Lion NDT News
Original analysis of NDT, welding inspection, quality assurance, and FAA/EASA developments relevant to our clients — sourced and updated regularly.
September 3, 2026
Guardia Civil Traces the Adamuz Rail Disaster to a Single Rail Weld — What the Findings Mean for Weld Inspection on Aging Infrastructure
A definitive Guardia Civil report on the January 2026 Adamuz rail disaster, which killed 46 people, traces the derailment to a fractured weld joining a 1989 rail section to one installed in 2023. Here's what the findings reveal about inspecting welds that join rail steel from different eras.
September 2, 2026
ISO 9001's Sixth Edition Publishes September 16 — What AS9100 and NADCAP Shops Should Know Before It Lands
ISO has confirmed September 16, 2026 as the publication date for the sixth edition of ISO 9001 — the base standard AS9100 itself is built on. Here's what actually changed, and why AS9100-certified shops shouldn't wait for the aerospace-specific rewrite to start paying attention.
September 2, 2026
AWS D17.2:2026 Rewrites the Rulebook for Aerospace Resistance Welding — What Changed in the Fourth Edition
The fourth edition of AWS D17.2, the aerospace resistance welding specification, expanded from five clauses to twelve and adds new requirements for welding wire mesh. Here's what the restructuring actually changes for shops working under the code.
September 2, 2026
NADCAP's Additive Manufacturing Audit Criteria Are Rolling Out in Stages — Here's What's Published and What's Next
NADCAP's additive manufacturing task group already has two audit criteria published and accrediting suppliers, with three more moving through test audits and ballots in 2026. Here's where the program actually stands, standard by standard.
September 1, 2026
FAA Proposes Updated CFM56-7B Fan Blade Inspections — Why the Real Driver Isn't the Headline Incident
A new FAA proposal would update fan blade inspection requirements tracing back to the 2018 Southwest Airlines accident. Most coverage ties it to a July engine failure on a Ryanair-operated 737 — but the FAA's own filing says it has no evidence the two are related.
August 23, 2026
FAA Orders 737 MAX Bear Strap Checks — Why a Visual Inspection Decides If Eddy Current Testing Is Required
A new FAA airworthiness directive orders bear-strap checks on 471 U.S.-registered Boeing 737 MAX jets, before a single crack has been confirmed on the type. The headline is eddy current testing, but the AD's actual structure means most jets may never need it.
August 17, 2026
FAA's Second PW210 Directive in Six Weeks — What the August AD Revision Means for MRO Records
A new FAA airworthiness directive, effective August 31, supersedes one issued barely six weeks earlier for the same turbine exhaust frame defect — this time turning on which material a specific frame was built from. Here's why that distinction is a records problem as much as an inspection one.
August 16, 2026
FAA and EASA Pledge Deeper Cooperation for 2026 — What It Means for Repair Stations and Manufacturers
A June 2026 agreement between the FAA and EASA commits both agencies to closer safety-data sharing and streamlined approvals. Here's what the cooperation pledge could mean in practice for shops working across both regulatory systems.
August 16, 2026
NDT Week 2026 Brought AI Standards Development to Miami — What It Means for Inspection Programs
In January, ASNT, ASTM International, and AWS convened 150+ industry leaders in Miami for the first-ever NDT Week, with artificial intelligence in inspection as a central theme. Here's what the push toward AI/ML standards in NDT means for shops that haven't adopted it yet — and for those that have.
August 16, 2026
AWS D1.1:2025 Update: What Changed in Postweld Heat Treatment Requirements
The 2025 edition of AWS D1.1, the Structural Welding Code for Steel, tightened documentation requirements for postweld heat treatment and raised the initial furnace temperature limit. Here's what changed and what it means for your weld inspection records.