Global Regulatory Update, July 26-Aug. 1, 2020

The Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil has issued airworthiness directive BR-2020-07-02 for Yabora Industria Aeronautica EMB-135s and -145s, requiring software update of full authority digital engine control, effective July 21, 2020.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China has ordered that passengers taking flights bound for China are required to present their negative results of COVID-19 nucleic acid tests before boarding. China-bound passengers shall complete COVID-19 nucleic acid tests within five days before boarding.

India’s Director General Civil Aviation has issued its final report on an incident involving a Spice Jet Dash 8-Q400 aircraft at Calicut on Aug. 4, 2017, finding excessive rudder input by the pilot in command to bring the aircraft on runway centerline while landing on a wet runway led to runway excursion, and non-adherence to standard callouts by pilot monitoring also contributed.

India’s Director General Civil Aviation has issued its final report on a fuel leak incident involving an Air India Boeing 787-800 at Mumbai on Aug. 21, 2017, finding the exact cause of the fuel leak could not be ascertained, but it is suspected that the presence of foreign object damage in the right main tank boost pump outlet check valve contributed to the fuel leak.

EASA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-0090R1 for Airbus 350-1041s and -941s, requiring modification of integrated control panels and amending airplane flight manual abnormal-normal procedures sections, effective July 28, 2020.

EASA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-0162 for Airbus A380-841s, -842s and -861s, requiring inspection of pylon-wing interface bleed duct and fuel pipe, effective Aug. 4, 2020.

EASA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-0163 for Airbus A350-1041s and -941s, requiring inspection of slat transmission shafts, effective July 27, 2020.

EASA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-0165 for Airbus A320 family, requiring replacement of nose landing gear main fitting, effective Aug. 6, 2020.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-15-07 for certain Rolls-Royce Deutschland RB211-524G2-19s, -524G2-T-19s, -524G3-19s, -524G3-T-19s, -524H2-19s, -524H2-T-19s, -524H-36s and -524H-T-36s, requiring replacement of the low-pressure turbine stage 1 disk before it reaches its new declared safe cycle limit or within 25 flight cycles after the effective date of this directive, whichever occurs later, effective Aug. 4, 2020.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-14-03 for all Boeing 737-300s, -400s and -500s, requiring a general visual inspection of the strut to wing diagonal brace at a certain location for cracking and, for certain airplanes, an ultrasonic inspection of the nacelle support over-wing fitting at certain fastener locations for cracking and, for certain other airplanes, a magnetic check of the nacelle support over-wing fitting at a certain location to determine the material composition, effective Aug. 27, 2020.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-14-08 for all Airbus A318s, A319s, A320s and A321s, requiring replacement of certain main landing gear torque link apex pins and, for certain other pins, a one-time magnetic particle inspection for cracking, and replacement if necessary, effective Aug. 7, 2020.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-14-05 for certain Airbus A319-111s, -112s, -113s, -114s, -115s, -131s, -132s and -133s, requiring inspecting affected fastener holes of the satellite communication antenna doubler for cracking, and applicable corrective actions, effective Aug. 7, 2020.

FAA has issued emergency airworthiness directive 2020-16-51 for Boeing 737-300s, -400s, -500s, -600s, -700s, -700Cs, -800s, -900s and -900ERs, requiring inspections of the engine bleed air fifth stage check valve on each engine and replacement of the engine bleed air fifth stage check valve if any inspection is not passed, effective upon receipt.