Global Regulatory Update, Sept. 20-26, 2020

The Civil Aviation Administration of China attended a second online technical meeting held by ICAO’s Council Aviation Recovery Taskforce, sharing practices and experience on prevention and control of COVID-19 and recovery of industry operation. Over 60 representatives and advisors from countries such as the U.S., Canada, Columbia, Singapore, UK and Spain, and international organizations such as IATA, ACI, ICCAIA and EASA participated in the meeting.

CAAC proposed airport fast nucleic acid testing, crew nucleic acid testing, seating of sick passengers discovered in-flight, temperature screening standards, quarantine observation on-arrival, types of aircraft disinfectants and choice of nucleic acid testing samples. Chinese civil aviation traffic in August 2020 recovered to 90% of year-ago levels.

Vietnam’s Minister of Transport has reduced rates for aircraft takeoff and landing services and outbound and inbound flight control services for domestic flights by 50% until Sept. 30.

EASA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-0198 for Airbus A380-841s, -842s and -861s, amending time limits and maintenance checks for safe life airworthiness limitations items part 1, effective Sept. 29, 2020.

EASA has issued proposed airworthiness directive 20-141 for ATR72 212As, requiring modifying electrical harness routes 1m and 1s-1v, effective 14 days after airworthiness directive is issued.

EASA has issued proposed airworthiness directive 20-142 for Airbus A330-223Fs and -243Fs, requiring modification and replacement fuselage of forward lower deck cargo compartment fire extinguishing bottle support brackets and strut assembly, effective 14 days after airworthiness directive is issued.

EASA has issued proposed airworthiness directive 20-143 for Airbus A350-1041s, and -941s, requiring inspection upper and lower wing skin cover edge glow sealant, effective 14 days after airworthiness directive is issued.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-18-09 for all Honeywell ALF502L, L-2, L-2A, L-2C, L-3, R-3, R-3A, R-4, R-5, R-6, LF507-1F and -1H engines, requiring initial and repetitive visual inspections of the over-speed fuel solenoid valve assembly and the fuel filter outlet and, depending on results, possible inspection of the adjacent fuel system tube assemblies as well as replacement or overhaul of the over-speed fuel solenoid valve assembly, plus periodic overhaul of the over-speed fuel solenoid valve assembly, effective Oct. 21, 2020.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-18-14 for all GE90-110B1 and -115Bs with a certain high-pressure turbine rotor stage 2 disk, requiring an ultrasonic inspection rotor stage 2 disk and, depending on result, replacement of the rotor stage 2 disk with a part eligible for installation, effective Oct. 21, 2020.

Rosaviation has accepted the application of Roschemprotection Corporation in Tambov to receive a certificate for aircraft development. In August 2020 Russian airlines carried 9.15 million passengers, down 37% from year-ago levels.