[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 180 (Friday, September 16, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 63691-63694]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-22178]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2016-9108; Directorate Identifier 2016-NM-133-AD; 
Amendment 39-18655; AD 2016-19-06]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 
Airbus Model A330-200, Model A330-300, Model A340-200, and Model A340-
300 series airplanes. This AD requires an inspection to determine the 
part number and serial number of certain escape slides on the left and 
right sides of the airplane, and replacement if necessary. This AD was 
prompted by a report indicating that the aspirator on certain escape 
slides might have been damaged because of incorrect packing during 
overhaul. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct damaged 
aspirators on escape slides. Failure of an aspirator to inflate an 
escape slide could prevent deployment of the escape slide during an 
emergency, possibly resulting in reduced evacuation capacity from the 
airplane and consequent injury to occupants.

DATES: This AD becomes effective October 3, 2016.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of October 3, 
2016.
    We must receive comments on this AD by October 31, 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 final rule, 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. It is also available on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2016-
9108.

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-2016-
9108; 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 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: 

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 2016-0137R1, dated July 21, 2016 (referred to 
after this as the Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information, or 
``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition for certain Airbus Model 
A330-200 Freighter, Model A330-200, Model A330-300, Model A340-200, and 
Model A340-300 series airplanes. The MCAI states:

    It has been reported that some door 3, Type 1, escape slides 
Part Number (P/N) 7A1509-series may have sustained damage to the 
slide aspirator, due to an incorrect packing during last overhaul. 
This damage affects the air inlet end of the slide aspirator by 
either permanently deforming the inlet, or leading to cracks in the 
supply line to the aspirator nozzle.
    This condition, if not detected and corrected, could lead to 
failure of the slide aspirator to perform its intended function to 
inflate the evacuation slide, preventing slide deployment during an 
emergency, possibly resulting in reduced evacuation capacity from 
the aeroplane and consequent injury to occupants.
    Prompted by these findings, Airbus issued Alert Operators 
Transmission (AOT) A25L009-16 to provide instructions to identify 
and replace the affected slides.
    Consequently, EASA issued AD 2016-0137, requiring identification 
of the door 3, Type 1, slide installed on the aeroplane, and, 
depending on findings, the replacement of the slide with a 
serviceable part.
    Since that [EASA] AD was issued, it was identified that affected 
slides cannot be installed on aeroplanes embodying optional Airbus 
mod 40161.
    For the reason described above, this [EASA] AD is revised to 
reduce the Applicability, by excluding aeroplanes that have embodied 
Airbus mod 40161 in production.

You may examine the MCAI on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov 
by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2016-9108.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    Airbus has issued Alert Operators Transmission A25L009-16, dated 
July 7, 2016. The service information describes procedures for the 
identifying the part number and serial number of door 3, Type 1, escape 
slides and replacing the escape slides. 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.

[[Page 63692]]

FAA's Determination and Requirements of This 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 issuing this AD because we 
evaluated all pertinent information and determined the unsafe condition 
exists and is likely to exist or develop on other products of these 
same type designs.

FAA's Determination of the Effective Date

    An unsafe condition exists that requires the immediate adoption of 
this AD. The FAA has found that the risk to the flying public justifies 
waiving notice and comment prior to adoption of this rule because 
failure of an aspirator to inflate a door 3, Type 1, escape slide could 
prevent deployment of the escape slide during an emergency, possibly 
resulting in reduced evacuation capacity from the airplane and 
consequent injury to occupants. Therefore, we determined that notice 
and opportunity for public comment before issuing this AD are 
impracticable and that good cause exists for making this amendment 
effective in fewer than 30 days.

