Global Regulatory Update, April 26-May 2, 2020

The Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil of Brazil has issued special airworthiness bulletin 2020-02 for Embraer ERJ-170s and ERJ-190s regarding operating in weather conditions with high concentration of ice crystals.

Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand Director Chula Sukmanop invited more than 20 Thai and foreign airlines to discuss disease control measures to prepare for the return of domestic flights on May 1, 2020. Distance between passengers must be maintained. There will be no food and drink during flights. Routes must last more than 90 minutes. There must be a special row seat for passengers with suspicious symptoms during flight. Crews must wear sanitary masks, and passengers must wear masks.

The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam is requiring companies to implement control measures for domestic travel after April 22, 2020. Airlines must carry out spacing on airplanes to prevent transmission of coronavirus, let families sit together, ensure two meters between queuing passengers, take temperatures before flight, have hand washing solution on aircraft and ensure passengers wear masks.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Australia has recently announced a range of measures to help operations during the current unprecedented environment. It is allowing an extension of the due date of the next airworthiness review of an aircraft, through a third extension of the airworthiness review certificate. It is also relaxing the extension requirements for aircraft under specific circumstances. The exemption came into effect on April 9, 2020, and will remain in force until March 31, 2023.

EASA has issued airworthiness directive 2019-0310R1 for Airbus A380-841s, -842s and -861s, requiring replacing rudder electrical backup hydraulic actuator solenoid valves and amending master minimum equipment, effective April 27, 2020.

EASA has issued safety information bulletin NM-20-07 for Boeing 747s, 757s, 767s, 777s, 787s, regarding glideslope system.

EASA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-0090 for Airbus A350-1041s and -941s, requiring modification of integrated control panels and amending airplane flight manual’s abnormal and normal procedures sections, effective April 24, 2020.

EASA has issued proposed airworthiness directive 20-064 for Airbus A380-841s, -842s and -861s, requiring modification of light cover and oxygen container gap seal, effective 14 days after airworthiness directive is issued.

EASA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-0091 for Airbus A350-1041s and -941s, amending time limits and maintenance checks under safe life airworthiness limitations items part 1, effective May 6, 2020.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-07-21 for certain Embraer ERJ 190-100 STDs, -100 LRs, -100 ECJs, -100 IGWs, -200 STDs, -200 LRs and -200 IGWs, requiring a one-time records review or a general visual inspection of the main landing gear aft pintle pins to determine if certain repairs were done and replacement of certain pins with serviceable pins, effective May 26, 2020.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-07-19 for certain ATR72s, requiring modifying the clamp installation of the electrical routing on a certain rib of the left- and right-hand side of the wing rear spars, effective May 26, 2020.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-07-18 for certain Airbus A318-112s, A319-111s, -112s, -115s, -132s and -133s, A320-214s, -232s and -233s, and A321-211s, -212s, -213s -231s and -232s, requiring a one-time eddy current conductivity measurement of certain cabin, cargo compartment, and frame structural parts to determine if aluminum alloy with inadequate heat treatment was used and replacement if necessary and additional work, effective May 26, 2020.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-07-17 for all Saab 2000s, requiring revising the existing maintenance or inspection program to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations, effective May 26, 2020.

FAA has issued airworthiness directive 2020-09-03 for all International Aero Engines V2500-A1s, V2522-A5s, V2524-A5s, V2525-D5s, V2527-A5s, V2527E-A5s, V2527M-A5s, V2528-D5s, V2530-A5s, V2531-E5s and V2533-A5s with a certain diffuser case assembly installed, requiring removal of affected diffuser case assembly from service and replacement with a part eligible for installation, effective May 29, 2020.