FAA Orders Crack Checks on Airbus Sharklet Wings for Safety
Published Date: 4/16/2025
Proposed Rule
Summary
The FAA wants to make sure certain Airbus A319, A320, and A321 planes with sharklets stay safe by checking for cracks in the lower wing cover. They’re asking for regular inspections and fixes if needed, based on a European safety rule. Airlines and operators should comment by June 2, 2025, and be ready for these checks, which could cost some time and money but keep flights safe.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.
Mandatory repetitive wing inspections
If you operate the listed Airbus A319, A320, or A321 airplanes equipped with sharklets, you must do repetitive special detailed inspections (SDIs) of the lower wing cover area between rib 19 and rib 21, forward of stringer 8, on both left and right sides, and do corrective actions as required by EASA AD 2024-0201R1 (dated December 2, 2024). The FAA estimates the labor cost for each required inspection at 7 work-hours × $85/hour = $595 per airplane and estimates the rule would affect 1,924 U.S.-registered airplanes (total estimated cost $1,144,780).
Repairs required before further flight
If any discrepancy (cracking) is found as identified in the applicable Airbus On-Condition Task (AOT), the discrepancy must be repaired before further flight using a method approved by the Manager, AIR-520, Continued Operational Safety Branch, FAA; or EASA; or Airbus SAS's EASA Design Organization Approval (DOA). The FAA states it has no definitive data to estimate costs for the on-condition repairs specified in this proposed AD.
Mandatory inspection reporting rules
Operators must submit inspection reports as required by this AD: if an inspection is done on or after the AD's effective date, submit the report within 30 days after the inspection; if done before the AD's effective date, submit the report within 30 days after the AD's effective date. The Paperwork Reduction Act statement sets OMB Control Number 2120-0056 and estimates public reporting takes approximately 1 hour per response.
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Key Dates
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