Fuselage — Rear Fuselage Lateral / Lower Frame Joint — Inspection
- Published
- Effective
- Deadline
AI-generated summary of the official EASA document. Verify against the PDF before acting.
What to do
Operators of affected Airbus A380 aeroplanes must perform a detailed inspection of the rear fuselage lateral/lower frame joint within specified flight cycle or flight hour limits or within 36 months of the directive's effective date. Depending on the structural geometry found, they must conduct repetitive special detailed inspections at intervals defined in the Airbus Service Bulletin A380-53-8215. Any discrepancies found require contacting Airbus for approved repairs before further flight. Inspection results must be reported to Airbus within 30 days after each inspection.
Summary
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2021-0153 is an airworthiness directive addressing inspection requirements for the rear fuselage lateral and lower frame joint on Airbus A380-841, A380-842, and A380-861 aeroplanes with manufacturer serial numbers 0006 to 0017 inclusive. The directive mandates inspections to determine structural geometry and requires special detailed inspections and corrective actions based on findings to ensure structural integrity. It applies specifically to affected parts identified by part numbers in the directive's appendix.
What changed
This new airworthiness directive introduces mandatory initial and repetitive inspections of the rear fuselage lateral/lower frame joint to identify and address incomplete implementation of Airbus modification 60460. It establishes inspection thresholds and intervals based on the structural geometry of the affected parts and requires reporting inspection results to Airbus. The directive also cancels certain existing Airworthiness Limitations Section tasks for affected aeroplanes.
Why it matters
This directive is critical for maintaining the structural integrity of the Airbus A380 rear fuselage, preventing potential safety risks from undetected assembly discrepancies. Operators and maintenance organizations must comply to avoid unsafe conditions that could compromise aircraft safety. Compliance ensures continued airworthiness and regulatory adherence, avoiding operational disruptions and potential grounding.
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