AD 2020-26-12 Requires Revising The Existing Maintenance Or Inspection Program

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Gulfstream Aerospace LP Model Gulfstream G280 airplanes. This AD was prompted by a determination that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary.

This AD requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations, as specified in a Civil Aviation Authority of Israel (CAAI) AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. This AD is effective February 1, 2021.

Supplementary Information: The CAAI, which is the aviation authority for Israel, has issued CAAI AD ISR-I-04-2020-06-02, dated June 28, 2020 (CAAI AD ISR-I-04-2020-06-02) (also referred to as the Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information, or the MCAI), to correct an unsafe condition for all Gulfstream Aerospace LP Model Gulfstream G280 airplanes. Airplanes with an original airworthiness certificate or original export certificate of airworthiness issued after September 15, 2019, must comply with the airworthiness limitations specified as part of the approved type design and referenced on the type certificate data sheet; this AD therefore does not include those airplanes in the applicability.

The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to certain Gulfstream Aerospace LP Model Gulfstream G280 airplanes. The NPRM published in the Federal Register on September 16, 2020 (85 FR57799). The NPRM was prompted by a determination that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. The NPRM proposed to require revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations, as specified in CAAI AD ISR-I-04-2020-06-02.

The FAA is issuing this AD to address solder cracking of the flight control electronic control units (FCECUs), which, combined with latent failure of the horizontal stabilizer trim actuator (HSTA) “no-back” mechanism, could result in uncontrolled HSTA operation. See the MCAI for additional background information.

FMI: www.regulations.gov