[Federal Register: November 9, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 217)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 63506-63508]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09no07-19]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2007-0171; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-220-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model A310 Series Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness
directive (AD) that applies to certain Airbus Model A310 series
airplanes. The existing AD currently requires modification of certain
wires in the right-hand (RH) wing. This proposed AD would require
further modification by installing an additional protection sleeve and
segregating route 2S in the RH pylon area. This proposed AD results
from analysis of wire routing that revealed that route 2S of the fuel
electrical circuit, located in the RH wing, does not provide adequate
separation of fuel quantity indication wires from wires carrying 115-
volt alternating current (AC). We are proposing this AD to ensure that
fuel quantity indication wires are properly separated from wires
carrying 115-volt AC. Improper separation of such wires, in the event
of wire damage, could lead to a short circuit and a possible ignition
source, which could result in a fire in the airplane.
DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by December 10,
2007.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
Fax: 202-493-2251.
Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590.
Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
For service information identified in this AD, contact Airbus, 1
Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex, France.
Examining the AD Docket
You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov
; or in person at the Docket Management Facility
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays. The AD docket contains this proposed AD, the regulatory
evaluation, any comments received, and other information. The street
address for the Docket Office (telephone 800-647-5527) is in the
ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly
after receipt.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Stafford, Aerospace Engineer,
International Branch, ANM-116, Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA,
1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; telephone (425)
227-1622; fax (425) 227-1149.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or
arguments about this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address
listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2007-0171;
Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-220-AD'' at the beginning of your
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory,
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed AD. We
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend
this proposed AD because of those comments.
We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov
, including any personal information you provide. We
will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we
receive about this proposed AD.
Discussion
On July 19, 2004, we issued AD 2004-15-16, amendment 39-13750 (69
FR 45578, July 30, 2004), for certain Airbus Model A310 series
airplanes. That AD requires modification of certain wires in the right-
hand (RH) wing. That AD resulted from analysis of wire routing that
revealed that route 2S of the fuel electrical circuit, located in the
RH wing, does not provide adequate separation of fuel quantity
indication wires from wires carrying 115-volt alternating current (AC).
We issued that AD to ensure that fuel quantity indication wires are
properly separated from wires carrying 115-volt AC. Improper separation
of such wires, in the event of wire damage, could lead to a short
circuit and a possible ignition source, which could result in a fire in
the airplane.
Actions Since Existing AD Was Issued
Since we issued AD 2004-15-16, the European Aviation Safety Agency
(EASA), which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the
European Community, informed us that additional work is necessary that
was not included in the Accomplishment Instructions of Airbus Service
Bulletin A310-28-2148, dated January 23, 2002; and Revision 01, dated
October 29, 2002. We referred to Airbus Service Bulletin A310-28-2148,
Revision 01, dated October 29, 2002, as the appropriate source of
service information for doing the modification required by AD 2004-15-
16.
[[Page 63507]]
Relevant Service Information
Airbus has issued Service Bulletin A310-28-2148, Revision 02, dated
March 9, 2007. Revision 02 of the service bulletin describes
essentially the same procedures for doing the modification of certain
wires in the RH wing, except that Revision 02 specifies doing further
modification by installing additional protection sleeves in the outer
wing area near the cadensicon sensor and segregating wire route 2S in
the RH pylon area.
Accomplishing the actions specified in the service information is
intended to adequately address the unsafe condition. EASA mandated the
service information and issued EASA airworthiness directive 2007-0230,
dated August 15, 2007, to ensure the continued airworthiness of these
airplanes in the European Union. EASA airworthiness directive 2007-0230
supersedes French airworthiness directive 2002-578(B), dated November
27, 2002, which was referenced in AD 2004-15-16 as the parallel French
airworthiness directive.
FAA's Determination and Requirements of the Proposed AD
These airplanes are manufactured in France and are type
certificated for operation in the United States under the provisions of
section 21.29 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 21.29) and
the applicable bilateral airworthiness agreement. Pursuant to this
bilateral airworthiness agreement, the EASA has kept the FAA informed
of the situation described above. We have examined the EASA's findings,
evaluated all pertinent information, and determined that AD action is
necessary for airplanes of this type design that are certificated for
operation in the United States.
This proposed AD would supersede AD 2004-15-16 and would retain the
requirements of the existing AD. This proposed AD would also require
accomplishing the actions specified in Revision 02 of the service
bulletin described previously.
Change to Existing AD
This proposed AD would retain all requirements of AD 2004-15-16.
