FAA Proposes Emergency Procedure Directive for Challenger 680 Jets
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a new Airworthiness Directive (AD) for all 680 U.S.-registered Bombardier BD-100-1A10 aircraft. These are commercially sold as the Challenger 300, 350, and 3500 business jets, following a series of reported pitch upset events on autopilot disconnect.
The proposed AD, filed under Docket FAA-2026-8808, aims to reclassify the existing AP STAB TRIM FAIL alert as a full emergency procedure within the Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM). The FAA has noted that EICAS messages can indicate that the autopilot is holding significant nose-up or nose-down elevator force. Delays in pilot response, coupled with a failure to stabilize airspeed, can result in the horizontal stabilizer being severely out of trim, creating a potentially dangerous situation.
Interestingly, the FAA is not mandating any physical modifications to the aircraft. The directive instead requires an AFM revision and updated crew training. The estimated compliance costs are a mere $85 per aircraft. However, operators may face additional internal costs for reviewing procedures and updating training records. The FAA has described this as an interim action, echoing a previous directive issued by Transport Canada.
The aviation community has until October 29, 2026, to submit comments on the proposal. After this date, the FAA will decide whether it will become a final rule or prompt further rulemaking.
Source: AVI-GO Aviation News