EASA AD 2022-0017-E
SUPERSEDED BY EASA AD 2022-0018-E
Summary
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2022-0017-E is an emergency directive issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency concerning MARS A.S. ATL-88/90-1B emergency parachutes, also known commercially as ATL-15SL. It applies to all variants and serial numbers of these parachutes delivered after 31 July 2021. The directive addresses a safety issue related to the ripcord length modification that may cause malfunction of the parachute during deployment.
What Changed
This directive requires the immediate removal from service of the affected emergency parachutes due to a discovered defect in the ripcord length that can prevent proper parachute deployment. It introduces an interim safety measure mandating that these parachutes be stored unrigged and clearly marked as not airworthy until further notice. The directive is an initial response pending further manufacturer modifications and potential future ADs.
Why It Matters
This directive is critical for aviation professionals because it ensures the safety and reliability of emergency parachutes used in aircraft. Operators and maintenance organizations must comply to prevent the use of potentially malfunctioning parachutes, thereby reducing the risk of failure during emergency situations. Compliance teams must track and enforce these requirements to maintain regulatory adherence and aircraft airworthiness.
What To Do
Affected stakeholders must immediately remove the specified MARS A.S. ATL-88/90-1B emergency parachutes from service starting from 31 January 2022. The parachutes should be stored in an unrigged condition in containers visibly marked with a warning that they are not airworthy and must not be used until further notice. Operators should await further instructions or modifications from the manufacturer and EASA.
AI-generated summary from official EASA source document. Always verify against the original.