SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 to supersede AD 2025-03-06, Amendment 39-22954 (90 FR 9595, February 14, 2025) (AD 2025-03-06); and AD 2025-17-07, Amendment 39-23117 (90 FR 41771, August 27, 2025) (AD 2025-17-07).

AD 2025-03-06 applied to certain Airbus SAS Model A318 and A320 series airplanes; Model A319-111, -112, -113, -114, -115, -131, -132, -133, -151N, -153N, and -171N airplanes; and Model A321-111, -112, -131, -211, -212, -213, -231, -232, -251N, -251NX, -252N, -252NX, -253N, -253NX, -271N, -271NX, -272N, and -272NX airplanes. AD 2025-03-06 required revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to ( printed page 25093) incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations (specified in Airbus A318/A319/A320/A321 Airworthiness Limitations Section (ALS) Part 2, Damage Tolerant Airworthiness Limitation Items (DT-ALI), Revision 10, Issue 02, dated November 30, 2023). The FAA issued AD 2025-03-06 to address fatigue cracking, accidental damage, or corrosion in principal structural elements, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the airplane.

AD 2025-17-07 applied to certain Airbus SAS Model A318, A320, and A321 series airplanes; and Model A319-111, -112, -113, -114, -115, -131, -132, -133, -151N, -153N, and -171N airplanes. AD 2025-17-07 required revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new airworthiness limitations (specified in Airbus A318/A319/A320/A321 ALS Part 2, Damage Tolerant Airworthiness Limitation Items (DT-ALI), Variation 10.3, dated August 7, 2024). The FAA issued AD 2025-17-07 to address fatigue cracking, accidental damage, or corrosion in principal structural elements, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the airplane.

The NPRM was published in the Federal Register on November 17, 2025 (90 FR 51218). The NPRM was prompted by EASA 2025-0030, dated February 10, 2025 (EASA AD 2025-0030) (also referred to as the MCAI), issued by EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union. The MCAI states new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations have been developed, as specified in Airbus A318/A319/A320/A321 ALS Part 2, Damage Tolerant Airworthiness Limitation Items (DT-ALI), Revision 11, dated November 4, 2024.

In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to continue to require certain actions in AD 2025-03-06 and all actions in AD 2025-17-07, as specified in EASA 2025-0030. The FAA also proposed to require revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations and add new airplane models. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2025-3989.

Discussion of Final Airworthiness Directive

Comments

The FAA received comments from United Airlines who supported the NPRM without change.

The FAA received additional comments from Delta Air Lines (Delta) and the Citizens Rulemaking Alliance. The following presents the comments received on the NPRM and the FAA's response to each comment.

Request To Use Previously Approved Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

Delta requested the FAA revise paragraph (p) of the proposed AD to specify that AMOCs approved previously for AD 2025-03-06 are approved as AMOCs for the corresponding provisions of EASA AD 2025-0030 that would be required by paragraph (m) of the proposed AD. Delta stated that a modification incorporated under a certain supplemental type certificate prevents accomplishment of certain ALI inspections, but previously approved AMOCs provide an acceptable level of safety for those ALI inspections.

The FAA agrees and has added paragraph (p)(1)(ii) to this AD, accordingly.

Request To Justify Forgoing Notice and Comment or Issue an NPRM

The Citizens Rulemaking Alliance requested that the FAA either provide its justification for finding good cause to bypass notice and comment procedures, or convert this action to an NPRM and delay enforcement until the comment period is complete. The commenter asserted the FAA has not adequately justified use of the good cause exemption to bypass notice and comment and the 30-day delayed effective date.

The FAA notes the comment was submitted in response to an NPRM for which the FAA provided a 45-day comment period. This final rule is effective 35 days after its publication in the Federal Register . Therefore, no change to this AD is necessary.

Request To Make Incorporation by Reference (IBR) Materials Reasonably Available

The Citizens Rulemaking Alliance requested that the FAA make IBR material available and free to the public during the comment period.

The FAA clarifies that this AD incorporates by reference EASA AD 2025-0030, not the manufacturer service information referenced in that EASA AD. The FAA posted EASA AD 2025-0030 to the AD docket when the NPRM was published in the Federal Register . The FAA notes this AD also retains EASA AD 2024-0208, dated October 25, 2024 (for the actions retained from FAA AD 2025-17-07), and EASA AD 2024-0031, dated January 31, 2024; corrected February 1, 2024 (for the actions retained from FAA AD 2025-03-06), which were previously approved for incorporation by reference. That material is available under Docket No. FAA-2025-0748 and Docket No. FAA-2024-2145, respectively. The material referenced in EASA AD 2025-0030 may only be posted before the final rule's publication if it is already publicly available or if there is written consent from the owner of that material. Additionally, the FAA provided notice in the NPRM that the material referenced in EASA AD 2025-0030 will be available in the AD docket after this AD is published. The FAA did not change this AD as a result of this comment.

Request To Consider Impact on Small Entities

The Citizens Rulemaking Alliance requested that the FAA either provide the factual basis for its Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) certification that the AD will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities, or prepare an initial regulatory flexibility analysis.

