On June 12, the FAA announced an airworthiness directive affecting turbocharged, reciprocating engines with certain v-band couplings.  

“The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for turbocharged, reciprocating engine-powered airplanes and helicopters and turbocharged, reciprocating engines with a certain v-band coupling installed. This AD was prompted by multiple failures of spot-welded, multi-segment v-band couplings at the tailpipe to the turbocharger exhaust housing flange (also referred to as “spot-welded, multi-segment exhaust tailpipe v-band coupling”). This AD establishes a life limit for the spot-welded, multi-segment exhaust tailpipe v-band coupling and requires repetitively inspecting the spot-welded, multi-segment exhaust tailpipe v-band coupling.” 

The AD will be effective July 17, 2023. A number of ADs and SAIBs have been issued in the past because of v-band coupling failures. Continued failures have led to this new AD.  

Click Here to Download the PDF of AD 2023-09-09