FAA orders A330 anti-ice bracket inspections

The FAA published Airworthiness Directive 2026-18-09 in the September 17 Federal Register, covering all Airbus A330-243, A330-243F, A330-341, A330-342, and A330-343 airplanes after cracked and broken anti-ice piccolo-tube restraint brackets were found on certain nacelle inlet cowls. The rule, which adopts EASA AD 2025-0164, requires modification of some affected parts and repetitive borescope inspections of others, estimates 70 US-registered jets, and takes effect October 22, 2026. The FAA said an unaddressed failure could let the thermal anti-ice feed pipe disengage, allowing ice on the inlet lip that could damage the engine and reduce control of the airplane.