FAA Orders Thousands of Piper Aircraft to Receive Rudder Replacements

Agency has issued a final airworthiness directive for a specific series of the manufacturer's airplanes.

Friday, February 14, 2025 at 04:00 PM ET

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The FAA has issued a final airworthiness directive (AD) requiring the replacement of rudders on specific Piper series aircraft. [Credit: AVweb/Creative Commons, Share Alike 4.0]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA has issued an Airworthiness Directive (AD), effective March 20, mandating the replacement of original 1025 carbon steel rudders on specific Piper aircraft with more durable 4130N low-alloy steel versions.
This directive addresses safety concerns and prevents rudder failures due to fatigue and corrosion, prompted by two nonfatal accidents involving Piper aircraft in Anchorage.
The AD is projected to impact approximately 31,000 vintage Piper aircraft, including J-series Cubs and PA-22 Tri-Pacers, with aviation groups raising concerns about implementation costs and working on alternative compliance methods.

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The FAA has issued a final airworthiness directive (AD) requiring the replacement of rudders on specific Piper series aircraft.

The AD, effective March 20, addresses safety concerns stemming from reports of rudder failures due to fatigue and corrosion in rudder posts made from 1025 carbon steel. Under the new requirements, these components must be replaced with more durable 4130N low-alloy steel rudders.