Global Regulatory Update, June 20-26, 2021

UK Civil Aviation Authority has issued safety notice 2021/011 on awareness of skill fade and suggested mitigations containing recommendations regarding operational safety for maintenance organizations, relevant outside contractors and those managing aviation personnel who have not operated in their normal capacity for some time or may have been on furlough.

EASA has issued airworthiness directive 2016-0146R2 for certain Airbus A321s, requiring inspection of fuselage frame 35 slide-box junction, effective June 14, 2021.

EASA has issued proposed airworthiness directive 21-085 for Rolls-Royce Deutschland Trent 7000-72s and -72s, requiring inspection of high pressure turbine blades, effective 14 days after airworthiness directive is issued.

EASA has issued airworthiness directive 2021-0141 for Airbus A350-1041s and -941s, requiring inspection of trimmable horizontal stabilizer fittings and bearing assembly attachment interface, effective June 29, 2021.

EASA has issued proposed airworthiness directive 21-087 for certain Rolls-Royce Deutschland RB211 Trent 900s, requiring removal of critical parts from service, effective 14 days after airworthiness directive is issued.

EASA has issued airworthiness directive 2021-0140 for Airbus A320 family, amending time limits and maintenance checks under airworthiness limitations section part 2, damage tolerant airworthiness limitation items, effective 14 days after airworthiness directive is issued.

EASA has issued airworthiness directive 2021-0145 for Airbus A380-841s, -842s and -861s, requiring modification of wing tip assembly, effective July 2, 2021.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2021-11-20 for certain Airbus A330-200s, -300s, A340-200s, -300s, -500s and -600s, requiring replacing each halon outlet tube for lower deck mobile crew rest units with incorrect connections to fire extinguisher bottles with a flexible hose, effective July 16, 2021.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2021-12-01 for Engine Alliance GP7270s and GP7277s with a certain low-pressure compressor 1st-stage fan blade installed, requiring an ultrasonic inspection of blades and replacement of any affected blade that fails inspection, effective June 28, 2021.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2021-11-18 for all Airbus A300s, A300 B4-600s, B4-600Rs, F4-600Rs and C4-605R Variant Fs, requiring repetitive detailed visual inspections of the main landing gear leg components and replacement of the leg if cracked components are found; and modification of the gear hinge arm by installing improved hinge arm and barrel pins, and out-of-roundness checks of removed pins; repetitive inspections of any affected pins and associated connecting rod bushes; and replacement of the gear leg if cracked components are found; and installation of an improved spacer, effective July 16, 2021.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2021-11-24 for certain Boeing 737-600s, -700s, -700Cs, -800s, -900s and -900ERs, requiring revising the maintenance or inspection program to incorporate the April 2019 or Nov. 2020 revision of airworthiness limitations document related to fuel tank ignition prevention and the nitrogen generation system, effective July 20, 2021.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2021-12-02 for certain De Havilland Aircraft of Canada DHC-8-400s, requiring, depending on airplane configuration, removing the fasteners on the nacelle A-frame side brace sub-assemblies, doing an eddy current inspection for cracking, cold-working the holes, installing oversize fasteners, re-identifying the reworked side brace fitting and A-frame, and repair if necessary, effective July 20, 2021.

Transport Canada has issued civil aviation safety alert 2021-08 on the potential risk of interference of 5G signals on radio altimeters, advising operators to remind passengers and flight crew that all electronic devices should be carried in the cabin, on their persons or in luggage. If these were placed in checked baggage, they should be turned off and protected from accidental activation. All 5G devices carried in the aircraft should be set to non-transmitting mode so they do not transmit on cellular networks or switched off.