EASA AD 2019-0122
Fuselage — Side Box Beam Flange in Frame 43 Area — Inspection / Repair / Modification
Summary
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2019-0122 is an airworthiness directive addressing inspection, repair, and modification of the fuselage side box beam flange in the Frame 43 area on Airbus A318, A319, A320, and A321 aeroplanes. It applies to aircraft with Airbus modification 21202 embodied in production, excluding those with modification 152569. The directive mandates repetitive inspections and corrective actions to detect and repair cracks that could compromise structural integrity.
What Changed
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2019-0122 supersedes the previous AD 2013-0261 and updates inspection thresholds and intervals based on aircraft configuration, including the embodiment of Airbus Service Bulletin A320-57-1193. It retains the requirement for repetitive inspections and corrective actions but adjusts compliance times and introduces a modification that serves as terminating action for inspections.
Why It Matters
This directive is critical for maintaining the structural integrity of affected Airbus A320 family aircraft by ensuring early detection and repair of cracks in the fuselage side box beam flange. Operators, maintenance organizations, and compliance teams must adhere to the updated inspection schedules and modification requirements to prevent potential safety risks and regulatory non-compliance.
What To Do
Operators must perform repetitive inspections of the fuselage side box beam flange in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin A320-53-1258 Revision 02 within specified compliance times and intervals based on aircraft group classification. Any detected defects must be repaired before the next flight following the approved instructions. Additionally, the modification described in Airbus Service Bulletin A320-53-1251 Revision 04 must be completed before the aircraft exceeds 48,000 flight cycles or 96,000 flight hours.
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