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

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all BAE Systems (Operations) Limited Model BAe 146 airplanes and Model Avro 146-RJ airplanes. This AD requires repetitive replacement of the elevator servo tab hinge bearings, elevator servo tab mechanism bearings, elevator trim tab hinge bearings, and elevator trim tab drive rod bearings with new bearings. This AD results from reported incidents of flight control surface restrictions due to the deterioration of flight control surface bearings. We are issuing this AD to prevent corrosion of flight control surface bearings and freezing of moisture inside the bearings, due to loss of lubrication in the bearings, which could lead to flight control restrictions and result in reduced controllability of the airplane.