Opportunity
Federal Register #2026-15308
FAA Mandates Repetitive Replacement of HPV Clips on Airbus A319, A320, and A321 Aircraft
Buyer
Federal Aviation Administration
Posted
July 29, 2026
Identifier
2026-15308
NAICS
336413
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), under the Department of Transportation, is mandating new airworthiness requirements for Airbus SAS A319, A320, and A321 airplanes to address safety concerns related to high-pressure bleed valve (HPV) clips. - Government Buyer: - Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) - Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch - OEM Highlight: - Airbus SAS is the sole Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) referenced - Products/Services Requested: - Repetitive replacement of high-pressure bleed valve (HPV) butterfly seal retention clips - Applies to 554 U.S.-registered Airbus A319, A320, and A321 series airplanes - No specific part numbers provided for the HPV clips - Notable Requirements: - Compliance with FAA Airworthiness Directive (AD 2026-15308), which supersedes a previous AD - Incorporates European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2025-0096 by reference - Mandates ongoing, repetitive replacement of HPV clips to prevent duct burst and potential loss of airplane control - Prohibits installation of affected parts and requires removal from service - The directive is focused on maintaining operational safety and preventing hazardous conditions on Airbus narrow-body aircraft.
Description
The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2025-16-12, which applied to various Airbus SAS airplane models including A319, A320, and A321 series. The original AD required revising the airplane flight manual and minimum equipment list, allowed optional replacement of affected high-pressure bleed valves (HPV), and prohibited installation of affected parts. The new AD continues these requirements and adds a mandate for repetitive replacement of each affected HPV clip to address an unsafe condition related to potential HPV failure. This action aims to prevent duct burst and damage to aircraft systems that could lead to loss of control of the airplane.