The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has published a draft regulation proposing additional inspections due to manufacturing-related issues identified on certain fuselage skin panels in the nose section of the Airbus A320neo family.
According to EASA, a production issue at one of Airbus’ suppliers may have resulted in panel thicknesses deviating from their design specifications. If not detected in a timely manner, this condition could negatively affect structural integrity, particularly under certain repair scenarios.
Under the draft proposal, a one-time visual inspection and thickness measurement is planned for each affected panel within six months of the regulation’s entry into force. If cracks or out-of-tolerance conditions are detected, operators will be required to obtain Airbus-approved repair instructions.
Based on current information, the inspections would apply to 177 aircraft already in service as well as 451 aircraft at various stages of assembly. EASA is expected to announce its final decision following the consultation process, which is scheduled to be completed in January 2026.
