FAA Orders Airbus Windshield Inspections for Safety
Published Date: 11/17/2025
Proposed Rule
Summary
The FAA wants Airbus A330 planes to get special windshield frame checks because a production mistake might cause safety issues. Owners of these planes will need to do regular detailed inspections and fix any problems found. Comments on this plan are open until January 2, 2026, and while these checks might cost some money, they keep flights safe and sound.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.
Mandatory windshield-frame inspections
If you operate certain Airbus A330 airplanes (models A330-200, -200 Freighter, -300, -800, and -900 series listed in EASA AD 2025-0071), you must perform repetitive special detailed inspections (SDIs) of the central windshield frames and do required corrective actions or repairs per EASA AD 2025-0071. The inspections and corrective actions are required within the compliance times specified in that EASA AD.
Crack repairs must be approved and done before flight
If any cracking is found on an affected part, the cracking must be repaired before further flight using a method approved by the Manager, AIR-520 (FAA), or EASA, or Airbus SAS's EASA Design Organization Approval (DOA); if approved by the DOA, the approval must include the DOA-authorized signature.
Estimated compliance cost and fleet size
The FAA estimates this proposed AD would affect 145 U.S.-registered airplanes. Estimated labor for the required action is 4 work-hours at $85 per hour (4 x $85 = $340) per airplane, giving a total estimated cost on U.S. operators of $49,300. The FAA lists parts cost as $0 for the required action.
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Key Dates
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