EASA AD 2020-0286
SUPERSEDED BY EASA AD 2021-0280
Summary
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2020-0286 is an airworthiness directive issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency affecting all Airbus A380-841, A380-842, and A380-861 aeroplanes. It addresses inspection requirements for the bleed duct and fuel pipe at the pylon/wing interface to prevent potential fire hazards caused by bracket weld failures. This directive mandates repetitive inspections and corrective actions to ensure continued airworthiness.
What Changed
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2020-0286 supersedes the previous AD 2020-0162 by retaining its inspection requirements and introducing repetitive inspections along with an alternative inspection method as per Airbus Alert Operators Transmission Revision 01. It updates the compliance framework to include ongoing monitoring rather than a one-time inspection.
Why It Matters
This directive is critical for aviation professionals because it mitigates the risk of uncontrolled fire due to possible contact between the bleed duct and fuel pipe caused by bracket weld failures. Operators, maintenance, and compliance teams must ensure these inspections are performed regularly to maintain aircraft safety and regulatory compliance. Failure to comply could result in unsafe operating conditions and regulatory penalties.
What To Do
Operators of Airbus A380-841, A380-842, and A380-861 aircraft must perform inspections of the affected bleed duct and fuel pipe area within 50 flight cycles or 400 flight hours after 4 August 2020 and repeat these inspections at the same intervals. Any discrepancies found must be corrected before the next flight, and inspection results must be reported to Airbus within 30 days. Compliance with Airbus Alert Operators Transmission A36R003-20 Revision 01 is required.
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