[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 216 (Wednesday, November 7, 2012)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 66762-66764]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-27124]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2012-1159; Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-028-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain Airbus Model A310-203, -204, -222, -304, -322, and -324 
airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a design review of the fuel 
tank access covers and analyses comparing compliance of the access 
covers to different tire burst models. `Type 21' panels located within 
the debris zone revealed that they could not sustain the impact of the 
tire debris. This proposed AD would require modifying the wing manhole 
surrounds and replacing certain fuel access panels. We are proposing 
this AD to prevent a possibility of a fire due to tire debris impact on 
the fuel access panels.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by December 24, 
2012.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: (202) 493-2251.
     Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket 
Operations, M-

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30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue 
SE., Washington, DC 20590.
     Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket 
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., 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 SAS--EAW (Airworthiness Office), 1 Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 
31707 Blagnac Cedex, France; telephone +33 5 61 93 36 96; fax +33 5 61 
93 44 51; email [email protected]; Internet http://www.airbus.com.You may review copies of the referenced service 
information at the FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind 
Avenue SW., Renton, WA. For information on the availability of this 
material at the FAA, call 425-227-1221.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov; or in person at the Docket Operations office 
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. The AD docket contains this proposed AD, the regulatory 
evaluation, any comments received, and other information. The street 
address for the Docket Operations office (telephone (800) 647-5527) is 
in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket 
shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan Rodina, Aerospace Engineer, 
International Branch, ANM-116, Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 
1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057-3356; telephone (425) 227-2125; 
fax (425) 227-1149.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address 
listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2012-1159; 
Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-028-AD'' at the beginning of your 
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed AD. We 
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend 
this proposed AD based on those comments.
    We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We 
will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we 
receive about this proposed AD.

Discussion

    The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical 
Agent for the Member States of the European Community, has issued EASA 
Airworthiness Directive 2012-0016, dated January 26, 2012 (referred to 
after this as ``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition for the 
specified products. The MCAI states:

    Following a design review of the fuel tank access covers and 
further analyses aiming at comparing compliance of the access covers 
to different tyre burst models, panels `Type 21' revealed to be a 
matter of concern when located within the tyre debris zone. It has 
been demonstrated that '`Type 21' Super Plastic Formed (SPF) panels 
for fuel access, installed on left hand (LH) and right hand (RH) 
wings at manhole positions No. 1 and No. 2 of A310 aeroplanes pre-
MSN500 could not sustain in an acceptable manner the impact of tyre 
debris.
    This condition, if not corrected, could result, following tyre 
debris impact, in fuel leaking and consequently fire on that area of 
the aeroplane.
    For the reasons described above, this [EASA] AD requires the 
replacement of SPF `Type 21' access panels with [type 11 access 
panels with]`Type 11A' [associated clamp plates] or `Type 21R' 
access panels and concurrent modification of the manhole surrounds 
at positions No.1 and No.2 to prevent re-installation of `'Type 21' 
panels at those positions.

You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI in the AD 
docket.

Relevant Service Information

    Airbus has issued Service Bulletin A310-57-2033, dated July 15, 
1989, and Mandatory Service Bulletin A310-57-2097, Revision 01, dated 
September 29, 2011. The actions described in this service information 
are intended to correct the unsafe condition identified in the MCAI.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of This Proposed AD

    This product has been approved by the aviation authority of another 
country, and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant 
to our bilateral agreement with the State of Design Authority, we have 
been notified of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI and service 
information referenced above. We are proposing this AD because we 
evaluated all pertinent information and determined an unsafe condition 
exists and is likely to exist or develop on other products of the same 
type design.

Costs of Compliance

    Based on the service information, we estimate that this proposed AD 
would affect about 56 products of U.S. registry. We also estimate that 
it would take about 40 work-hours per product to comply with the basic 
requirements of this proposed AD. The average labor rate is $85 per 
work-hour. Required parts would cost about $6,340 per product. Where 
the service information lists required parts costs that are covered 
under warranty, we have assumed that there will be no charge for these 
parts. As we do not control warranty coverage for affected parties, 
some parties may incur costs higher than estimated here. Based on these 
figures, we estimate the cost of the proposed AD on U.S. operators to 
be $545,440, or $9,740 per product.

