EASA AD 2018-0174
Wings — Top Skin Stringer Joints at Rib 19 — Inspection / Modification
Summary
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2018-0174 is an airworthiness directive issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency affecting Airbus A310-304, A310-308, A310-322, A310-324, and A310-325 aeroplanes. It addresses inspection and modification requirements for the top skin stringer joints at Rib 19 on both wings to prevent structural integrity issues. The directive mandates specific inspections and modifications to ensure continued airworthiness of the affected aircraft.
What Changed
This new airworthiness directive introduces a one-time rototest inspection of the fastener holes in the top skin stringer joints at Rib 19, followed by required corrective actions or modifications based on inspection findings. It establishes compliance times based on average flight time and flight cycles and provides instructions for contacting Airbus if repairs are already present or discrepancies are found.
Why It Matters
This directive is critical for aviation professionals because it addresses the risk of widespread fatigue damage in a key structural area of the Airbus A310 wings, which could compromise flight safety. Operators and maintenance organizations must comply to maintain structural integrity and extend the service life of the aircraft. Compliance ensures adherence to regulatory requirements and prevents potential grounding or operational restrictions.
What To Do
Operators of affected Airbus A310 models must perform a rototest inspection of the fastener holes in the specified wing areas within the compliance times defined by flight cycles or flight hours and average flight time. If discrepancies or repairs are found, they must obtain and apply Airbus-approved corrective instructions before further flight. If no issues are found, the fastener holes must be modified as per Airbus Service Bulletin A310-57-2108 before the next flight.
Your fleet's weekly compliance brief
AI-summarized regulatory changes, compliance deadlines, and action items — filtered to your aircraft, every Monday.
AI-generated summary from official EASA source document. Always verify against the original.