The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus SAS Model A350-941 and -1041 airplanes. This AD was prompted by the obsolescence of the clamp holding in pl...
[Docket No. FAA-2026-1323; Project Identifier MCAI-2025-01190-T; Amendment 39-23336; AD 2026-09-14]
RIN 2120-AA64
AGENCY:
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION:
Final rule.
SUMMARY:
The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus SAS Model A350-941 and -1041 airplanes. This AD was prompted by the obsolescence of the clamp holding in place the oxygen generator in the container and introduction of a new clamp from another manufacturer with different locking torque specifications, which were not properly reflected in Airbus documentation. This AD requires replacing each affected part, prohibits accomplishing maintenance actions using certain versions of a maintenance procedure task, and also prohibits the installation of affected parts. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
DATES:
This AD is effective June 18, 2026.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of June 18, 2026.
ADDRESSES:
AD Docket:
You may examine the AD docket at
regulations.gov
under Docket No. FAA-2026-1323; or in person at Docket Operations between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains this final rule, the mandatory continuing airworthiness information
( printed page 27186)
(MCAI), any comments received, and other information. The address for Docket Operations is U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
Material Incorporated by Reference:
For European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) material identified in this AD, contact EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221 8999 000; emailADs@easa.europa.eu.
You may find this material on the EASA website at
ad.easa.europa.eu.
You may view this material at the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 206-231-3195. It is also available atregulations.gov
under Docket No. FAA-2026-1323.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dan Rodina, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone: 206-231-3225; email:
Dan.Rodina@faa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to all Airbus SAS Model A350-941 and -1041 airplanes. The NPRM was published in the
Federal Register
on February 13, 2026 (91 FR 6801). The NPRM was prompted by EASA AD 2025-0138, dated July 1, 2025 (EASA AD 2025-0138) (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 that due to the obsolescence of the clamp holding in place the oxygen generator in the container, Collins introduced a new clamp from another manufacturer with different locking torque specifications. This new torque value was not properly reflected in Airbus documentation. Installing a part using the incorrect torque value (not updated with new specifications) could lead to damage of the chemical oxygen generator housing. This condition, if not corrected, could lead to a reduction of the available oxygen capacity of the airplane when needed, possibly resulting in injury to the airplane occupants.
In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to require replacing each affected part and prohibiting accomplishing maintenance actions using certain versions of a maintenance procedure task, as specified in EASA AD 2025-0138. The NPRM also proposed to prohibit the installation of affected parts, as specified in EASA AD 2025-0138. 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-2026-1323.
Discussion of Final Airworthiness Directive
Comments
The FAA received comments from Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) who supported the NPRM without change.
Clarification of Exception in Paragraph (h)(2) of This AD
The FAA revised paragraph (h)(2) of this AD to clarify the text in EASA 2025-0138 that must be replaced.
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
EASA AD 2025-0138 specifies procedures for replacing each affected chemical oxygen generator. EASA AD 2025-0138 also prohibits accomplishing maintenance actions using maintenance procedure task A350-A-35-21-36-A0001-720A-A dated earlier than October 2024 and prohibits the installation of affected parts.
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 38 airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this AD:
Estimated Costs for Required Actions
Labor cost
Parts cost
Cost per product
Cost on U.S. operators
Up to 350 work-hour × $85 per hour = $29,750
Up to $230,300
Up to $260,050
Up to $9,881,900.
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 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:
(2) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
( printed page 27187)
(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.
This airworthiness directive (AD) is effective June 18, 2026.
(b) Affected ADs
None.
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to all Airbus SAS Model A350-941 and -1041 airplanes, certificated in any category.
(d) Subject
Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 35, Oxygen.
(e) Unsafe Condition
This AD was prompted by the obsolescence of the clamp holding in place the oxygen generator in the container and introduction of a new clamp from another manufacturer with different locking torque specifications, which were not properly reflected in Airbus documentation. Installing a part using the incorrect torque value (not updated with new specifications) could lead to damage of the chemical oxygen generator housing. This condition, if not addressed, could result in a reduction of the available oxygen capacity of the airplane when needed, possibly resulting in injury to the airplane occupants.
(f) Compliance
Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, unless already done.
(g) Requirements
Except as specified in paragraph (h) of this AD: Comply with all required actions and compliance times specified in, and in accordance with, European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2025-0138, dated July 1, 2025 (EASA AD 2025-0138).
(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2025-0138
(1) Where EASA AD 2025-0138 refers to its effective date, this AD requires using the effective date of this AD.
(2) Where EASA AD 2025-0138 defines the affected parts as those meeting certain conditions listed in “Table 1 of the AOT, as defined in this AD”, this AD requires replacing that text with “Table 1 of Airbus Alert Operator Transmission (AOT) A35P024-24, dated April 22, 2025”.
(3) Where EASA AD 2025-0138 defines a serviceable part as “Any chemical oxygen generator, eligible for installation in accordance with Airbus approved instructions, that is not an affected part”, this AD requires replacing that text with “Any chemical oxygen generator, eligible for installation that is not an affected part”.
(4) This AD does not adopt the “Remarks” section of EASA AD 2025-0138.
(i) Additional AD Provisions
The following provisions also apply to this AD:
(1)
Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs):
The Manager, AIR-520, Continued Operational Safety Branch, FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, send your request to your principal inspector or responsible Flight Standards Office, as appropriate. If sending information directly to the manager of the Continued Operational Safety Branch, send it to the attention of the person identified in paragraph (j) of this AD and email to:
AMOC@faa.gov. Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager of the responsible Flight Standards Office.
(2)
Contacting the Manufacturer:
For any requirement in this AD to obtain instructions from a manufacturer, the instructions must be accomplished using a method approved by the Manager, AIR-520, Continued Operational Safety Branch, FAA; or EASA; or Airbus SAS's EASA Design Organization Approval (DOA). If approved by the DOA, the approval must include the DOA-authorized signature.
(3)
Required for Compliance (RC):
Except as required by paragraph (i)(2) of this AD, if any material referenced in EASA AD 2025-0138 contains paragraphs that are labeled as RC, the instructions in RC paragraphs, including subparagraphs under an RC paragraph, must be done to comply with this AD; any paragraphs, including subparagraphs under those paragraphs, that are not identified as RC are recommended. The instructions in paragraphs, including subparagraphs under those paragraphs, not identified as RC may be deviated from using accepted methods in accordance with the operator's maintenance or inspection program without obtaining approval of an AMOC, provided the instructions identified as RC can be done and the airplane can be put back in an airworthy condition. Any substitutions or changes to instructions identified as RC require approval of an AMOC.
(j) Additional Information
For more information about this AD, contact Dan Rodina, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone: 206-231-3225; email:
Dan.Rodina@faa.gov.
(k) Material Incorporated by Reference
(1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of the material listed in this paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
(2) You must use this material as applicable to do the actions required by this AD, unless this AD specifies otherwise.
(i) European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2025-0138, dated July 1, 2025.
(ii) [Reserved]
(3) For EASA material identified in this AD, contact EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221 8999 000; email
ADs@easa.europa.eu.
You may find this material on the EASA website at
ad.easa.europa.eu.
(4) You may view this material at the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 206-231-3195.
Use this for formal legal and research references to the published document.
91 FR 27185
Web Citation
Suggested Web Citation
Use this when citing the archival web version of the document.
“Airworthiness Directives; Airbus SAS Airplanes,” thefederalregister.org (May 14, 2026), https://thefederalregister.org/documents/2026-09659/airworthiness-directives-airbus-sas-airplanes.