# 2026-00454: Honda Airplane Owners Must Swap Wing Weights for Safety by February

2026-00454, Airworthiness Directives; Honda Aircraft Company LLC Airplanes, is a Federal Register rule from Transportation Department, Federal Aviation Administration published 2026-01-13, effective 2026-02-17 (as of 2026-06-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-00454
- As of: 2026-06-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-00454
- Title: Airworthiness Directives; Honda Aircraft Company LLC Airplanes
- Type: Rule
- Agencies: Transportation Department; Federal Aviation Administration
- Citation: 91 FR 1241
- Published: 2026-01-13
- Effective: 2026-02-17
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: no
- Regulation identifier numbers: 2120-AA64
- Last updated: 2026-06-11

## In one line

Honda Airplane Owners Must Swap Wing Weights for Safety by February

## Summary

If you own a Honda HA-420 airplane, the FAA has a new rule to keep you safe! You’ll need to swap out the old wing balance weights for new, slimmer ones by February 17, 2026, to fix a tricky gap that could cause trouble. This update helps your plane fly safer without breaking the bank or causing big delays.

## Abstract

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Honda Aircraft Company LLC (Honda) Model HA-420 airplanes. This AD was prompted by the discovery of a gap between the trailing edge wing nut plates and leading edge aileron balance weights being less than the minimum required clearance. This AD requires replacing the affected left and right aileron fixed balance weights with reduced geometry fixed balance weights. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

## Effects PRIA read

- Must Replace Aileron Balance Weights: benefit, high. If you operate a Honda Model HA-420 with serial numbers 42000172, 42000235–42000265, or 42000267–42000272 and with aileron balance weight part number HJ1-15751-152-003 or HJ1-15751-157-003 installed, you must replace the left and right aileron fixed balance weights with reduced-geometry fixed balan…
- Estimated Repair Cost per Airplane: cost, high. The FAA estimates this AD affects 38 U.S.-registered airplanes. The estimated cost to replace the left and right inboard and outboard fixed balance weights is 45 work-hours × $85/hour = $3,825 labor plus $3,676 parts, for a total estimated cost of $7,501 per airplane and $285,038 to U.S. operators.
- Manufacturer May Cover Some Costs: benefit, low. The manufacturer has stated that some of the costs of this AD may be covered under warranty, which could reduce the cost impact on affected operators. The FAA noted this as a possibility but still included full estimated costs in its estimate.

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## Sources
- [2026-00454 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/01/13/2026-00454/airworthiness-directives-honda-aircraft-company-llc-airplanes)
- [2026-00454 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-01-13/pdf/2026-00454.pdf)

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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-00454 (as of 2026-06-11).