FAA orders nose wheel steering fix on regional jets — first life-limit rules for the part

The FAA is requiring operators of Bombardier regional jets to replace a specific steering component (the potentiometer universal coupling setscrews) and has set mandatory replacement timelines for the first time. Planes were experiencing unexpected nose wheel steering during landing, a hazard the FAA is addressing by making the part replacement mandatory and setting when it has to happen.

This is a routine safety fix for a specific aircraft model — the kind of targeted directive the FAA issues constantly. The structural signal is minimal: it's a single-vendor, single-component issue with no cross-industry implications. The FAA identified a failure mode, specified a replacement part, and set a life limit. This is maintenance work, not a shift in how aircraft are certified or how fleets operate.