[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 41 (Thursday, March 3, 2005)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 10342-10344]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-4079]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2005-20453; Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-270-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model A318, A319, A320, and A321 
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 adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) 
for certain Airbus Model A318, A319, A320, and A321 series airplanes. 
This proposed AD would require replacing the water drain valves in the 
forward and aft cargo doors with new valves. This proposed AD is 
prompted by a report indicating that, during a test of the fire 
extinguishing system, air leakage through the water drain valves in the 
forward and aft cargo doors reduced the concentration of fire 
extinguishing agent to below the level required to suppress a fire. We 
are proposing this AD to prevent air leakage through the water drain 
valves, which, in the event of a fire in the forward or aft cargo 
compartment, could result in an insufficient concentration of fire 
extinguishing agent and consequent inability of the fire extinguishing 
system to suppress the fire.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by April 4, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Use one of the following addresses to submit comments on 
this proposed AD.
     DOT Docket Web site: Go to http://dms.dot.gov and follow 
the instructions for sending your comments electronically.
     Government-wide rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the instructions for sending your 
comments electronically.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street SW., Nassif Building, room PL-401, 
Washington, DC 20590.
     By fax: (202) 493-2251.
     Hand Delivery: Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the 
Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. 
and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    For service information identified in this proposed AD, contact 
Airbus, 1 Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex, France.
    You can examine the contents of this AD docket on the Internet at 
http://

[[Page 10343]]

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-2005-20453; the directorate identifier for this docket is 
2004-NM-270-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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    We invite you to submit any relevant written data, views, or 
arguments regarding this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address 
listed under ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2005-20453; 
Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-270-AD'' at the beginning of your 
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the proposed AD. We will 
consider all comments submitted by the closing date and may amend the 
proposed AD in light of those comments.
    We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://dms.dot.gov, including any personal information you provide. We will 
also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact with FAA 
personnel concerning this proposed AD. Using the search function of our 
docket Web site, anyone can find and read the comments in any of our 
dockets, including the name of the individual who sent the comment (or 
signed the comment on behalf of an association, business, labor union, 
etc.). You can review the DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the 
Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78), or you 
can visit http://dms.dot.gov.

Examining the Docket

    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. Comments will be 
available in the AD docket shortly after the DMS receives them.

Discussion

    The Direction G[eacute]n[eacute]rale de l'Aviation Civile (DGAC), 
which is the airworthiness authority for France, notified us that an 
unsafe condition may exist on certain Airbus Model A318, A319, A320, 
and A321 series airplanes. The DGAC advises that a test of the fire 
containment capability of the forward and aft cargo compartments was 
performed on a Model A319 series airplane. The test revealed that the 
concentration of the halon fire extinguishing agent decreased below the 
level required to suppress a fire. Investigation revealed that the drop 
in concentration of halon was due to too high a rate of air renewal in 
the compartment. Further investigation revealed that air leakage 
through the water drain valves in the forward and aft cargo doors and 
around the aft cargo temperature sensor contributed to the reduced 
concentration of halon. The air leakage allowed the halon to leak out 
of the compartment, and the remaining concentration of halon was 
insufficient to suppress a fire. Water drain valves not reaching the 
differential pressure necessary to attain the closure set point caused 
the air leakage through the water drain valves. In the event of a fire 
in the forward or aft cargo compartment, air leakage through the water 
drain valves, if not corrected, could result in an insufficient 
concentration of fire extinguishing agent and consequent inability of 
the fire extinguishing system to suppress the fire.
    The water drain valves installed in forward and aft cargo doors on 
the Model A318, A320, and A321 series airplanes are identical to those 
on the affected Model A319 series airplanes. Therefore, all of these 
models may be subject to the same unsafe condition.

Other Related Rulemaking

    The DGAC has issued French airworthiness directive F-2004-123, 
dated July 21, 2004, to address air leakage around the aft cargo 
temperature sensor; we are planning to address the unsafe condition of 
that French airworthiness directive with a separate rulemaking action.

Relevant Service Information

    Airbus has issued Service Bulletin A320-52-1124, dated May 6, 2004. 
The service bulletin describes procedures for replacing the water drain 
valves in the forward and aft cargo doors with new valves that close at 
a lower differential pressure. Accomplishing the actions specified in 
the service information is intended to adequately address the unsafe 
condition. The DGAC mandated the service information and issued French 
airworthiness directive F-2004-172, dated October 27, 2004, to ensure 
the continued airworthiness of these airplanes in France.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of the Proposed AD

    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 kept the FAA informed 
of the situation described above. We have examined the DGAC's findings, 
evaluated all pertinent information, and determined that we need to 
issue an AD for products of this type design that are certificated for 
operation in the United States.
    Therefore, we are proposing this AD, which would require 
accomplishing the actions specified in the service information 
described previously.

Costs of Compliance

    This proposed AD would affect about 434 airplanes of U.S. registry. 
The proposed actions would take about 3 to 5 work hours per airplane, 
depending on airplane configuration, at an average labor rate of $65 
per work hour. Required parts would cost about $120 to $200 per 
airplane, depending on airplane configuration. Based on these figures, 
the estimated cost of the proposed AD for U.S. operators is between 
$136,710 and $227,850, or between $315 and $525 per airplane.

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.

[[Page 10344]]

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. 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 FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new 
airworthiness directive (AD):

Airbus: Docket No. FAA-2005-20453; Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-
270-AD.

Comments Due Date

    (a) The Federal Aviation Administration must receive comments on 
this AD action by April 4, 2005.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Airbus Model A318, A319, A320, and A321 
series airplanes, certificated in any category, as listed in Table 1 
of this AD.

                                             Table 1.--Applicability
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                                                                                                  But not having
                                                                                                   the following
                                             Having the following       Or the following Airbus       Airbus
             Airbus model--                   Airbus modification          service bulletin        modification
                                           installed in production--   incorporated in service--   installed in
                                                                                                   production--
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A318 series airplanes...................  Not applicable............  Not applicable............           33232
A319 series airplanes...................  25642 or 26213............  A320-52-1088..............           33232
A320 series airplanes...................  26213 or 26603............  A320-52-1088..............           33232
A321 series airplanes...................  26213 or 26603............  A320-52-1088..............           33232
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Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD was prompted by a report indicating that, during a 
test of the fire extinguishing system, air leakage through the water 
drain valves in the forward and aft cargo doors reduced the 
concentration of fire extinguishing agent to below the level 
required to suppress a fire. We are issuing this AD to prevent air 
leakage through the water drain valves, which, in the event of a 
fire in the forward or aft cargo compartment, could result in an 
insufficient concentration of fire extinguishing agent and 
consequent inability of the fire extinguishing system to suppress 
the fire.

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.

Replacement of Water Drain Valves

    (f) Within 6 months after the effective date of this AD, replace 
the water drain valves in the forward and aft cargo doors with new 
valves that close at a lower differential pressure, by doing all of 
the applicable actions specified in the Accomplishment Instructions 
of Airbus Service Bulletin A320-52-1124, dated May 6, 2004.

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-2004-172, dated October 27, 
2004, also addresses the subject of this AD.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on February 22, 2005.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 05-4079 Filed 3-2-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P