[Federal Register: October 2, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 191)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 56792-56794]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02oc03-9]
========================================================================
Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
========================================================================
[[Page 56792]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. 2002-NM-61-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model A319-113 and -114; and
A320-111, -211, and -212 Series Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This document proposes the adoption of a new airworthiness
directive (AD) that is applicable to all Airbus Model A319-113 and -
114; and A320-111, -211, and -212 series airplanes. This proposal would
require either a review of airplane maintenance or delivery records, or
one-time inspection of the hydraulic actuators located in the pivot
doors of both thrust reversers to identify the part number, and
eventual replacement of certain actuators with modified or new
actuators. This action is necessary to prevent jamming of a thrust
reverser door during operation, or inadvertent deployment of a thrust
reverser door in-flight, which could result in reduced controllability
of the airplane. This action is intended to address the identified
unsafe condition.
DATES: Comments must be received by November 3, 2003.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), Transport Airplane Directorate, ANM-114,
Attention: Rules Docket No. 2002-NM-61-AD, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW.,
Renton, Washington 98055-4056. Comments may be inspected at this
location between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays. Comments may be submitted via fax to (425) 227-1232.
Comments may also be sent via the Internet using the following address: 9-anm-nprmcomment@faa.gov. Comments sent via fax or the Internet must
contain ``Docket No. 2002-NM-61-AD'' in the subject line and need not
be submitted in triplicate. Comments sent via the Internet as attached
electronic files must be formatted in Microsoft Word 97 or 2000 or
ASCII text.
The service information referenced in the proposed rule may be
obtained from Airbus Industrie, 1 Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 31707
Blagnac Cedex, France. This information may be examined at the FAA,
Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton,
Washington.
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.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
Interested persons are invited to participate in the making of the
proposed rule by submitting such written data, views, or arguments as
they may desire. Communications shall identify the Rules Docket number
and be submitted in triplicate to the address specified above. All
communications received on or before the closing date for comments,
specified above, will be considered before taking action on the
proposed rule. The proposals contained in this action may be changed in
light of the comments received.
Submit comments using the following format:
[sbull] Organize comments issue-by-issue. For example, discuss a
request to change the compliance time and a request to change the
service bulletin reference as two separate issues.
[sbull] For each issue, state what specific change to the proposed
AD is being requested.
[sbull] Include justification (e.g., reasons or data) for each
request.
Comments are specifically invited on the overall regulatory,
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the proposed rule. All
comments submitted will be available, both before and after the closing
date for comments, in the Rules Docket for examination by interested
persons. A report summarizing each FAA-public contact concerned with
the substance of this proposal will be filed in the Rules Docket.
Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments
submitted in response to this action must submit a self-addressed,
stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: ``Comments
to Docket Number 2002-NM-61-AD.'' The postcard will be date stamped and
returned to the commenter.
Availability of NPRMs
Any person may obtain a copy of this NPRM by submitting a request
to the FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, ANM-114, Attention: Rules
Docket No. 2002-NM-61-AD, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington
98055-4056.
Discussion
The Direction G[eacute]n[eacute]rale de l'Aviation Civile (DGAC),
which is the airworthiness authority for France, notified the FAA that
an unsafe condition may exist on certain Airbus Model A319-113 and -
114; and A320-111, -211, and -212 series airplanes. The DGAC advises
that certain hydraulic actuators of the thrust reverser system failed
endurance testing. Some of these actuators are in-service and may be
approaching or may have already exceeded the life limits established
during qualification. The use of actuators that have exceeded the
established life limits, if not corrected, could result in jamming of
the thrust reverser door during operation, or inadvertent deployment of
a thrust reverser door in-flight, which could result in reduced
controllability of the airplane.
Explanation of Relevant Service Information
Airbus has issued Service Bulletin A320-78-1020, including Appendix
01, dated March 28, 2001, which describes procedures for inspecting
actuators located in the pivot doors of both thrust reversers to
determine the part number, and replacing certain actuators with new or
modified actuators. This service bulletin references Rohr CFM56-5A
Service Bulletin RA32078-106, dated November 16, 2000, as an additional
source of service information for accomplishment of the actuator
modification. Accomplishment of the actions specified in the Airbus
service bulletin is intended to adequately address the identified
unsafe condition.
[[Page 56793]]
The DGAC classified the Airbus service bulletin as mandatory and
issued French airworthiness directive 2001-361(B) R1, dated September
3, 2003, to ensure the continued airworthiness of these airplanes in
France.
FAA's Conclusions
These airplane models are manufactured in France and are type
certificated for operation in the United States under the provisions of
Sec. 21.29 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 21.29) and the
applicable bilateral airworthiness agreement. Pursuant to this
bilateral airworthiness agreement, the DGAC has kept the FAA informed
of the situation described above. The FAA has examined the findings of
the DGAC, reviewed all available information, and determined that AD
action is necessary for products of this type design that are
certificated for operation in the United States.
Explanation of Requirements of Proposed AD
Since an unsafe condition has been identified that is likely to
exist or develop on other airplanes of the same type design registered
in the United States, the proposed AD would require accomplishment of
the actions specified in the Airbus service bulletin described
previously, except as discussed below.
Differences Between the Proposed AD and the French Airworthiness
Directive
Operators should note that the parallel French airworthiness
directive requires replacement of certain actuators within either 250
airplane flight cycles or 500 airplane flight cycles after the part
number identification, depending on whether the actuator has
accumulated more than 20,000 total flight cycles or fewer than 20,000
total flight cycles, respectively. However, after consultation with
Airbus and the DGAC, the FAA has determined that these actuators can be
safely operated up to 20,000 total flight cycles. Therefore, we find
that accomplishment of the actuator replacement prior to the
accumulation of 20,000 flight cycles, or within 250 flight cycles after
identification of the part number, whichever occurs later, represents
an appropriate interval of time allowable for affected airplanes to
continue to operate without compromising safety. The DGAC has been
notified of this difference.
