Cracks in the Tail? FAA Orders Checks on Piaggio Airplane Stabilizers
Published Date: 1/21/2026
Proposed Rule
Summary
The FAA wants owners of Baykar Piaggio P-180 airplanes to check their vertical stabilizers for cracks and corrosion. They’re proposing regular inspections and one special test to keep these planes safe, with fixes if problems pop up. Comments on this plan are open until March 9, 2026, so owners should get ready to act soon and keep their planes flying strong.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.
Estimated inspection and repair costs
The FAA estimates a one-time NDT inspection costs up to 27 work-hours at $85/hour = $2,295 per airplane (total U.S. cost up to $245,565 for 107 airplanes). Repetitive inspections are estimated up to 40 work-hours at $85/hour = $3,400 per inspection (total U.S. cost per inspection up to $363,800). On-condition repairs are estimated up to $24,800 (up to 280 work-hours at $85/hour plus up to $1,000 parts) and replacements up to $23,600 (up to 160 work-hours at $85/hour plus up to $10,000 parts).
Which P-180s the AD covers
This proposed rule applies only to Baykar Piaggio Model P-180 airplanes with manufacturer serial numbers 1002, 1004 through 3016, and 3018. The FAA estimates 107 of these airplanes are on the U.S. registry. If your airplane is one of these serial numbers, the rule would apply to you.
Required inspections and timing
You must do repetitive visual and non-destructive testing (NDT) inspections of the P-180 vertical stabilizer at intervals not to exceed 660 hours time-in-service (TIS) or 26 months, whichever comes first. Initial compliance is within 220 hours TIS or 13 months for serials 1002 and 1004–3016, and within 660 hours TIS or 26 months for serial 3018, plus a one-time NDT inspection as specified in Piaggio Service Bulletin 80-0493, Rev. 0 (dated November 21, 2024).
How to get approved repairs and stop inspections
If inspections find corrosion or cracks, you must do corrective actions before further flight using approved repair instructions. To obtain approved repair instructions (an RDAS), the proposed AD requires contacting the Manager, International Validation Branch, FAA; EASA; or Piaggio's EASA Design Organization Approval (DOA). Completing an action identified as a "terminating action" in Piaggio SB 80-0493, Rev. 0 stops the repetitive inspections for that airplane.
No mandatory reporting to manufacturer
Although several steps in Piaggio SB 80-0493, Rev. 0, ask operators to report inspection results to the manufacturer, this proposed AD does not require submitting inspection findings to Piaggio. You are not required by the AD to send those reports.
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