Airworthiness DirectiveEASA AD US-2019-19-10

Airplane Flight Manual / Minimum Equipment List - Revision / Fuel Crossfeed Valve Operational Check

Published: Jan 14, 2020
Effective: Jan 16, 2020
Deadline: Jan 16, 2020

Boeing 737 300 400 500 600

AI-generated summary of the official EASA document. Verify against the PDF before acting.

What to do

Affected operators must revise their airplane flight manuals and minimum equipment lists as specified by the directive. They must conduct operational checks of the fuel crossfeed valves prior to each ETOPS flight when applicable. Compliance with these requirements is mandatory starting January 16, 2020.

Summary

The Airplane Flight Manual / Minimum Equipment List - Revision / Fuel Crossfeed Valve Operational Check is a final rule airworthiness directive issued by the FAA affecting all Boeing 737-300 through 900ER series, 757, 767, 777, and 787-8 and 787-9 airplanes. It addresses reports of fuel crossfeed valves failing to open during flight, which could lead to fuel starvation and forced off-airport landings. The directive mandates revisions to the airplane flight manual and minimum equipment list to ensure operational checks of fuel crossfeed valves prior to extended operations (ETOPS) flights when certain valves or fuel balancing systems are inoperative.

What changed

This new airworthiness directive requires operators of affected Boeing airplanes to revise their existing airplane flight manuals and minimum equipment lists. Specifically, it introduces a requirement to perform an operational check of the fuel crossfeed valve before each ETOPS flight if one valve or the fuel balancing system on 787 models is inoperative. This is to prevent dispatching airplanes with a single fuel crossfeed valve that may fail to open during flight.

Why it matters

This directive is critical for aviation professionals because it mitigates the risk of fuel exhaustion caused by inoperative fuel crossfeed valves during ETOPS flights, which could result in forced landings and loss of engine thrust. Operators, maintenance, and compliance teams must ensure that the new operational checks are integrated into flight preparations to maintain safety and regulatory compliance. It also highlights the importance of addressing latent failures that may not be detected without these checks.

More for Boeing 737

All 175

Get the next one by email

New ADs and bulletins for these 5 aircraft types, summarized like this page, every Monday.