Airworthiness Directives; BAE Systems (Operations) Limited Model ATP Airplanes

The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD), which applies to all BAe Systems (Operations) Limited Model ATP airplanes. That AD currently requires revising the Airworthiness Limitations Section (ALS) of the Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA) to incorporate life limits for certain items and inspections to detect fatigue cracking in certain structures; to incorporate new inspections to detect fatigue cracking of certain significant structural items (SSIs); and to revise life limits for certain equipment and various components. This new AD requires revising the ALS of the ICA to include additional and revised inspections of the fuselage. This AD results from the manufacturer review of fatigue test results that identified additional and revised inspections of the fuselage that are necessary in order to ensure the continued structural integrity of the airplane. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct fatigue cracking of certain structural elements, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the airplane and consequent rapid decompression of the airplane.