actions to avoid structural failures. Compliance teams must ensure that only new TAC struts are installed when replacements are necessary, impacting parts inventory and maintenance planning.

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