FAA Orders Checks for Cracks in Rare Piaggio Airplane Stabilizers
Published Date: 4/6/2026
Rule
Summary
If you own or fly a Baykar Piaggio P-180 airplane, listen up! The FAA found corrosion and cracks on the vertical stabilizer, so they’re requiring regular inspections and fixes to keep things safe. Starting May 11, 2026, you’ll need to check your plane often, and if you fix it right, you can stop the repeated inspections—saving time and money in the long run.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 2 costs, 1 mixed.
Repairs Required Before Further Flight
If inspections find corrosion or cracking, you must complete corrective actions before further flight, including post-repair inspections and approved repair instructions from the FAA, EASA, or Piaggio's EASA Design Organization Approval. The FAA estimates on-condition repair labor up to 280 hours (up to $23,800) plus parts up to $1,000 (total up to $24,800), or replacement labor up to 160 hours ($13,600) plus parts up to $10,000 (total up to $23,600).
Mandatory Inspections: Initial and Repeat
If you operate a Baykar Piaggio P-180 in the affected serial number range, you must do a one-time NDT inspection and then repeat visual and NDT inspections at intervals not to exceed 660 hours time-in-service (TIS) or 26 months, whichever occurs first. Initial compliance is within 220 hours TIS or 13 months for serials 1002 and 1004–3016, and within 660 hours TIS or 26 months for serial 3018. The FAA estimates the one-time NDT inspection labor cost up to $2,295 per airplane and each repetitive inspection labor cost up to $3,400 per airplane; the rule affects 107 U.S.-registered airplanes.
Terminating Action Available to Stop Repeats
If you accomplish an action identified as a "terminating action" in Piaggio Aerospace Service Bulletin 80-0493, Revision 0, that action ends the requirement for the repetitive inspections for that airplane. That terminating action must be done as specified in the service material referenced in the AD.
Who and When This AD Affects You
This AD applies to Piaggio Model P-180 airplanes with serial numbers 1002, 1004 through 3016, and 3018, certificated in any category, and is effective May 11, 2026. The FAA estimates the AD affects 107 airplanes on the U.S. registry.
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