Proposed Rule2025-20087
Airworthiness Directives; Embraer S.A. Airplanes
Primary source
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Published
November 18, 2025
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Embraer S.A. (Embraer) Model EMB-505 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by the possibility that some airplanes may have invalid horizontal stabilizer (HS) backlash test results due to the use of incorrect procedures. This proposed AD would require inspecting the airplane's left-hand (LH) and right-hand (RH) HS backlash and replacement, as applicable, of certain hinge point and pitch trim actuator attachment parts and the pitch trim actuator. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 220 (Tuesday, November 18, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 220 (Tuesday, November 18, 2025)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 51607-51610]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-20087]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2025-3993; Project Identifier MCAI-2025-00630-A]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Embraer S.A. Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD)
for certain Embraer S.A. (Embraer) Model EMB-505 airplanes. This
proposed AD was prompted by the possibility that some airplanes may
have invalid horizontal stabilizer (HS) backlash test results due to
the use of incorrect procedures. This proposed AD would require
inspecting the airplane's left-hand (LH) and right-hand (RH) HS
backlash and replacement, as applicable, of certain hinge point and
pitch trim actuator attachment parts and the pitch trim actuator. The
FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these
products.
DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this NPRM by January 2, 2026.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
<bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a>. Follow
the instructions for submitting comments.
<bullet> Fax: (202) 493-2251.
<bullet> 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.
<bullet> 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 <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> under
Docket No. FAA-2025-3993; 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:
<bullet> For Ag[ecirc]ncia Nacional de Avia[ccedil][atilde]o Civil
(ANAC) material identified in this proposed AD, contact ANAC,
Continuing Airworthiness Technical Branch (GTAC), Rua Doutor Orlando
Feirabend Filho, 230--Centro Empresarial Aquarius--Torre B--Andares 14
a 18, Parque Residencial Aquarius, CEP 12.246-190--S[atilde]o
Jos[eacute] dos Campos--SP, Brazil; phone: 55 (12) 3203-6600; email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#97e7f6f4d7abf6b7ffe5f2f1aa" http: anac.gov">anac.gov</a>.br">pac@<a href="http://anac.gov">anac.gov</a>.br</a>; website: <a href="http://anac.gov">anac.gov</a>.br/en/. You may find this material
on the ANAC website at <a href="http://sistemas.anac.gov">sistemas.anac.gov</a>.br/certificacao/DA/DAE.asp.
<bullet> You may view this material at the FAA, Airworthiness
Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 901 Locust, Kansas City,
MO 64106. For information on the availability of this material at the
FAA, call (817) 222-5110.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Rutherford, Aviation Safety
Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590;
phone: (816) 329-4165; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8ce6e5e1a2fef9f8e4e9feeae3fee8cceaededa2ebe3fa"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="49232024673b3c3d212c3b2f263b2d092f2828672e263f">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments using a method listed
under ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2025-3993; Project Identifier
MCAI-2025-00630-A'' 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
<a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a>, including any personal information you provide. The
agency will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal
contact received about this NPRM.
Confidential Business Information
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
[[Page 51608]]
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 Jim Rutherford, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart
Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590. Any commentary that the FAA
receives which is not specifically designated as CBI will be placed in
the public docket for this rulemaking.
Background
ANAC, which is the aviation authority for Brazil, has issued ANAC
AD 2025-04-01, dated April 15, 2025 (ANAC AD 2025-04-01) (also referred
to as the MCAI), to correct an unsafe condition on certain serial-
numbered Embraer Model EMB-505 airplanes. The MCAI states that there is
a possibility of some airplanes having invalid HS backlash test results
due to the use of incorrect test procedures. The excessive backlash may
result in an aeroelastic phenomenon exposing the surrounding structure
and systems to unacceptable vibration levels and reduced
controllability of the airplane. To address this unsafe condition, the
MCAI specifies inspecting the airplane LH and RH HS backlash and
replacing, as applicable, the LH and RH hinge point attachment parts,
the LH or RH pitch trim actuator rod-end attachment parts, and the
pitch trim actuator.
You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> under
Docket No. FAA-2025-3993.
Material Incorporated by Reference Under 1 CFR part 51
The FAA reviewed ANAC AD 2025-04-01, which specifies procedures for
inspecting the LH and RH HS backlash for correct values, and replacing,
as applicable, the LH and RH hinge point attachment parts, the LH or RH
pitch trim actuator rod-end attachment parts, and the pitch trim
actuator.