Also, the French airworthiness directive specifies the replacement
times for the actuators in terms of actuator flight cycles. Operators
might not track actuator flight cycles; therefore, for the purposes of
this proposed AD, if operators do not have a means of obtaining
information regarding actuator flight cycles, engine flight cycles must
be used.
Clarification of Applicability
Because operators can remove and install thrust reversers and
engines on various airplanes in their fleet, this proposed AD would
require either a review of airplane maintenance or delivery records, or
a detailed inspection of the hydraulic actuators located in the pivot
doors of the thrust reversers on all Airbus Model A319-113 and 114; and
A320-111, -211, and -212 series airplanes, to ensure that all actuators
are identified.
Cost Impact
The FAA estimates that 108 airplanes of U.S. registry would be
affected by this proposed AD, that it would take approximately 8 work
hours per airplane to accomplish the proposed inspection (1 hour per
actuator x 4 actuators per thrust reverser x 2 thrust reversers per
airplane), and that the average labor rate is $65 per work hour. Based
on these figures, the cost impact of the proposed AD on U.S. operators
is estimated to be $56,160, or $520 per airplane.
The cost impact figure discussed above is based on assumptions that
no operator has yet accomplished any of the proposed requirements of
this AD action, and that no operator would accomplish those actions in
the future if this AD were not adopted. The cost impact figures
discussed in AD rulemaking actions represent only the time necessary to
perform the specific actions actually required by the AD. These figures
typically do not include incidental costs, such as the time required to
gain access and close up, planning time, or time necessitated by other
administrative actions.
Regulatory Impact
The regulations proposed herein 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. Therefore, it
is determined that this proposal would not have federalism implications
under Executive Order 13132.
For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this 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) if promulgated, 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. A copy of the draft
regulatory evaluation prepared for this action is contained in the
Rules Docket. A copy of it may be obtained by contacting the Rules
Docket at the location provided under the caption ADDRESSES.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Safety.
The Proposed Amendment
Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration proposes to amend
part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (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. Section 39.13 is amended by adding the following new
airworthiness directive:
Airbus: Docket 2002-NM-61-AD.
Applicability: All Model A319-113 and -114; and A320-111, -211,
and -212 series airplanes; certificated in any category.
Compliance: Required as indicated, unless accomplished
previously.
To prevent jamming of the thrust reverser door during operation
or inadvertent deployment of a thrust reverser door in-flight, which
could result in reduced controllability of the airplane, accomplish
the following:
Inspection and Follow-on Actions
(a) Within 500 airplane flight cycles after the effective date
of this AD: Do a detailed inspection of the eight hydraulic
actuators located in the pivot doors of the thrust reversers (one
actuator per pivot door, four pivot doors per thrust reverser, two
thrust reversers per airplane) to identify the part number (P/N) of
each actuator, in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin A320-78-
1020, excluding Appendix 01, dated March 28, 2001. Instead of a
detailed inspection of the hydraulic actuators, a review of airplane
maintenance and delivery records is acceptable if the P/N of each
actuator installed on the airplane can be positively determined from
that review.
Note 1: For the purposes of this AD, a detailed inspection is
defined as: ``An intensive visual examination of a specific
structural area, system, installation, or assembly to detect damage,
failure, or irregularity. Available lighting is normally
supplemented with a direct source of good
[[Page 56794]]
lighting at intensity deemed appropriate by the inspector.
Inspection aids such as mirror, magnifying lenses, etc., may be
used. Surface cleaning and elaborate access procedures may be
required.''
(1) For any actuator having P/Ns D23090000-1, D23090000-2,
D23090000-3, or D23090000-4: Prior to the accumulation of 20,000
total actuator flight cycles, or within 250 airplane flight cycles
after accomplishment of the detailed inspection or airplane records
review required by paragraph (a) of this AD, whichever occurs later,
replace the actuator with a modified or new actuator having part
number D23090000-5 or D23090000-6, in accordance with the service
bulletin.
(2) For any actuator having P/N D23090000-5: Prior to the
accumulation of 30,000 total actuator flight cycles, or within 250
airplane flight cycles after the detailed inspection or airplane
records review required by paragraph (a) of this AD, whichever
occurs later, replace the actuator with a modified or new actuator
having P/N D23090000-6, in accordance with the service bulletin.
(3) For any actuator having P/N D23090000-6: No further action
is required by this paragraph.
Note 2: Airbus Service Bulletin A320-78-1020 references Rohr
CFM56-5A Service Bulletin RA32078-106, dated November 16, 2000, as
an additional source of service information for modification of the
actuators.
(b) Once all of the actuators located in the pivot doors of the
thrust reversers have P/N D23090000-6, no further action is required
by paragraph (a) of this AD.
(c) For operators that do not track actuator flight cycles, or
do not have a means of obtaining information regarding actuator
flight cycles, engine flight cycles must be used instead of actuator
flight cycles.
Parts Installation
(d) As of the effective date of this AD, no person shall install
an actuator having P/N D23090000-1, D23090000-2, D23090000-3, or
D23090000-4 on any airplane.
Submission of Inspection Results to Manufacturer Not Required
(e) Although the service bulletin referenced in this AD
specifies to submit information to the manufacturer, this AD does
not include such a requirement.
Alternative Methods of Compliance
(f) In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, the Manager, International
Branch, ANM-116, FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, is authorized
to approve alternative methods of compliance for this AD.
Note 3: The subject of this AD is addressed in French
airworthiness directive 2001-361(B) R1, dated September 3, 2003.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on September 26, 2003.
Ali Bahrami,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 03-24973 Filed 10-1-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P