[Federal Register: January 6, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 4)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 1176-1178]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06ja05-5]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2004-19494; Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-135-AD;
Amendment 39-13919; AD 2004-26-07]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model A318, A319, A320, and A321
Series Airplanes Equipped With Air Cruisers/Aerazur Forward and Aft
Passenger Door Emergency Escape Slides
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for
certain Airbus Model A318, A319, A320, and A321 series airplanes
equipped with certain forward and aft passenger door emergency escape
slides. This AD requires modifying the forward and aft door slides.
This AD is prompted by manufacturer testing that has shown contact
between the inflation hose and fabric roll, within a short period of
time after inflation of the emergency escape slides, can rupture the
inflation hose at its end fittings. We are issuing this AD to prevent
interference between the inflation hose and slide fabric and rupture of
the inflation hose, which could result in incomplete inflation of the
emergency escape slides and consequent unavailability of those slides
during an emergency evacuation.
DATES: This AD becomes effective February 10, 2005.
The incorporation by reference of a certain publication listed in
the AD is approved by the Director of the Federal Register as of
February 10, 2005.
ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this AD, contact
Airbus, 1 Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex, France. You
can examine this information at the National Archives and Records
Administration
[[Page 1177]]
(NARA). For information on the availability of this material at NARA,
call (202) 741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html
.
You can examine the contents of this AD docket on the Internet at
http://dms.dot.gov, or in person at the Docket Management Facility,
U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street SW., room PL-401,
on the plaza level of the Nassif Building, Washington, DC. This docket
number is FAA-2004-19494; the directorate identifier for this docket is
2004-NM-135-AD.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tim Dulin, Aerospace Engineer,
International Branch, ANM-116, FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate,
1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98055-4056; telephone (425)
227-2141; fax (425) 227-1149.
Examining the Docket
The AD docket contains the proposed AD, comments, and any final
disposition. You can examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov
, or in person at the Docket Management Facility office
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays. The Docket Management Facility office (telephone (800) 647-
5227) is located on the plaza level of the Nassif Building at the DOT
street address stated in the ADDRESSES section.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA proposed to amend 14 CFR Part 39
with an AD for certain Airbus Model A318, A319, A320, and A321 series
airplanes equipped with certain forward and aft passenger door
emergency escape slides. That action, published in the Federal Register
on November 3, 2004 (69 FR 63960), proposed to require modifying the
forward and aft door slides.
Comments
We provided the public the opportunity to participate in the
development of this AD. No comments have been submitted on the proposed
AD or on the determination of the cost to the public.
Conclusion
We have carefully reviewed the available data and determined that
air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD as proposed.
Costs of Compliance
The following table provides the estimated costs for U.S. operators
to comply with this AD, at an average labor rate of $65 per work hour.
Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of
Work hours Slides per Cost per U.S.
Action per slide airplane Parts airplane registered Fleet cost
airplanes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Modification................ 1 2 Free $130 648 $84,240
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Authority for This Rulemaking
Title 49 of the United States Code specifies the FAA's authority to
issue rules on aviation safety. Subtitle I, section 106, describes the
authority of the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII, Aviation Programs,
describes in more detail the scope of the Agency's authority.
We are issuing this rulemaking under the authority described in
subtitle VII, part A, subpart III, section 44701, ``General
requirements.'' Under that section, Congress charges the FAA with
promoting safe flight of civil aircraft in air commerce by prescribing
regulations for practices, methods, and procedures the Administrator
finds necessary for safety in air commerce. This regulation is within
the scope of that authority because it addresses an unsafe condition
that is likely to exist or develop on products identified in this
rulemaking action.
Regulatory Findings
We have determined that this AD will not have federalism
implications under Executive Order 13132. This AD will not have a
substantial direct effect on the States, on the relationship between
the national government and the States, or on the distribution of power
and responsibilities among the various levels of government.
For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this AD:
(1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive
Order 12866;
(2) Is not a ``significant rule'' under DOT Regulatory Policies and
Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); and
(3) Will not have a significant economic impact, positive or
negative, on a substantial number of small entities under the criteria
of the Regulatory Flexibility Act.
We prepared a regulatory evaluation of the estimated costs to
comply with this AD. See the ADDRESSES section for a location to
examine the regulatory evaluation.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by
reference, Safety.
Adoption of the Amendment
0
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator,
the FAA amends 14 CFR part 39 as follows:
PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
0
1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.
Sec. 39.13 [Amended]
0
2. The FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness
directive (AD):
2004-26-07 Airbus: Amendment 39-13919. Docket No. FAA-2004-19494;
Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-135-AD.
Effective Date
(a) This AD becomes effective February 10, 2005.
Affected ADs
(b) None.
Applicability
(c) This AD applies to Airbus Model A318-111 and -112 series
airplanes; Model A319-111, -112, -113, -114, -115, -131, -132, and -
133 series airplanes; Model A320-111, -211, -212, -214, -231, -232,
and -233 series airplanes; and Model A321-111, -112, -131, -211, and
-231 series airplanes; certificated in any category; equipped with
Air Cruisers/Aerazur forward passenger door emergency escape slides,
part number (P/N) D31516-111, -113, -115, -117, -311, or -313, and
aft passenger door emergency escape slides, P/N D31517-111, -113, -
115, -117, -311, or -313; except those airplanes on which Airbus
Modification 33429 has been accomplished in production.
Unsafe Condition
(d) This AD was prompted by manufacturer testing that has shown
contact between the inflation hose and fabric roll, within a short
period of time after inflation of the emergency escape slides, can
rupture
[[Page 1178]]
the inflation hose at its end fittings. We are issuing this AD to
prevent interference between the inflation hose and slide fabric and
rupture of the inflation hose, which could result in incomplete
inflation of the emergency escape slides and consequent
unavailability of those slides during an emergency evacuation.
Compliance
(e) You are responsible for having the actions required by this
AD performed within the compliance times specified, unless the
actions have already been done.
Modification
(f) Within 37 months after the effective date of this AD, modify
the forward and aft door slides, in accordance with the
Accomplishment Instructions of Airbus Service Bulletin A320-25-1338,
dated February 9, 2004.
Note 1: Airbus Service Bulletin A320-25-1338, dated February 9,
2004, refers to Air Cruisers/Aerazur Service Bulletin A320 004-25-
72, dated October 28, 2003, as an additional source of service
information for modifying the forward and aft door slides.
Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
(g) The Manager, International Branch, ANM-116, Transport
Airplane Directorate, FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs for
this AD, if requested in accordance with the procedures found in 14
CFR 39.19.
Related Information
(h) French airworthiness directive F-2004-072, dated May 26,
2004, also addresses the subject of this AD.
Material Incorporated by Reference
(i) You must use Airbus Service Bulletin A320-25-1338, dated
February 9, 2004, to perform the actions that are required by this
AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. The Director of the Federal
Register approves the incorporation by reference of these documents
in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. For copies of
the service information, contact Airbus, 1 Rond Point Maurice
Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex, France. For information on the
availability of this material at the National Archives and Records
Administration (NARA), call (202) 741-6030, or go to http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html.
You may view the AD docket at the Docket
Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh
Street SW., room PL-401, Nassif Building, Washington, DC.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on December 20, 2004.
Kevin M. Mullin,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 05-107 Filed 1-5-05; 8:45 am]
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