The FAA has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all LAVIA ARGENTINA S.A. (LAVIASA) Model PA-25, PA-25-235, and PA-25-260 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of corrosion in the front and rear wing spars and cracks in the front wing spar, and the recommendation of the Argentinian company that holds the right to manufacture Pawnees. While the language of the proposed AD refers to Argentinian manufactured Pawnees, it appears from the number of aircraft referred to and the reference to those more than 40 years old that the FAA intends the proposed Airworthiness Directive (AD) to apply to all Pawnees.
A copy of the NRPM is available here:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/11/18/2025-20084/airworthiness-directives-lavia-argentina-sa-airplanes
In summary, except for aircraft that are less than five years old or have had recent spar replacements, the proposed AD requires immediate inspections and repairs of front and rear spars, and other steps, on an annual or 100-hour basis. For aircraft that have had repairs to the front spar that added holes or expanded the size of existing holes the proposed AD would require replacement of the spars. The FAA estimates in its Notice the cost of inspecting to be about $2,000 per aircraft, and the cost of replacing front and rear spars to be about $33,000 per aircraft. Spars can be purchased from the Argentinian company that now owns the rights to manufacture Pawnees or from Univair, U.S. Supplier. The FAA cost estimates appear to be significantly lower than the real cost of conducting inspections and making repairs because based on an hourly labor rate well below current aviation labor costs.
The SSA formed a Committee over a year ago chaired by SSA Director Rick Hoffmann to consider options in the event that this AD was proposed. The Committee’s charter was to evaluate the Argentinian AD, determine what steps that have been taken by the British, Australian and other airworthiness regulators as a result of the Argentinian AD, and and to develop a strategy to mitigate the impact on SSA clubs and commercial operations that rely upon Pawnees. That Committee will now be developing a response to the NPRM and submitting appropriate comments. It is likely that the Committee will also recommend that the FAA adopt alternative means of compliance that are less burdensome.
If you or your club operate Pawnees it would help the Committee if you can provide a statement to the Committee as soon as possible describing the impact on your operation of the annual inspections and of the cost of replacing spars, if that should be necessary.
If you have technical expertise and wish to suggest alternative means of compliance, that input would also be welcome. Please direct any comments to Rick Hoffmann at rick.hoffmann50@yahoo.com.
SSA members may also comment directly to the FAA by January 2, 2026, as stated in the Notice. SSA encourages its members to coordinate their responses in advance with Rick Hoffmann as chairman of the Committee. We will keep you advised as we get any additional information.