Cirrus planes must get their power levers checked for cracks, or replaced
What happened
The US aviation regulator is ordering inspections for a specific part in certain Cirrus airplanes. Owners must visually check the upper power lever for cracks, and if found, either perform a more detailed inspection or replace the part.
Why it matters
A small part failing in an airplane can have serious consequences. This directive means that a known safety risk, a crack in a power lever, must now be actively managed by owners of these planes. It shifts the responsibility for detecting this specific failure from a potential accident investigation to routine maintenance.
The signal
Watch for how many of these inspections lead to a part replacement, which would indicate a widespread manufacturing or design issue.