The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus SAS Model A318 series airplanes; Model A319 series airplanes; Model A320 series airplanes; and Model A321-111, -112, -131, -211, -212, -213, -231, -232, -251N, -252N, -253N, -271N, -272N, - 251NX, -252NX, -253NX, -271NX, and -272NX airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of a certain nose landing gear (NLG) sliding tube having widespread overheat damage and multiple cracks on the base metal during shop visits. This proposed AD would require a special detailed inspection (SDI) of the affected NLG sliding tube and replacement, as applicable. This proposed AD would also prohibit the installation of affected parts. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

Dates

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The FAA must receive comments on this proposed AD by September 28, 2026.

Addresses

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You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR 11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods: Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Fax: 202-493-2251. Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590. Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.govunder Docket No. FAA-2026-8779; 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 NPRM, the mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI), any comments received, and other information. The street address for Docket Operations is listed above. Material Incorporated by Reference: For European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) material identified in this proposed AD, contact EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221 8999 000; email [email protected]. You may find this material on the EASA website at ad.easa.europa.eu. It is also available at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2026-8779. 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.

For further information contact

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Nicholas Benson, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone: 206- 231-3647; email: [email protected].

Supplementary information

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Comments Invited

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The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or arguments about this proposal. Send your comments using a method listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include "Docket No. FAA-2026-8779; Project Identifier MCAI-2025-01748-T" at the beginning of your comments. The most helpful comments reference a specific portion of the proposal, explain the reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data. The FAA will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend this proposal because of those comments. Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in the following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR 11.35, the FAA will post all comments received, without change, to regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. The agency will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact received about this NPRM.

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Confidential Business Information

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CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public disclosure. If your comments responsive to this NPRM contain commercial or financial information that is customarily treated as private, that you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to this NPRM, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission containing CBI as "PROPIN." The FAA will treat such marked submissions as confidential under the FOIA, and they will not be placed in the public docket of this NPRM. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Nicholas Benson, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone: 206-231-3647; email: [email protected]. Any commentary that the FAA receives which is not specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket for this rulemaking.

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Background

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EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union, has issued EASA AD 2025-0258, dated November 21, 2025 (EASA AD 2025-0258) (also referred to as the MCAI), to correct an unsafe condition for all Airbus SAS Model A318 series airplanes; Model A319 series airplanes; Model A320-211, -212, -214, -215, -216, -231, - 232, -233, -251N, -252N, -253N, -271N, -272N, and -273N airplanes; and Model A321-111, -112, -131, -211, -212, -213, -231, -232,

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-251N, -252N, -253N, -271N, -272N, -251NX, -252NX, -253NX, -271NX, and -272NX airplanes. Model A320-215 airplanes are not certificated by the FAA and are not included on the U.S. type certificate data sheet; this proposed AD therefore does not include those airplanes in the applicability. The MCAI states that occurrences were reported of a certain NLG sliding tube having widespread overheat damage and multiple cracks on the base metal during shop visits. The investigation revealed that this resulted from overheat damage that occurred during the chrome grinding phase during manufacturing. This condition, if not addressed, could induce multiple cracks on the entire sliding tube, which could result in failure of the NLG. The FAA is proposing 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-2026-8779.

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Material Incorporated by Reference Under 1 CFR Part 51

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EASA AD 2025-0258 specifies procedures for an SDI of certain NLG sliding tubes for discrepancies (i.e., indications, which include base metal near-surface defects or base metal defects under chrome plate including cracking and burn marks) and replacement of affected parts (by either replacing the NLG sliding tube or the NLG shock absorber), as applicable. EASA AD 2025-0258 also prohibits the installation of affected parts and any higher assembly having an affected part installed. 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.

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FAA's Determination

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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 is issuing this NPRM after determining that the unsafe condition described previously is likely to exist or develop in other products of the same type design.

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Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM

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This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified in EASA AD 2025-0258 described previously, except for any differences identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of this proposed AD.

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Explanation of Required Compliance Information

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In the FAA's ongoing efforts to improve the efficiency of the AD process, the FAA developed a process to use some civil aviation authority (CAA) ADs as the primary source of information for compliance with requirements for corresponding FAA ADs. The FAA has been coordinating this process with manufacturers and CAAs. As a result, the FAA proposes to incorporate EASA AD 2025-0258 by reference in the FAA final rule. This proposed AD would, therefore, require compliance with EASA AD 2025-0258 in its entirety through that incorporation, except for any differences identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of this proposed AD. Using common terms that are the same as the heading of a particular section in EASA AD 2025-0258 does not mean that operators need comply only with that section. For example, where the AD requirement refers to "all required actions and compliance times," compliance with this AD requirement is not limited to the section titled "Required Action(s) and Compliance Time(s)" in EASA AD 2025- 0258. Material required by EASA AD 2025-0258 for compliance will be available at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2026-8779 after the FAA final rule is published.

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Costs of Compliance

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The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would affect 1,981 airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this proposed AD:

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Estimated Costs for Required Actions

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Labor cost Parts cost Cost per product Cost on U.S. operators

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Up to 9 work-hours x $85 per hour = $765 $0 Up to $765................ Up to $1,515,465.