[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 228 (Friday, November 27, 2015)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 74042-74044]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-30024]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2015-5815; Directorate Identifier 2015-NM-039-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 A330-200 and -300 series airplanes; and all Model 
A340-200, -300, -500, and -600 series airplanes. This proposed AD was 
prompted by reports that the potable water service panel access door 
was lost during flight. This proposed AD would require modifying 
affected potable water service panel access doors. We are proposing 
this AD to prevent failure of the latching mechanism of the potable 
water service panel access door, which could result in the loss of the 
potable water service panel access door during flight, and resultant 
damage to the airplane (e.g., damage to the trimmable horizontal 
stabilizer) that could cause loss of control of the airplane.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by January 11, 
2016.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR 
11.43 and 11.45, 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-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, Airworthiness Office--EAL, 1 Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 
31707 Blagnac Cedex, France; telephone +33 5 61 93 36 96; fax +33 5 61 
93 45 80; email [email protected]; Internet http://www.airbus.com. You may view this 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 by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2015-
5815; or in person at the Docket Management Facility 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: Vladimir Ulyanov, Aerospace Engineer, 
International Branch, ANM-116, Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 
1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057-3356; telephone 425-227-1138; 
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

[[Page 74043]]

ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2015-5815; Directorate 
Identifier 2015-NM-039-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 Union, has issued EASA 
Airworthiness Directive 2015-0028R1, dated May 29, 2015 (referred to 
after this as the Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information, or 
``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition for certain Airbus Model 
A330-200 and -300 series airplanes; and Model A340-200, -300, -500, and 
-600 series airplanes. The MCAI states:

    Several cases have been reported in which the potable water 
service panel access door was lost during flight, causing damage to 
the trimmable horizontal stabilizer. The results of subsequent 
investigations showed that these events were due to failure of the 
latching mechanism of the potable water service panel access door.
    This condition, if not corrected, could lead to further cases of 
in-flight loss of the potable water service panel access door, 
possibly resulting in injury to persons on ground and/or damage to 
the aeroplane [(e.g., damage to the trimmable horizontal 
stabilizer)].
    To address this condition, Airbus developed a modification and 
published Service Bulletin (SB) A330-52-3086, SB A340-52-4094 and SB 
A340-52-5019, to provide instructions for in-service accomplishment 
of that modification.
    Consequently, EASA issued AD 2015-0028 to require modification 
of the potable water service panel access door 164AR for A330/A340-
200/-300 aeroplanes or 154BR for A340-500/-600 aeroplanes, which 
includes installation of reinforced hinge screws and more robust 
latches.
    Since that [EASA] AD was issued, it was determined that 
aeroplanes that have embodied Airbus Mod 201938 (Improvement of 
latching mechanism of potable water service panel) are also not 
affected by the requirements of this [EASA] AD.
    For the reason described above, this [EASA] AD is revised to 
exclude post-mod 201938 aeroplanes from the Applicability.

    You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2015-
5815.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    Airbus has issued the following service information.
     Airbus Service Bulletin A330-52-3086, Revision 01, dated 
April 25, 2014.
     Airbus Service Bulletin A340-52-4094, Revision 01, dated 
April 25, 2014.
     Airbus Service Bulletin A340-52-5019, Revision 01, dated 
April 25, 2014.
    The service information describes procedures for modifying the 
affected potable water service panel access door. This service 
information is reasonably available because the interested parties have 
access to it through their normal course of business or by the means 
identified in the ADDRESSES section of this NPRM.

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 these 
same type designs.

Explanation of ``RC'' Procedures and Tests in Service Information

    The FAA worked in conjunction with industry, under the 
Airworthiness Directive Implementation Aviation Rulemaking Committee 
(ARC), to enhance the AD system. One enhancement was a new process for 
annotating which procedures and tests in the service information are 
required for compliance with an AD. Differentiating these procedures 
and tests from other tasks in the service information is expected to 
improve an owner's/operator's understanding of crucial AD requirements 
and help provide consistent judgment in AD compliance. The procedures 
and tests identified as RC (required for compliance) in any service 
information have a direct effect on detecting, preventing, resolving, 
or eliminating an identified unsafe condition.
    As specified in a NOTE under the Accomplishment Instructions of the 
specified service information, procedures and tests that are identified 
as RC in any service information must be done to comply with the 
proposed AD. However, procedures and tests that are not identified as 
RC are recommended. Those procedures and tests that are not identified 
as RC may be deviated from using accepted methods in accordance with 
the operator's maintenance or inspection program without obtaining 
approval of an alternative method of compliance (AMOC), provided the 
procedures and tests identified as RC can be done and the airplane can 
be put back in an airworthy condition. Any substitutions or changes to 
procedures or tests identified as RC will require approval of an AMOC.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD affects 63 airplanes of U.S. 
registry.
    We also estimate that it would take about 21 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 
$15,280 per product. Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of 
this proposed AD on U.S. operators to be $1,075,095, or $17,065 per 
product.
    According to the manufacturer, some of the costs of this proposed 
AD may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost impact on 
affected individuals. We do not control warranty coverage for affected 
individuals. As a result, we have included all costs in our cost 
estimate.

