FAA Expands Stabilizer Checks on ATR Planes for Safety
Published Date: 5/4/2026
Proposed Rule
Summary
If you fly or maintain ATR42-500 and ATR72-212A planes, listen up! The FAA wants to expand safety checks on more parts of the horizontal stabilizer to keep flights safe. They’re asking for feedback by June 18, 2026, and these extra inspections might mean a bit more work and cost, but it’s all about keeping the skies safe and sound.
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Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.
Expanded horizontal-stabilizer inspections
If you operate or maintain ATR42-500 or ATR72-212A airplanes, the FAA proposes to expand inspections to more parts of the horizontal stabilizer. The rule would keep the previous checks (leading edge lateral ribs, center box upper panel, forward back-up fitting) and add inspections of the HS front spar web and the center box internal area to look for loose/missing fasteners, delamination, or cracks.
Explicit per-aircraft compliance costs
The FAA estimates costs to comply: retained actions cost 8 work-hours × $85/hour = $680 per airplane, and the new proposed actions cost 14 work-hours × $85/hour = $1,190 per airplane. The FAA estimates this AD would affect 16 U.S.-registered airplanes, with total estimated costs on U.S. operators of $10,880 for retained actions and $19,040 for the new actions.
Crack findings require grounded repairs
If an inspection finds any crack in the horizontal stabilizer, the AD requires the crack to be repaired before further flight using a method approved by the FAA International Validation Branch manager, EASA, or ATR's EASA Design Organization Approval. Other discrepancies (non-cracking) generally require contacting ATR for approved repair instructions and may allow different compliance times.
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