Fuselage — Lateral Window Frame Upper Fastener Holes — Inspection
- Published
- Effective
- Deadline
AI-generated summary of the official EASA document. Verify against the PDF before acting.
What to do
Operators must perform inspections before exceeding 48,000 flight cycles since first flight or sliding window frame replacement, or within 15,000 flight cycles after the last inspection task 531125, or within 3 months after the directive's effective date, whichever is later. Inspections must then be repeated every 29,800 flight cycles. If cracks or discrepancies are found, corrective actions must be taken before the next flight following Airbus-approved instructions.
Summary
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2020-0019 is an airworthiness directive issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency affecting Airbus A318, A319, A320, and A321 aeroplanes. It mandates inspections of the lateral window frame upper fastener holes to detect cracks that could compromise structural integrity. The directive applies to specific serial numbers except those with certain Airbus modifications or service bulletins already embodied.
What changed
This new directive introduces repetitive detailed and special detailed inspections of the affected fastener holes in the lateral window frame upper area, based on findings from fatigue tests and in-service inspections. It also requires corrective actions if discrepancies are found and references Airbus service bulletins for inspection and modification procedures. The directive removes the previous Airworthiness Limitation Item task 531125 from the Airworthiness Limitation Section Part 2 revision 8.
Why it matters
This directive is critical for maintaining the structural integrity of affected Airbus aircraft by identifying and addressing cracks in fastener holes that were previously not inspected. Operators, maintenance, and compliance teams must ensure these inspections are performed within specified intervals to avoid unsafe conditions. Failure to comply could lead to reduced aircraft safety and regulatory non-compliance.
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