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

[[Page 74044]]

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, on a substantial number of small entities under the criteria 
of the Regulatory Flexibility Act.

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

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

Airbus: Docket No. FAA-2015-5815; Directorate Identifier 2015-NM-
039-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by January 11, 2016.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to the airplanes identified in paragraphs (c)(1) 
and (c)(2) of this AD, certificated in any category.
    (1) Airbus Model A330-201, -202, -203, -223, -243, -301, -302, -
303, -321, -322, -323, -341, -342, and -343 airplanes, all 
manufacturer serial numbers, except those on which Airbus 
modification 201715, or Airbus modification 201796, or Airbus 
modification 201938 has been embodied in production.
    (2) Airbus Model A340-211, -212, -213, -311, -312, -313, -541, 
and -642 airplanes, all manufacturing serial numbers.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 52, Doors.

(e) Reason

    This AD was prompted by reports that the potable water service 
panel access door was lost during flight. We are issuing this AD to 
prevent failure of the latching mechanism of the potable water 
service panel access door, which could result in the loss of the 
potable water service panel access door during flight, and resultant 
damage to the airplane (e.g., damage to the trimmable horizontal 
stabilizer) that could cause loss of control of the airplane.

(f) Compliance

    Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, 
unless already done.

(g) Modification

    (1) Except as required by paragraph (g)(2) of this AD, within 36 
months after the effective date of this AD, modify the affected 
potable water service panel access door, in accordance with the 
Accomplishment Instructions of the service information identified in 
paragraph (g)(1)(i), (g)(1)(ii), or (g)(1)(iii) of this AD, as 
applicable to airplane type and model.
    (i) Airbus Service Bulletin A330-52-3086, Revision 01, dated 
April 25, 2014.
    (ii) Airbus Service Bulletin A340-52-4094, Revision 01, dated 
April 25, 2014.
    (iii) Airbus Service Bulletin A340-52-5019, Revision 01, dated 
April 25, 2014.
    (2) For airplanes that have already been modified before the 
effective date of this AD, as specified in the service information 
identified in paragraph (g)(2)(i), (g)(2)(ii), or (g)(2)(iii) of 
this AD, as applicable to airplane type and model: Within 16 months 
after the effective date of this AD, modify the potable water 
service panel access door by accomplishing the actions identified as 
``additional work,'' as specified in and in accordance with the 
Accomplishment Instructions of the service information identified in 
paragraph (g)(1)(i), (g)(1)(ii), or (g)(1)(iii) of this AD, as 
applicable to airplane type and model.
    (i) Airbus Service Bulletin A330-52-3086, dated April 27, 2012.
    (ii) Airbus Service Bulletin A340-52-4094, dated April 27, 2012.
    (iii) Airbus Service Bulletin A340-52-5019, dated May 29, 2012.

(h) 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: Vladimir 
Ulyanov, Aerospace Engineer, International Branch, ANM-116, 
Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, 
WA 98057-3356; telephone 425-227-1138; 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) Contacting the Manufacturer: For any requirement in this AD 
to obtain corrective actions from a manufacturer, the action must be 
accomplished using a method approved by the Manager, International 
Branch, ANM-116, Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA; or the 
European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA); or Airbus's EASA Design 
Organization Approval (DOA). If approved by the DOA, the approval 
must include the DOA-authorized signature.
    (3) Required for Compliance (RC): If any service information 
contains procedures or tests that are identified as RC, those 
procedures and tests must be done to comply with this AD; any 
procedures or tests that are not identified as RC are recommended. 
Those procedures and tests that are not identified as RC may be 
deviated from using accepted methods in accordance with the 
operator's maintenance or inspection program without obtaining 
approval of an AMOC, provided the procedures and tests identified as 
RC can be done and the airplane can be put back in an airworthy 
condition. Any substitutions or changes to procedures or tests 
identified as RC require approval of an AMOC.

(i) Related Information

    (1) Refer to Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information 
(MCAI) EASA Airworthiness Directive 2015-0028R1, dated May 29, 2015, 
for related information. This MCAI may be found in the AD docket on 
the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and 
locating Docket No. FAA-2015-5815.
    (2) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Airbus SAS, Airworthiness Office--EAL, 1 Rond Point Maurice 
Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex, France; telephone +33 5 61 93 36 96; 
fax +33 5 61 93 45 80; email [email protected]; 
Internet http://www.airbus.com. You may view this 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 November 17, 2015.
Jeffrey E. Duven,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-30024 Filed 11-25-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P