[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 186 (Tuesday, September 26, 2006)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 56054-56056]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-8222]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2006-25891; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-186-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model A300 and A310 Airplanes; 
and Model A300 B4-600, B4-600R, and F4-600R Series Airplanes, and Model 
C4-605R Variant F Airplanes (Collectively Called A300-600 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 A300 and A310 airplanes; and Model A300 B4-
600, B4-600R, and F4-600R series airplanes, and Model C4-605R Variant F 
airplanes (collectively called A300-600 series airplanes). This 
proposed AD would require replacing the pressure limiter of the parking 
brake system with a new or modified pressure limiter. This proposed AD 
results from a report indicating that failure of the parking brake 
system occurred on a Model A300-600 airplane. We are proposing this AD 
to prevent failure of the parking braking system and interference with 
emergency use of the brake pedals, which could lead to airplane 
collision with surrounding objects or departure from the runway.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by October 26, 
2006.

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.
     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.
    Contact Airbus, 1 Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex, 
France, for service information identified in this proposed AD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Stafford, Aerospace Engineer, 
International Branch, ANM-116, FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 
1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; telephone (425) 
227-1622; 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 in the ADDRESSES section. Include the docket number ``FAA-2006-
25891; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-186-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 received 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 
that 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 may review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the 
Federal Register

[[Page 56055]]

published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78), or you may visit http://dms.dot.gov.

Examining the Docket

    You may 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 Docket Management System 
receives them.

Discussion

    The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the 
airworthiness authority for the European Union, notified us that an 
unsafe condition may exist on certain Airbus Model A300 and A310 
airplanes; and Model A300 B4-600, B4-600R, and F4-600R series 
airplanes, and Model C4-605R Variant F airplanes (collectively called 
A300-600 series airplanes). The EASA advises it has received a report 
indicating that a failure of the parking brake system occurred on a 
Model A300-600 airplane. After the airplane had been braked to a halt 
with both engines running and the parking brake applied, the airplane 
began to move again. As engaging the parking brake inhibits all other 
braking modes by design, the flightcrew was unable to stop the airplane 
using the brake pedals. Investigation revealed that a wire intended to 
reduce the area of one internal port of the parking brake pressure 
limiter had broken and caused excess restriction of the port, which 
delayed the buildup of parking brake pressure. This condition, if not 
corrected, could cause failure of the parking braking system and 
interference with emergency use of the brake pedals, which could lead 
to airplane collision with surrounding objects or departure from the 
runway.

Relevant Service Information

    We have reviewed the Airbus service bulletins described in the 
following table. The service bulletins describe procedures for 
replacing the pressure limiter of the parking brake system with a new 
or modified pressure limiter--modification includes removing a certain 
wire and installing a new pressure restrictor. Accomplishing the 
actions specified in the service information is intended to adequately 
address the unsafe condition.

                                           Airbus Service Information
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              For all model                   Use service bulletin                       Dated
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A300 airplanes..........................  A300-32-0448...............  February 22, 2006.
A300 B4-600, B4-600R, and F4-600R series  A300-32-6094...............  February 22, 2006.
 airplanes.
A310 airplanes..........................  A310-32-2133...............  February 22, 2006.
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    The EASA mandated the service information and issued airworthiness 
directive 2006-0178, dated June 26, 2006, to ensure the continued 
airworthiness of these airplanes in the European Union.
    The service bulletins refer to Messier--Bugatti Service Bulletin 
C24264-32-848, dated February 15, 2006, as an additional source of 
service information for modifying the parking brake pressure limiter.

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. As described in FAA 
Order 8100.14A, ``Interim Procedures for Working with the European 
Community on Airworthiness Certification and Continued Airworthiness,'' 
dated August 12, 2005, 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 we need to 
issue an AD for airplanes 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 229 airplanes of U.S. registry. 
The proposed actions would take about 2 work hours per airplane, at an 
average labor rate of $80 per work hour. The manufacturer states that 
it will supply required parts to the operators at no cost. Based on 
these figures, the estimated cost of the proposed AD for U.S. operators 
is $36,640, or $160 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.

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.

[[Page 56056]]

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 
adding the following new airworthiness directive (AD):

Airbus: Docket No. FAA-2006-25891; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-
186-AD.

Comments Due Date

    (a) The FAA must receive comments on this AD action by October 
26, 2006.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Airbus Model A300 and A310 airplanes; and 
Model A300 B4-601, B4-603, B4-620, B4-622, B4-605R, B4-622R, F4-
605R, F4-622R, and C4-605R Variant F airplanes; certificated in any 
category; except for airplanes on which Airbus Modification 12994 
has been embodied in production.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from a report indicating that failure of the 
parking brake system occurred on a Model A300-600 airplane. We are 
issuing this AD to prevent failure of the parking braking system and 
interference with emergency use of the brake pedals, which could 
lead to airplane collision with surrounding objects or departure 
from the runway.

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.

Pressure Limiter Replacement

    (f) Within 18 months after the effective date of this AD, 
replace the pressure limiter of the parking brake system with a new 
or modified pressure limiter having part number (P/N) C24264-303 or 
C24264004-1, as applicable, in accordance with the Accomplishment 
Instructions of the applicable service bulletin specified in Table 1 
of this AD.

                  Table 1.--Airbus Service Information
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 Use Airbus
        For all model             Service                Dated
                                  Bulletin
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A300 airplanes..............  A300-32-0448...  February 22, 2006.
A300 B4-601, B4-603, B4-620,  A300-32-6094...  February 22, 2006.
 B4-622, B4-605R, B4-622R,
 F4-605R, F4-622R, and C4-
 605R Variant F airplanes.
A310 airplanes..............  A310-32-2133...  February 22, 2006.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Note 1: The Airbus service bulletins refer to Messier-Bugatti 
Service Bulletin C24264-32-848, dated February 15, 2006, as an 
additional source of service information for modifying the parking 
brake pressure limiter.

Parts Installation

    (g) As of the effective date of this AD, no person may install, 
on the parking brake system of any airplane, a pressure limiter 
having P/N C24264-302 or C24264004.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (h)(1) The Manager, International Branch, ANM-116, 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

    (i) European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) airworthiness 
directive 2006-0178, dated June 26, 2006, also addresses the subject 
of this AD.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on September 14, 2006.
Kalene C. Yanamura,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 06-8222 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P