FAA Mandates New Crack Checks for Airbus Jets
Published Date: 12/9/2025
Rule
Summary
If you fly certain Airbus A318, A319, A320, or A321 planes, new safety rules are here! The FAA found more cracks in key door parts, so they’re speeding up inspections and adding a new check to keep everyone safe. These rules kick in January 13, 2026, and might mean some extra work and costs for airlines, but safety always comes first!
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Mandatory inspections for Airbus A320 family
If you operate certain Airbus A318, A319, A320, or A321 airplanes, a new FAA airworthiness directive effective January 13, 2026 requires continuing repetitive high-frequency eddy current (HFEC) inspections, shortens some inspection compliance times, and adds an additional inspection of door stop fitting number 1 at frame (FR) 68.
Estimated operator inspection costs
The FAA estimates this AD affects 1,924 U.S.-registered airplanes. The HFEC inspection is estimated at 27 work-hours (27 x $85/hr = $2,295) per airplane per inspection cycle (total estimated cost to U.S. operators per inspection cycle = $4,415,580), an inspection for a repair part is 1 work-hour ($85) per airplane, and on-condition inspections could cost up to $2,550 per airplane (up to 30 work-hours).
Allowed maintenance material substitution
The FAA added an exception allowing use of consumable material list (CML) code 12ADB1 in lieu of CML code 12ABC1 for re-protection of inspection areas as part of compliance with this AD.
No requirement to report inspection findings
Although EASA AD 2024-0210 specifies submitting inspection findings to the manufacturer, this FAA AD explicitly does not require operators to report inspection findings to Airbus.
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Key Dates
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