EASA AD 2021-0269
Fuselage — Ram Air Turbine Door / Belly Fairing Panels — Replacement
Summary
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2021-0269 is an airworthiness directive applicable to all Airbus A350-1041 aeroplanes. It addresses the replacement of ram air turbine (RAT) door and belly fairing panels to prevent interference during RAT deployment. The directive mandates modifications to ensure continued safe operation of affected aircraft.
What Changed
This new airworthiness directive introduces a mandatory replacement of specific affected RAT doors and belly fairing panels with serviceable parts to eliminate potential interference between the RAT blade tip and the inboard RAT door. Airbus developed modifications 114656 and 116001 to increase clearance and issued a service bulletin to guide the replacement process.
Why It Matters
This directive is critical for aviation professionals because failure to address the interference issue could result in partial or total loss of RAT electrical power generation during emergencies, compromising aircraft control. Operators and maintenance teams must ensure compliance to maintain aircraft safety and regulatory conformity.
What To Do
Operators of Airbus A350-1041 aeroplanes with affected parts installed must replace each affected RAT door and belly fairing panel with serviceable parts within 10 months of the directive's effective date. Installation of affected parts on any aeroplane is prohibited after compliance or from the directive's effective date for unaffected aircraft. Compliance must follow Airbus Service Bulletin A350-53-P069 instructions.
AI-generated summary from official EASA source document. Always verify against the original.