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.
FAA's Determination
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 on other products of the same type design.
Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM
This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified
in ANAC AD 2025-04-01 described previously, except for any differences
identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of this proposed AD.
See ``Differences Between this Proposed AD and the MCAI'' for a general
discussion of these differences.
Differences Between This Proposed AD and the MCAI
The material specified in ANAC AD 2025-04-01 allows the use of
alternative or similar parts in place of the ones specified in the
kits, provided these alternative or similar parts are approved by
Embraer, but this proposed AD would require approval from either the
Manager, International Validation Branch, FAA; ANAC; or ANAC's
authorized Designee. If approved by the ANAC Designee, the approval
must include the Designee's authorized signature.
Explanation of Required Compliance Information
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 ANAC AD 2025-04-01 by reference in the FAA
final rule. This proposed AD would, therefore, require compliance with
ANAC AD 2025-04-01 in its entirety through that incorporation, except
for any differences identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of
this proposed. Material required by ANAC AD 2025-04-01 for compliance
will be available at <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> under Docket No. FAA-2025-3993
after the FAA final rule is published.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 50 airplanes of U.S. registry.
The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this proposed
AD:
Estimated Costs
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Cost per Cost on U.S.
Action Labor cost Parts cost product operators
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Inspect HS backlash................... 16 work-hours x $85 per hour = $0 $1,360 $68,000
$1,360.
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The FAA estimates the following costs to do any necessary actions
that would be required based on the results of the proposed inspection.
The agency has no way of determining the number of airplanes that might
need these actions:
On-Condition Costs
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Cost per
Action Labor cost Parts cost product
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Replace horizontal to 17 work-hours x $300 $1,745
vertical stabilizers LH $85 per hour =
hinge point attachment parts. $1,445.
[[Page 51609]]
Replace horizontal to 17 work-hours x 350 1,795
vertical stabilizers RH 85 per hour =
hinge point attachment parts. 1,445.
Replace RH pitch trim 16 work-hours x 400 1,760
actuator rod-end attachment 85 per hour =
parts. 1,360.
Replace LH pitch trim 16 work-hours x 400 1,760
actuator rod-end attachment 85 per hour =
parts. 1,360.
Replace pitch trim actuator.. 18 work-hours x 5,000 6,530
85 per hour =
1,530.
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The FAA has included all known costs in its cost estimate.
According to the manufacturer, however, all of the costs of this
proposed AD may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost
impact on affected operators.
Authority for This Rulemaking
Title 49 of the United States Code specifies the FAA's authority to
issue rules on aviation safety. Subtitle I, section 106, describes the
authority of the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII: Aviation Programs,
describes in more detail the scope of the Agency's authority.
The FAA is issuing this rulemaking under the authority described in
Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart III, Section 44701: General requirements.
Under that section, Congress charges the FAA with promoting safe flight
of civil aircraft in air commerce by prescribing regulations for
practices, methods, and procedures the Administrator finds necessary
for safety in air commerce. This regulation is within the scope of that
authority because it addresses an unsafe condition that is likely to
exist or develop on products identified in this rulemaking action.
Regulatory Findings
The FAA determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism
implications under Executive Order 13132. This proposed AD would not
have a substantial direct effect on the States, on the relationship
between the national government and the States, or on the distribution
of power and responsibilities among the various levels of government.
For the reasons discussed above, I certify this proposed
regulation:
(1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive
Order 12866,
(2) Would not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
(3) Would not have a significant economic impact, positive or
negative, on a substantial number of small entities under the criteria
of the Regulatory Flexibility Act.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by
reference, Safety.
The Proposed Amendment
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the FAA proposes to amend 14 CFR part 39 as follows:
PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
0
1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.
Sec. 39.13 [Amended]
0
2. The FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness
directive:
Embraer S.A.: Docket No. FAA-2025-3993; Project Identifier MCAI-
2025-00630-A.
(a) Comments Due Date
The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive
(AD) by January 2, 2026.
(b) Affected ADs
None.
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to Embraer S.A. Model EMB-505 airplanes, as
identified in Ag[ecirc]ncia Nacional de Avia[ccedil][atilde]o Civil
(ANAC) AD 2025-04-01, effective April 15, 2025 (ANAC AD 2025-04-01),
certificated in any category.
(d) Subject
Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) Code 2700, Flight Control
System.