Since AD 2004-15-16 was issued, the AD format has been revised, and
certain paragraphs have been rearranged. As a result, the corresponding
paragraph identifiers have changed in this proposed AD, as listed in
the following table:
Revised Paragraph Identifiers
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Corresponding requirement in
Requirement in AD 2004-15-16 this proposed AD
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Paragraph (a)........................... Paragraph (f).
Paragraph (b)........................... Paragraph (g).
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Explanation of Change to Applicability
We have revised the applicability of the existing AD to identify
affected airplanes in parallel with the applicability of EASA
airworthiness directive 2007-0230. No additional airplanes have been
added to the applicability of the existing AD.
Costs of Compliance
The following table provides the estimated costs for U.S. operators
to comply with this proposed AD.
Estimated Costs
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Number of U.S.-
Action Work hours Average labor Parts Cost per registered Fleet cost
rate per hour airplane airplanes
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Modification (required by AD 2004-15-16)................ 35 $80 $4,459 $7,259 68 $493,612
Further Modification (new proposed action).............. 22 80 1,870 3,630 68 246,840
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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 proposed AD would not have federalism
implications under Executive Order 13132. This proposed AD would 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 the proposed
regulation:
1. Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive Order
12866;
2. Is not a ``significant rule'' under the 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 proposed AD and placed it in the AD docket. 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, Safety.
The Proposed Amendment
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the FAA proposes to amend 14 CFR part 39 as follows:
PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
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]
2. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) amends Sec. 39.13 by
removing amendment 39-13750 (69 FR 45578, July 30, 2004) and adding the
[[Page 63508]]
following new airworthiness directive (AD):
Airbus: Docket No. FAA-2007-0171; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-
220-AD.
Comments Due Date
(a) The FAA must receive comments on this AD action by December
10, 2007.
Affected ADs
(b) This AD supersedes AD 2004-15-16.
Applicability
(c) This AD applies to Model A310 series airplanes, certificated
in any category, all certified models, all serial numbers, except
airplanes on which Airbus Service Bulletin A310-28-2148, Revision
02, dated March 9, 2007, has been done (Airbus Modifications 12427
and 12435).
Unsafe Condition
(d) This AD results from analysis of wire routing that revealed
that route 2S of the fuel electrical circuit, located in the right-
hand (RH) wing, does not provide adequate separation of fuel
quantity indication wires from wires carrying 115-volt alternating
current (AC). We are issuing this AD to ensure that fuel quantity
indication wires are properly separated from wires carrying 115-volt
AC. Improper separation of such wires, in the event of wire damage,
could lead to a short circuit and a possible ignition source, which
could result in a fire in the airplane.
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.
Restatement of Requirements of AD 2004-15-16
Modification
(f) Within 4,000 flight hours after September 3, 2004 (the
effective date of AD 2004-15-16): Modify the routing of wires in the
RH wing by installing cable sleeves, per the Accomplishment
Instructions of Airbus Service Bulletin A310-28-2148, Revision 01,
dated October 29, 2002; or Revision 02, dated March 9, 2007. As of
the effective date of this AD, Revision 02 must be used.
Actions Accomplished Previously
(g) Modification of the routing of wires accomplished before
September 3, 2004, per Airbus Service Bulletin A310-28-2148, dated
January 23, 2002, is acceptable for compliance with the
corresponding requirements of paragraph (f) of this AD.
New Requirements of This AD
Modification (Additional Work)
(h) For airplanes on which the actions specified in Airbus
Service Bulletin A310-28-2148, dated January 23, 2002; or Airbus
Service Bulletin A310-28-2148, Revision 01, dated October 29, 2002;
have been done before the effective date of this AD: Within 6,000
flight hours or 30 months after the effective date of this AD,
whichever occurs first, perform further modification by installing
additional protection sleeves in the outer wing area near the
cadensicon sensor and segregating wire route 2S in the RH pylon
area, in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions of Airbus
Service Bulletin A310-28-2148, Revision 02, dated March 9, 2007.
Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
(i)(1) 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.
(2) To request a different method of compliance or a different
compliance time for this AD, follow the procedures in 14 CFR 39.19.
Before using any approved AMOC on any airplane to which the AMOC
applies, notify your appropriate principal inspector (PI) in the FAA
Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), or lacking a PI, your local
FSDO.
Related Information
(j) European Aviation Safety Agency airworthiness directive
2007-0230, dated August 15, 2007, also addresses the subject of this
AD.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on November 2, 2007.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. E7-22002 Filed 11-8-07; 8:45 am]
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