The FAA provides the following clarification. The RFA of 1980 (5 U.S.C. 601-612), as amended by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-121) and the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-240), requires Federal agencies to consider the effects of the regulatory action on small business and other small entities and to minimize any significant economic impact. The term “small entities” comprises small businesses and not-for-profit organizations that are independently owned and operated and are not dominant in their fields, and governmental jurisdictions with populations of less than 50,000.

This AD will affect 23 domestic entities, of which 8 are small entities. The table below displays the industries of the small entities, their average annual revenue, and the AD's estimated cost burden relative to average annual revenue. ( printed page 25094)

While the FAA has determined that this final AD affects a substantial number of small entities, the compliance cost of the AD relative to each small entity's annual revenue is minimal. The FAA estimates the total cost per affected entity to be $7,650 (90 work-hours × $85 per work-hour), which is 0.02% of the average small entity's annual revenue. Therefore, as provided in section 605(b), the FAA certifies this AD will not result in a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. The FAA did not change this AD as a result of this comment.

Request To Provide Additional Cost Information

The Citizens Rulemaking Alliance requested that the FAA reassess the estimated cost of the proposed AD and whether the action is “significant” under E.O. 12866. The Citizens Rulemaking Alliance also requested the FAA reopen the comment period for public input on the additional cost information. The commenter stated that the FAA should also provide the fleet size, per airplane labor and parts cost, any assumed downtime or out-of-service impacts, and aggregate costs.

In the Cost of Compliance section of the proposed AD, the FAA disclosed the number of airplanes affected on the U.S. registry, estimated number of work hours provided by the manufacturer, and the aggregate costs. The FAA did not disclose an estimated parts cost since this AD does not require any parts. Additionally, the FAA considered the impact that this AD will have on affected operators and determined this AD will not trigger any downtime costs because revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, is an administrative action that can be performed without impacting operations. Since the FAA has assessed and disclosed the total known costs of the AD requirements in the Costs of Compliance section of the proposed AD, and the commenter did not provide additional cost data for the FAA to consider in its cost analysis, it is not necessary to reopen the comment period or provide additional information in the AD docket. Based upon the analysis provided throughout the proposed AD and in the previous comment response, the FAA certifies that this AD is not a “significant regulatory action” under Executive Order 12866. The FAA did not change this AD as a result of this comment.

Conclusion

These products have been approved by the civil aviation authority of another country and are approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to the FAA's bilateral agreement with this State of Design Authority, that authority has notified the FAA of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI referenced above. The FAA reviewed the relevant data, considered any comments received, and determined that air safety requires adopting this AD as proposed. Accordingly, the FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. Except for minor editorial changes, and any other changes described previously, this AD is adopted as proposed in the NPRM. None of the changes will increase the economic burden on any operator.

Material Incorporated by Reference Under 1 CFR Part 51

The FAA reviewed EASA AD EASA AD 2025-0030, which specifies new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations for airplane structures and safe life limits.

This AD also requires EASA AD 2024-0208, which the Director of the Federal Register approved for incorporation by reference as of October 1, 2025 (90 FR 41771, August 27, 2025).

This AD also requires EASA AD 2024-0031, which the Director of the Federal Register approved for incorporation by reference as of March 21, 2025 (90 FR 9595, February 14, 2025).

This material is reasonably available because the interested parties have access to it through their normal course of business or by the means identified in the ADDRESSES section.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD affects 1,900 airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this AD:

The FAA estimates the total cost per operator for the retained actions from AD 2025-03-06 to be $7,650 (90 work-hours × $85 per work-hour).

The FAA estimates the total cost per operator for the retained actions from AD 2025-17-07 to be $7,650 (90 work-hours × $85 per work-hour).

The FAA has determined that revising the existing maintenance or inspection program takes an average of 90 work-hours per operator, although the agency recognizes that this number may vary from operator to operator. Since operators incorporate maintenance or inspection program changes for their affected fleet(s), the FAA has determined that a per-operator estimate is more accurate than a per-airplane estimate. Therefore, the FAA estimates the average total cost per operator for the new actions to be $7,650 (90 work-hours × $85 per work-hour).

Authority for This Rulemaking

Title 49 of the United States Code specifies the FAA's authority to issue rules on aviation safety. Subtitle I, section 106, describes the authority of the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII: Aviation Programs, describes in more detail the scope of the Agency's authority.

The FAA is issuing this rulemaking under the authority described in Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart III, Section 44701: General requirements. Under that section, Congress charges the FAA with promoting safe flight of civil aircraft in air commerce by prescribing regulations for practices, methods, and procedures the Administrator finds necessary for safety in air commerce. This regulation is within the scope of that authority because it addresses an ( printed page 25095) unsafe condition that is likely to exist or develop on products identified in this rulemaking action.

Regulatory Findings

This AD will not have federalism implications under Executive Order 13132. This AD will not have a substantial direct effect on the States, on the relationship between the national government and the States, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the various levels of government.

For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this AD:

(1) Is not a “significant regulatory action” under Executive Order 12866,

(2) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and

(3) Will not have a significant economic impact, positive or negative, on a substantial number of small entities under the criteria of the Regulatory Flexibility Act.

The Amendment

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the FAA amends 14 CFR part 39 as follows: