FAA Mandates Airbus A350 Flight Control Upgrades
Published Date: 12/29/2025
Rule
Summary
If you fly or work with Airbus A350-941 and -1041 planes, listen up! The FAA is updating safety rules to fix flight control software and hardware issues by January 13, 2026. This means installing new software versions and following strict part replacement rules to keep flights safe—no shortcuts allowed. These changes might cost some time and money but make flying way safer for everyone.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.
Mandated FCGS Software Upgrade
If you operate Airbus A350-941 or -1041 airplanes, you must install flight control and guidance system (FCGS) PRIM P14.1.3 and SEC S14.1.2 software standards and you may not install earlier FCGS software after modification. This AD is effective January 13, 2026 and applies to all A350-941 and -1041 airplanes certificated in any category.
Mandatory FCRM Replacement and Swap Prohibitions
If an elevator flight control remote module (FCRM) was exposed to hydraulic contamination, you must replace it with a serviceable FCRM and you are prohibited from replacing elevator or rudder FCRMs with aileron or spoiler FCRMs. The AD retains these replacement and ``do not replace'' prohibitions and is effective January 13, 2026 for all A350-941 and -1041 airplanes.
FAA Cost Estimates for U.S. Operators
The FAA estimates this AD affects 39 U.S.-registered A350-941 and -1041 airplanes. The FAA estimates retained actions may cost up to $111,276 per airplane (labor $1,020 plus parts up to $110,256) and up to $4,339,764 on U.S. operators; new actions are estimated at $2,234 per airplane ($1,190 labor, $1,044 parts) and $87,126 total for U.S. operators. On-condition actions are estimated up to $27,819 per airplane.
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