Is AD 2018-21-09 a recurring Airworthiness Directive?

Yes — AD 2018-21-09 requires a repetitive inspection every 48 months. Next-due depends on the aircraft's time in service.

Airworthiness Directive 2018-21-09

Q: Which aircraft does AD 2018-21-09 apply to?

AD 2018-21-09 applies to Atr-Gie Avions De Transport Régional — models ATR42-200, ATR42-300, ATR42-320, ATR42-500, ATR42. Serial/part conditions may narrow it to specific aircraft.

recurring

Official AD 2018-21-09 · FR doc 2018-22153 · 2018-10-16 · airframe

Airworthiness Directives; ATR-GIE Avions de Transport Régional Airplanes

What this AD requires

We are superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2006-07-26, which applied to all ATR-GIE Avions de Transport R[eacute]gional Model ATR42 airplanes. AD 2006-07-26 required a one-time inspection to detect discrepancies (e.g., cracking, loose/sheared fasteners, distortion) on the left-hand and right-hand wings, of the outer wing box upper skin and upper rib feet, and repair if necessary. Since we issued AD 2006- 07-26, after initial findings had suggested the cracking was isolated to a few airplanes, we received reports of cracking in these same areas on other Model ATR42 airplanes. This AD requires repetitive inspections to detect discrepancies on the left-hand and right-hand wings, of the outer wing box upper skin and upper rib feet, and repair if necessary. We are issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

Repetitive inspection. Re-inspect every 48 months. The next-due date/hours depend on this aircraft’s time in service — a records report computes it from the logbooks.

Which aircraft AD 2018-21-09 applies to

MakesAtr-Gie Avions De Transport Régional

ModelsATR42-200, ATR42-300, ATR42-320, ATR42-500, ATR42

Applies to all manufacturer serial numbers.

Whether AD 2018-21-09 actually applies to your aircraft (by serial and installed parts) and whether it’s already complied with comes from that aircraft’s records.

How AD compliance is recorded

A valid compliance record (14 CFR 43.9) states:

Method of compliance — The specific action taken (inspected, replaced, modified) and to what revision.

Date — When the work was done.

Aircraft time — Total time in service / tach at compliance — how recurring next-due is computed.

Signature & certificate — The A&P/IA who returned it to service, with certificate number.

Is AD 2018-21-09 complied with on your aircraft?

Tailplate reads a tail number’s logbooks and matches every applicable AD — including this one — to its compliance evidence, with recurring next-due dates computed.

Look up a tail number →Read the full directive (Federal Register)

Applicability is derived from the FAA directive corpus and is advisory, not a legal airworthiness determination. Compliance is established only from an aircraft’s actual records.