Global Regulatory Update, Dec. 13-19, 2020

Grant Shapps, secretary of state for transport, has laid out the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s strategic priorities as safety, traffic recovery and growth, becoming a trusted regulator post-Brexit, supporting carbon dioxide reduction to achieve net zero CO2 emissions by 2050, commercial space, protecting consumers after airline insolvency, modernizing airspace and finding a new funding model.

The Civil Aviation Authority of China says 11 passengers tested positive for COVID-19 on a Russian airline flight SU208 from Moscow to Shanghai entering China on Dec. 4. The flight was suspended for four weeks from Dec. 21. Flights before Dec. 21 can continue.

From Dec. 9-10, the 6th China Civil Aviation Administration-U.S. Aviation Cooperation Project Safety Seminar and Continuous Airworthy and Maintenance Management Seminar was held in Haikou City, Hainan Province. It was the first large-scale meeting held in civil aviation cooperation between China and the United States during the virus epidemic. It focused on continuous airworthiness and maintenance management, including the CAAC- and FAA-sustained airworthiness and maintenance management framework, the role of information in continuous airworthiness and maintenance management, changes in regulatory models during the virus outbreak, trends in maintenance industry, safety culture and maintenance and recovery of stored aircraft.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore will welcome visitors from Taiwan starting Dec. 18, 2020. And the Changi Ready Taskforce is gearing up for the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in Singapore and its surrounding region.

EASA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-0268 for Airbus A350-1041s and -941s, amending time limits and maintenance checks under airworthiness limitations section part 5, fuel airworthiness limitations, effective Dec. 18, 2020.

EASA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-0270 for Airbus A320 family, amending time limits and maintenance checks under airworthiness limitations section part 4, system equipment maintenance requirements, effective Dec. 21, 2020.

EASA has issued proposed airworthiness directive 20-194 for Rolls-Royce Deutschland Trent 1000s, requiring replacement of fuel pump, effective 14 days after airworthiness directive is issued.

EASA has issued safety information bulletin AIR-20-19 for Boeing 777s and 787s, regarding flight management computing software system.

EASA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-0273 for Airbus A330s and A340s, requiring inspection and replacement of oxygen supply solenoid valve, effective Dec. 23, 2020.

EASA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-0274 for Airbus A320 family, A330s, A340s and A380s, requiring replacement of nickel-cadmium rechargeable batteries, effective Dec. 24, 2020.

EASA has issued proposed airworthiness directive 20-195 for Pilatus PC-12/47Es, requiring modification of fuel inward vent valve, effective 14 days after airworthiness directive is issued.

EASA has issued proposed airworthiness directive 20-159R1 for Airbus A330-841s and -941s, requiring inspection and rework of thrust reverser translating cowl pressure seals, effective 14 days after airworthiness directive is issued.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-25-04 for all Rolls-Royce Deutschland RB211-Trent 875-17s, 877-17s, 884-17s, 884B-17s, 892-17s, 892B-17s and 895-17s, requiring repetitive inspections of the engine upper bifurcation nose fairing assembly and repair or replacement of any fairing assembly that fails inspection, with a terminating action of modification of the engine upper bifurcation nose fairing assembly, effective Jan. 8, 2021.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-25-03 for all Airbus A318s, A319s, A320s and A321s, requiring repetitive checks of the pressure gauges on the inflation reservoir of each emergency escape slide or raft to determine the amount of pressure and, depending on findings, accomplishment of applicable corrective actions, plus checks of other parts, with optional terminating actions for the repetitive checks, effective Dec. 28, 2020.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-21-17 for certain Boeing 757s, requiring repetitive inspections for skin cracking and shim migration at the upper link drag fittings, diagonal brace cracking, and fastener looseness; and applicable on-condition actions, plus repetitive inspections at certain fastener hole locations and applicable on-condition actions, effective Jan. 14, 2021.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-22-10 for certain Boeing 777-200s, -200LRs, -300s and -300ERs, requiring an inspection for foam insulation on the drip-shield above the overhead panel support structure and replacement if necessary and inspection of the foam insulation on the overhead panel support structure, and replacement if necessary, effective Jan. 14, 2021.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-21-16 for all Boeing 747-100s, -100Bs, -100B SUDs, -200Bs, -200Cs, -200Fs, -300s, -400s, -400Ds, -400Fs, 747SRs and SPs, requiring repetitive ultrasonic inspections of the upper wing skin at certain engine strut positions for cracking; repetitive detailed and ultrasonic inspections of the strut lower spar fitting, diagonal brace strut end clevis, and diagonal brace wing attach end clevis for cracking; repetitive detailed inspections of lower link fitting at certain engine strut positions for cracking; and applicable on-condition actions, effective Jan. 14, 2021.

Transport Canada has issued airworthiness directive CF-2020-53 for MHI RJ Aviation CJ 700s, 701s, 702s, 550s, 705s, 900s and 1000s, revising time limits and maintenance checks in the maintenance program, effective Dec. 21, 2020.