[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 70 (Tuesday, April 11, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 19348-19350]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-8994]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 2000-NM-64-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model A330 and A340 Series 
Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This document proposes the adoption of a new airworthiness 
directive (AD) that is applicable to certain Airbus Model A330 and A340 
series airplanes. This proposal would require repetitive inspections to 
check the play of the eye-end of the piston rod of the elevator servo-
controls, and follow-on corrective actions, if necessary. This proposal 
is prompted by issuance of mandatory continuing airworthiness 
information by a foreign civil airworthiness authority. The actions 
specified by the proposed AD are intended to detect and correct 
excessive play of the eye-end of the piston rod of the elevator servo-
controls, which could result in failure of the elevator servo-control.

DATES: Comments must be received by May 11, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA), Transport Airplane Directorate, ANM-114, 
Attention: Rules Docket No. 2000-NM-64-AD, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., 
Renton, Washington 98055-4056. Comments may be inspected at this 
location between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays.
    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: Norman B. Martenson, Manager, 
International Branch, ANM-116, FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 
1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98055-4056; telephone (425) 
227-2110; 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 notice may be changed in 
light of the comments received.
    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 notice must submit a self-addressed, 
stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: ``Comments 
to Docket Number 2000-NM-64-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. 2000-NM-64-AD, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 
98055-4056.

Discussion

    The Direction Generale 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 A330 and A340 series 
airplanes. The DGAC advises that it has received a report of a broken 
piston rod of an elevator servo-control. The failure has been 
attributed to the degradation of the Teflon liner from the eye-end 
spherical bearing of the piston rod. This condition, if not corrected, 
could result in failure of the elevator servo-control.

Explanation of Relevant Service Information

    Airbus has issued Service Bulletins A330-27-3062 (for Model A330 
series airplanes) and A340-27-4072 (for Model A340 series airplanes), 
both Revision 01, dated July 21, 1999. These service bulletins describe 
procedures for repetitive inspections to check the play of the piston 
rod eye-end of the elevator servo-controls. Corrective actions for 
small amounts of play involve replacing the rod eye-end with a new 
SARMA or NMB rod eye-end. Corrective actions for greater amounts of 
play involve performing a dye penetrant inspection of the servo-control 
to detect cracking, and replacing the rod eye-end of a crack-free 
servo-control with a new SARMA or NMB rod eye-end or replacing a 
cracked servo-control with a new servo-control.
    The DGAC classified these service bulletins as mandatory and issued 
French airworthiness directives 2000-025-109(B) R1 (for Model A330 
series airplanes) and 2000-024-135(B) R1 (for Model A340 series 
airplanes), both dated March 8, 2000, in order to ensure the continued 
airworthiness of these airplanes in France.
    The Airbus service bulletins refer to SAMM Service Bulletin SC4800-
27-34-06, dated January 2, 1999, as an additional source of service 
information for accomplishment of the dye penetrant inspection.

FAA's Conclusions

    These airplane models 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 DGAC has

[[Page 19349]]

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 Rule

    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 service bulletins described previously, 
except as discussed below.

Differences Between Proposed AD and Relevant Service Information

    The service bulletins identify various compliance times for 
replacement of the rod eye-end, depending on the amount of play 
detected; the French airworthiness directives support those criteria. 
However, this proposed AD would require that all corrective actions be 
accomplished prior to further flight, regardless of the findings. The 
FAA has determined that, because of the safety implications and 
consequences associated with such a discrepancy, any subject rod eye-
end that is found to have an amount of play exceeding specified limits 
must be replaced or further inspected prior to further flight.
    In addition, the service bulletins recommend that the repetitive 
inspections specified therein be accomplished at the operators' 
respective C-checks. However, this proposed AD would require that the 
repetitive inspections be performed at 15-month intervals, in 
consonance with the DGAC's recommendations. Maintenance schedules 
including C-checks may vary from operator to operator; therefore, the 
FAA finds it necessary to specify a time limit for accomplishment of 
the inspections. The proposed repetitive interval corresponds to a 
normal C-check for the majority of affected operators.

