FAA, AAR Agree To Settle Landing-gear Issues

On February 10 the FAA issued an emergency order of suspension to AAR, suspending the repair station certificate held by AAR Landing Gear Services. But four days later, AAR and the FAA announced that they “have entered into a consent order that terminates the FAA’s emergency order of suspension.” The FAA said that “AAR did not follow aircraft manufacturer maintenance manual procedures for conducting liquid penetrant exams, shot peening and cadmium plating before returning to service a variety of landing gear parts” for aircraft operated by customers Southwest Airlines, UPS and US Airways. The suspension notice added, “AAR’s actions returned aircraft parts to service as being overhauled when they were not, and failed to perform required maintenance procedures.” Operators were notified of the deficiencies last March. After the suspension, AAR filed a petition for review to the NTSB. The consent order terminates the emergency order of suspension and calls for the FAA and AAR to “resolve all matters relating to the order and petition” and work together to restore AAR’s repair station certificate, which is expected to occur no later than February 20.