(e) Unsafe Condition
This AD was prompted by the discovery that some airplanes may
have invalid horizontal stabilizer (HS) backlash test results due to
incorrect procedures being performed. The FAA is issuing this AD to
address the unsafe condition. The unsafe condition, if not
addressed, could result in unacceptable vibration levels and reduced
controllability of the airplane.
(f) Compliance
Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified,
unless already done.
(g) Required Actions
Except as specified in paragraphs (h) and (i) of this AD: Comply
with all required actions and compliance times specified in, and in
accordance with, ANAC AD 2025-04-01.
(h) Exceptions to ANAC AD 2025-04-01
(1) Where ANAC AD 2025-04-01 refers to its effective date, this
AD requires using the effective date of this AD for both Group 1 and
Group 2 airplanes.
(2) Where the material specified in ANAC AD 2025-04-01 allows
the use of alternative or similar parts in place of the ones
specified in the kits, provided these alternative or similar parts
are approved by Embraer, this AD requires approval from either the
Manager, International Validation Branch, FAA; ANAC; or ANAC's
authorized Designee. If approved by the ANAC Designee, the approval
must include the Designee's authorized signature.
(3) Where ANAC AD 2025-04-01 refers to removal and replacement
of attachment parts and pitch trim actuators in paragraphs (b)(1),
(c)(1), (d)(1), (d)(2), (e)(1), (e)(2), and (f)(1), this AD
specifies accomplishing the removal and replacement in these
paragraphs in accordance with the appropriate procedures contained
in the material referenced in ANAC AD 2025-04-01.
(4) Where the material referenced in ANAC AD 2025-04-01
specifies discarding parts, this AD requires removing those parts
from service.
(5) This AD does not adopt paragraph (h) of ANAC AD 2025-04-01.
(i) No Reporting Requirement
Although the material referenced in ANAC AD 2025-04-01 specifies
to submit information to the manufacturer, this AD does not require
that action.
(j) Credit for Previous Actions
This paragraph provides credit for the actions required by
paragraph (g) of this AD, if those actions were performed before the
effective date of this AD using Embraer Service Bulletin No. 505-27-
0034, dated September 19, 2024, or Embraer Service Bulletin No. 505-
27-0034, Revision 01, dated October 04, 2024.
(k) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
(1) The Manager, International Validation Branch, FAA, has the
authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the
procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19,
send your request to your principal inspector or local Flight
Standards District Office, as
[[Page 51610]]
appropriate. If sending information directly to the manager of the
International Validation Branch, send it to the attention of the
person identified in paragraph (l) of this AD and email to:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b6f7fbf9f5f6d0d7d798d1d9c0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="88c9c5c7cbc8eee9e9a6efe7fe">[email protected]</span></a>.
(2) Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate
principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager
of the local flight standards district office/certificate holding
district office.
(l) Additional Information
For more information about this AD, contact Jim Rutherford,
Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA; phone: (816) 329-4165; email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5a130c18741915091a3c3b3b743d352c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f0b9a6b2deb3bfa3b0969191de979f86">[email protected]</span></a>.
(m) Material Incorporated by Reference
(1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the
incorporation by reference (IBR) of the material listed in this
paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
(2) You must use this material as applicable to do the actions
required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.
(i) Ag[ecirc]ncia Nacional de Avia[ccedil][atilde]o Civil AD
2025-04-01, effective April 15, 2025.
(ii) [Reserved]
(3) For Embraer S.A. material identified in this AD, contact
Embraer S.A., Technical Publications Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima,
2170, S[atilde]o Jose dos Campos--SP, Brazil; phone: +551239275852;
email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d8bcb1abacaab1ba98bdb5baaab9bdaaf6bbb7b5f6baaa"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="284c415b5c5a414a684d454a5a494d5a064b4745064a5a">[email protected]</span></a>; website: <a href="https://www.flyembraer.com/irj/portal">https://www.flyembraer.com/irj/portal</a>.
(4) You may view this material at the FAA, Airworthiness
Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 901 Locust, Kansas
City, MO 64106. For information on the availability of this material
at the FAA, call (817) 222-5110.
(5) You may view this material at the National Archives and
Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability
of this material at NARA, visit <a href="http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations">www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations</a> or email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6d0b1f4304031e1d080e190402032d030c1f0c430a021b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3e584c1057504d4e5b5d4a5751507e505f4c5f10595148">[email protected]</span></a>.
Issued on October 24, 2025.
Steven W. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-20087 Filed 11-17-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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