[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 94 (Tuesday, May 16, 2006)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 28254-28256]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-4503]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2006-24104; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-231-AD; 
Amendment 39-14595; AD 2006-10-11]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model A310-200 and -300 Series 
Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain Airbus Model A310-200 and -300 series airplanes. This AD 
requires repetitive inspections for cracking of the flap transmission 
shafts, and replacing the transmission shafts if necessary. This AD 
also provides an optional terminating action for the repetitive 
inspections. This AD results from reports of longitudinal cracks due to 
stress corrosion in the transmission shafts between the power control 
unit (PCU) and the torque limiters of the flap transmission system. We 
are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracking of the flap 
transmission shaft, which could compromise shaft structural integrity 
and lead to a disabled flap transmission shaft and reduced 
controllability of the airplane.

DATES: This AD becomes effective June 20, 2006.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of certain publications listed in the AD as of June 20, 2006.

ADDRESSES: You may examine the 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., Nassif Building, 
Room PL-401, Washington, DC.
    Contact Airbus, 1 Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex, 
France, for service information identified in this AD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Stafford, Aerospace Engineer, 
International Branch, ANM-116, Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 
1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98055-4056; telephone (425) 
227-1622; fax (425) 227-1149.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Examining the Docket

    You may examine the airworthiness directive (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 street address stated in the ADDRESSES section.

Discussion

    The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 
CFR part 39 to include an AD that would apply to certain Airbus Model 
A310-200 and -300 series airplanes. That NPRM was published in the 
Federal Register on March 9, 2006 (71 FR 12152). That NPRM proposed to 
require repetitive inspections for cracking of the flap transmission 
shafts, and replacing the transmission shafts if necessary. The NPRM 
also proposed to provide an optional terminating action for the 
repetitive inspections.

Comments

    We provided the public the opportunity to participate in the 
development of this AD. We received no comments on the NPRM or on the 
determination of the cost to the public.

Change to NPRM

    We inadvertently deleted reference to the reporting requirement 
stated in the Direction G[eacute]n[eacute]rale de l'Aviation Civile 
(DGAC) Airworthiness Directive and the Airbus service bulletin. This AD 
does not require reporting the results of the inspection to Airbus, 
which is a difference among the DGAC Airworthiness Directive, the 
service bulletin, and this AD. We have added our non-requirement as 
paragraph (j) of this AD and reidentified subsequent paragraphs 
accordingly.

Conclusion

    We have carefully reviewed the available data and determined that 
air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD with the 
change described previously. We have determined that this change will 
neither increase the economic burden on any operator nor increase the 
scope of the AD.

Costs of Compliance

    This AD will affect about 59 airplanes of U.S. registry. The 
required inspections will take about 1 work hour per airplane, at an 
average labor rate of $65 per work hour. Based on these figures, the 
estimated cost of the AD for U.S. operators is $3,835, or $65 per 
airplane, per inspection cycle.

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

[[Page 28255]]

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

2006-10-11 Airbus: Amendment 39-14595. FAA-2006-24104; Directorate 
Identifier 2005-NM-231-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This AD becomes effective June 20, 2006.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Airbus Model A310-203, -204, -221, -222, 
-304, -322, -324, and -325 airplanes, certificated in any category; 
except for airplanes on which Airbus Modification 12247 has been 
embodied in production.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from reports of longitudinal cracks due to 
stress corrosion in the transmission shafts between the power 
control unit (PCU) and the torque limiters of the flap transmission 
system. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracking of the 
flap transmission shaft, which could compromise shaft structural 
integrity and lead to a disabled flap transmission shaft and reduced 
controllability of 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.