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 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 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);
    3. Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska; and
    4. Will not have a significant economic impact, positive or 
negative,

[[Page 66764]]

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.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by 
reference, 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 AD:

Airbus: Docket No. FAA-2012-1159; Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-
028-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by December 24, 2012.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Airbus Model A310-203, -204, -222, -304, -
322, and -324 airplanes, certificated in any category, manufacturer 
serial numbers 0378, 0392, 0399, 0404, 0406, 0407, 0409, 0410, 0412, 
0413, 0416, 0418, 0419, 0421, 0422, 0424, 0425, 0427, 0428, 0429, 
0431, 0432, 0434 to 0437 inclusive, 0439, 0440, 0441, 0443 to 0449 
inclusive, 0451 to 0454 inclusive, 0456, 0457, 0458, 0467, 0472, 
0473, 0475, 0476, 0478, 0480 to 0485 inclusive, and 0487 to 0499 
inclusive.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 57, Wings.

(e) Reason

    This AD was prompted by a design review of the fuel tank access 
covers and analyses comparing compliance of the access covers to 
different tire burst models. `Type 21' panels located within the 
debris zone revealed that they could not sustain the impact of the 
tire debris. We are proposing this AD to prevent a possibility of a 
fire due to tire debris impact on the fuel access panels.

(f) Compliance

    You are responsible for having the actions required by this AD 
performed within the compliance times specified, unless the actions 
have already been done.

(g) Actions

    Within 60 months after the effective date of this AD, do the 
actions specified in paragraph (g)(1) or (g)(2) of this AD.
    (1) Modify the wing manhole surrounds and replace the super 
plastic formed (SPF) `Type 21' fuel access panels at positions 1 and 
2 on the left- and right-hand wings with `Type 11' fuel access 
panels with associated `Type 11A' clamp plates, in accordance with 
the Accomplishment Instructions of Airbus Mandatory Service Bulletin 
A310-57-2097, Revision 01, dated September 29, 2011.
    (2) Modify the wing manhole surrounds and replace the SPF `Type 
21' fuel access panels at positions 1 and 2 on the left- and right-
hand wings with `Type 21R' fuel access panels, in accordance with 
the Accomplishment Instructions of Airbus Service Bulletin A310-57-
2033, dated July 15, 1989.

(h) Parts Installation Prohibition

    After accomplishing the modification required by paragraph (g) 
of this AD, no person may install SPF `Type 21' fuel access panels 
at positions 1 and 2 on the left- and right-hand wings, on any 
airplane.

 (i) Other FAA AD Provisions

    The following provisions also apply to this AD:
    (1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, 
International Branch, ANM-116, Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 
has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using 
the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. In accordance with 14 CFR 
39.19, send your request to your principal inspector or local Flight 
Standards District Office, as appropriate. If sending information 
directly to the International Branch, send it to ATTN: Dan Rodina, 
Aerospace Engineer, International Branch, ANM-116, Transport 
Airplane Directorate, FAA, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057-
3356; telephone (425) 227-2125; fax (425) 227-1149. Information may 
be emailed to: [email protected]. Before using any 
approved AMOC, notify your appropriate principal inspector, or 
lacking a principal inspector, the manager of the local flight 
standards district office/certificate holding district office. The 
AMOC approval letter must specifically reference this AD.
    (2) Airworthy Product: For any requirement in this AD to obtain 
corrective actions from a manufacturer or other source, use these 
actions if they are FAA-approved. Corrective actions are considered 
FAA-approved if they are approved by the State of Design Authority 
(or their delegated agent). You are required to assure the product 
is airworthy before it is returned to service.

(j) Related Information

    (1) Refer to MCAI European Aviation Safety Agency Airworthiness 
Directive 2012-0016, dated January 26, 2012, and the service 
information specified in paragraphs (j)(1)(i) and (j)(1)(ii) of this 
AD, for related information.
    (i) Airbus Service Bulletin A310-57-2033, dated July 15, 1989.
    (ii) Airbus Mandatory Service Bulletin A310-57-2097, Revision 
01, dated September 29, 2011.
    (2) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Airbus SAS--EAW (Airworthiness Office), 1 Rond Point Maurice 
Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex, France; telephone +33 5 61 93 36 96; 
fax +33 5 61 93 44 51; email [email protected]; 
Internet http://www.airbus.com. You may review copies of the 
referenced service information at the FAA, Transport Airplane 
Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA. For information on 
the availability of this material at the FAA, call 425-227-1221.


    Issued in Renton, Washington, on October 30, 2012.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-27124 Filed 11-6-12; 8:45 am]
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