Airworthiness Directives; BAE Systems (Operations) Limited Model BAe 146 and Avro 146-RJ Series Airplanes

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all BAE Systems (Operations) Limited Model BAe 146 and Avro 146-RJ series airplanes. This AD requires repetitive external eddy current inspections of the forward fuselage skin to detect cracking due to fatigue, and repair if necessary. This AD is prompted by evidence of cracking due to fatigue along the edges of the chemi-etched pockets in certain front fuselage canopy skin panels. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct this cracking, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the airplane fuselage.