Inspection and Corrective Action

    (f) At the earlier of the compliance times specified in 
paragraph (f)(1) or (f)(2) of this AD: Perform a detailed inspection 
for stress corrosion cracking of the flight transmission shafts 
located between the PCU and the torque limiters in accordance with 
the Accomplishment Instructions of Airbus Service Bulletin A310-27-
2092, Revision 02, dated April 11, 2005. Thereafter, repeat the 
inspections as required by paragraph (g) of this AD. Before further 
flight, replace any cracked transmission shaft discovered during any 
inspection required by this AD with a new or reconditioned shaft, in 
accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions of Airbus Service 
Bulletin A310-27-2095, dated March 29, 2000.
    (1) Within 2,000 flight hours after the last flap asymmetry 
protection test performed in accordance with Airbus A310 Maintenance 
Planning Document (MPD) Task 275600-01-1.
    (2) Within 8,000 flight cycles after the last flap asymmetry 
protection test performed in accordance with Airbus A310 MPD Task 
275600-02-1 or 800 flight cycles after the effective date of this 
AD, whichever comes later.

    Note 1: Airbus Service Bulletin A310-27-2092, Revision 02, dated 
April 11, 2005, refers to Lucas Liebherr Service Bulletin 551A-27-
624, Revision 1, dated August 18, 2000, as an additional source of 
service information for accomplishing the inspections.


    Note 2: Airbus Service Bulletin A310-27-2092, Revision 02, 
refers to Airbus Service Bulletin A310-27-2095, dated March 29, 
2000, as a source of service information for replacing the flap 
transmission shafts.


    Note 3: Airbus Service Bulletin A310-27-2095 refers to Lucas 
Liebherr Service Bulletin 551A-27-M551-05, dated January 12, 2000, 
as an additional source of service information for replacing the 
flap transmission shafts.

Repetitive Inspections

    (g) Repeat the inspection required by paragraph (f) of this AD 
at the applicable times specified in paragraphs (g)(1), (g)(2), and 
(g)(3) of this AD.
    (1) Before further flight after any occurrence of jamming of the 
flap transmission system.
    (2) At intervals not to exceed 2,000 flight hours after each 
flap asymmetry protection test performed in accordance with Airbus 
A310 MPD Task 275600-01-1.
    (3) At intervals not to exceed 8,000 flight cycles after each 
flap asymmetry protection test performed in accordance with Airbus 
A310 MPD Task 275600-02-1.

Optional Terminating Action

    (h) Replacing any flap transmission shaft with a new or 
reconditioned transmission shaft in accordance with the 
Accomplishment Instructions of Airbus Service Bulletin A310-27-2095, 
dated March 29, 2000, ends the inspections required for that 
transmission shaft only.

Actions Performed Using Previously Issued Service Information

    (i) Actions performed in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin 
A310-27-2092, dated April 9, 1999; or Revision 01, dated December 
11, 2001, are considered acceptable for compliance with the 
corresponding requirements of this AD.

No Reporting

    (j) Although Airbus Service Bulletin A310-27-2092, Revision 02, 
dated April 11, 2005, specifies to submit certain information to the 
manufacturer, this AD does not include that requirement.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (k)(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) Before using any AMOC approved in accordance with Sec.  
39.19 on any airplane to which the AMOC applies, notify the 
appropriate principal inspector in the FAA Flight Standards 
Certificate Holding District Office.

Related Information

    (l) French airworthiness directive F-2005-174, dated October 26, 
2005, also addresses the subject of this AD.

Material Incorporated by Reference

    (m) You must use Airbus Service Bulletin A310-27-2092, Revision 
02, dated April 11, 2005; and Airbus Service Bulletin A310-27-2095, 
dated March 29, 2000; as applicable, to perform the actions that are 
required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. The Director 
of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of 
these documents in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 
51. Contact Airbus, 1 Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac 
Cedex, France, for copies of this service information. You may 
review copies at the Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Room PL-401, Nassif 
Building, Washington, DC; on the Internet at  http://dms.dot.gov; or 
at the National Archives and

[[Page 28256]]

Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability 
of this material at the NARA, call (202) 741-6030, or go to http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on May 8, 2006.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 06-4503 Filed 5-15-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P