Cost Impact

    None of the airplanes affected by this action are on the U.S. 
Register. All airplanes included in the applicability of this rule 
currently are operated by non-U.S. operators under foreign registry; 
therefore, they are not directly affected by this proposed AD action. 
However, the FAA considers that this rule is necessary to ensure that 
the unsafe condition is addressed in the event that any of these 
subject airplanes are imported and placed on the U.S. Register in the 
future.
    Should an affected airplane be imported and placed on the U.S. 
Register in the future, it would require approximately 2 work hours to 
accomplish the required actions, at an average labor rate of $60 per 
work hour. Based on these figures, the cost impact of this proposed AD 
would be $120 per airplane, per inspection cycle.

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 Industrie: Docket 2000-NM-64-AD.

    Applicability: Model A330 and A340 series airplanes, 
certificated in any category, equipped with any ``SAMM'' elevator 
servo-control having any part number SC4800-2 through SC4800-8 
inclusive.

    Note 1: This AD applies to each airplane identified in the 
preceding applicability provision, regardless of whether it has been 
modified, altered, or repaired in the area subject to the 
requirements of this AD. For airplanes that have been modified, 
altered, or repaired so that the performance of the requirements of 
this AD is affected, the owner/operator must request approval for an 
alternative method of compliance in accordance with paragraph (b) of 
this AD. The request should include an assessment of the effect of 
the modification, alteration, or repair on the unsafe condition 
addressed by this AD; and, if the unsafe condition has not been 
eliminated, the request should include specific proposed actions to 
address it.

    Compliance: Required as indicated, unless accomplished 
previously.
    To detect and correct excessive play of the eye-end of the 
piston rod of the elevator servo-controls, which could result in 
failure of the elevator servo-control, accomplish the following:
    (a) Within 30 months since date of manufacture of the airplane, 
or within 500 flight hours after the effective date of this AD, 
whichever occurs later, perform an inspection to check the play of 
the piston rod eye-ends of the elevator servo-controls, in 
accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin A330-27-3062 (for Model A330 
series airplanes) or A340-27-4072 (for Model A340 series airplanes), 
both Revision 01, both dated July 21, 1999. Thereafter, repeat the 
inspection at intervals not to exceed 15 months.
    (1) If any play that is 0.0059 inch (0.15 mm) or greater and 
less than 0.0118 inch (0.30 mm) is detected: Prior to further 
flight, replace the rod eye-end with a new SARMA or NMB rod eye-end, 
in accordance with the applicable service bulletin.
    (2) If any play that is 0.0118 inch (0.30 mm) or greater is 
detected: Prior to further flight, perform a dye penetrant 
inspection to detect cracking of the servo-control, in accordance 
with the applicable service bulletin.
    (i) If no crack is detected: Prior to further flight, replace 
the rod eye-end with a new SARMA or NMB rod eye-end, in accordance 
with the applicable service bulletin.
    (ii) If any crack is detected: Prior to further flight, replace 
the servo-control with a new servo-control, in accordance with the 
applicable service bulletin.

    Note 2: Accomplishment of an inspection in accordance with 
Airbus Service Bulletin A330-27-3062 (for Model A330 series 
airplanes) or A340-27-4072 (for Model A340 series airplanes), both 
dated February 5, 1999; is considered acceptable for compliance with 
the initial inspection requirements of paragraph (a) of this AD.


    Note 3: The Airbus service bulletins reference SAMM Service 
Bulletin SC4800-27-34-06, dated January 2, 1999, as an additional 
source of service information for accomplishment of the dye 
penetrant inspection specified by paragraph (a)(2) of this AD.


[[Page 19350]]



Alternative Methods of Compliance

    (b) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the 
compliance time that provides an acceptable level of safety may be 
used if approved by the Manager, International Branch, ANM-116, FAA, 
Transport Airplane Directorate. Operators shall submit their 
requests through an appropriate FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector, 
who may add comments and then send it to the Manager, International 
Branch, ANM-116.

    Note 4: Information concerning the existence of approved 
alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be 
obtained from the International Branch, ANM-116.

Special Flight Permits

    (c) Special flight permits may be issued in accordance with 
sections 21.197 and 21.199 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 
CFR 21.197 and 21.199) to operate the airplane to a location where 
the requirements of this AD can be accomplished.

    Note 5: The subject of this AD is addressed in French 
airworthiness directives 2000-025-109(B) R1 (for Model A330 series 
airplanes) and 2000-024-135(B) R1 (for Model A340 series airplanes), 
both dated March 8, 2000.


    Issued in Renton, Washington, on April 5, 2000.
Donald L. Riggin,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 00-8994 Filed 4-10-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U