An Emergency Airworthiness Directive (EAD) issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires immediate action by an aircraft owner/operator when an unsafe condition exists.
The FAA issues Airworthiness Directives (ADs) as outlined in 14 CFR Part 39.
An EAD is issued and effective to only the people who actually receive it. This is known as “actual notice.”
However, all known owners and operators of affected U.S.-registered aircraft or those aircraft that are known to have an affected product installed will be sent a copy of an Emergency AD.
14 CFR Part 39 addresses several questions including:
§ 39.27 What do I do if the airworthiness directive conflicts with the service document on which it is based?
In some cases an airworthiness directive incorporates by reference a manufacturer's service document. In these cases, the service document becomes part of the airworthiness directive. In some cases the directions in the service document may be modified by the airworthiness directive. If there is a conflict between the service document and the airworthiness directive, you must follow the requirements of the airworthiness directive.
Airworthiness Directives are part of the Code of Federal Regulations, but they are not codified in the annual edition. The Federal Register is the official daily publication of the United States government. As such, the FAA publishes airworthiness directives in full in the Federal Register as amendments to 14 CFR §39.13.
Information also is available in the Dynamic Regulatory System of the United States Department of Transportation Office of Aviation Safety.
EAD 2024-02-51 was sent to the owners and operators of Boeing 737-9 aircraft and as of Jan. 8 was the only AD listed for 2024.
According to the Dynamic Regulatory System, four EADs were issued in 2023. All were for rotorcraft and related to main rotor control or swashplate and tail rotor blades.