Comments Invited

    This AD is a final rule that involves requirements affecting flight 
safety, and we did not precede it by notice and opportunity for public 
comment. We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this AD. Send your comments to an address listed under 
the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2016-9108; Directorate 
Identifier 2016-NM-133-AD'' at the beginning of your comments. We 
specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, economic, 
environmental, and energy aspects of this AD. We will consider all 
comments received by the closing date and may amend this 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 AD.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD affects 104 airplanes of U.S. registry.
    We estimate the following costs to comply with this AD:

                                                 Estimated costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                    Cost per       Cost on U.S.
               Action                        Labor cost           Parts cost        product         operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspection..........................  1 work-hour x $85 per                $0              $85           $8,840
                                       hour = $85.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We estimate the following costs to do any necessary replacement 
that will be required based on the results of the inspection. We have 
no way of determining the number of airplanes that might need this 
replacement:

                                               On-Condition Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                     Cost per
                    Action                                Labor cost               Parts cost        product
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Replacement..................................  2 work-hours x $85 per hour =           $45,000          $45,170
                                                $170.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 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 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.

Adoption of the Amendment

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

2016-19-06 Airbus: Amendment 39-18655; Docket No. FAA-2016-9108; 
Directorate Identifier 2016-NM-133-AD.

[[Page 63693]]

(a) Effective Date

    This AD becomes effective October 3, 2016.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to the Airbus airplanes, certificated in any 
category, identified in paragraphs (c)(1) through (c)(4) of this AD, 
all manufacturer serial numbers, except those that have embodied 
Airbus Modification 40161 in production.
    (1) Airbus Model A330-201, -202, -203, -223, and -243 airplanes.
    (2) Airbus Model A330-301, -302, -303, -321, -322, -323, -341, -
342, and -343 airplanes.
    (3) Airbus Model A340-211, -212, and -213 airplanes.
    (4) Airbus Model A340-311, -312, and -313 airplanes.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 25, Equipment/
Furnishings.

(e) Reason

    This AD was prompted by a report indicating that the aspirator 
on certain door 3, Type 1, escape slides might have been damaged 
because of incorrect packing during overhaul. We are issuing this AD 
to detect and correct damaged aspirators on door 3, Type 1, escape 
slides. Failure of an aspirator to inflate a door 3, Type 1, escape 
slide could prevent deployment of the escape slide during an 
emergency, possibly resulting in reduced evacuation capacity from 
the airplane and consequent injury to occupants.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Inspection To Determine Part Number and Serial Number

    Within 30 days after the effective date of this AD: Do an 
inspection to determine the part number and serial number of the 
door 3, Type 1, escape slides on the left and right sides of the 
airplane, in accordance with the instructions of Airbus Alert 
Operators Transmission (AOT) A25L009-16, dated July 7, 2016. A 
review of airplane maintenance records is acceptable in lieu of this 
inspection if the part number and serial number of the door 3, Type 
1, escape slides can be conclusively determined from that review.

    Note 1 to paragraph (g) of this AD:  Airbus AOT A25L009-16, 
dated July 7, 2016, lists the corresponding airplane manufacturer 
serial numbers on which the affected slides (specified in table 1 to 
paragraphs (g), (i), and (j) of this AD) were re-installed after the 
last maintenance. That list of airplane manufacturer serial numbers 
is for information only because a potentially affected slide might 
have been removed from an airplane and later re-installed on another 
airplane.


   Table 1 to Paragraphs (g), (i), and (j) of This AD--Affected Slides
------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Slide part No.                      Slide serial No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
7A1509-027........................  AD0918, AD0975, AD0979, AD1111, and
                                     AD1155.
7A1509-037........................  AD0488, AD0759, AD0942, AD0960,
                                     AD1025, AD1033, AD1034, AD1080, and
                                     AD1184.
7A1509-123........................  AD1231, AD1232, AD1450, AD1565,
                                     AD1730, AD1737, AD1805, AD1822, and
                                     AD1860.
7A1509-125........................  AD1769, AD1780, AD1781, AD1816,
                                     AD1834, AD1841, AD1862, AD1869,
                                     AD2066, AD2103, AD2104, AD2178,
                                     AD2223, AD2263, AD2279, AD2301,
                                     AD2407, AD2409, and AD2497.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

(h) Corrective Action

    If, during the inspection required by paragraph (g) of this AD, 
any door 3, Type 1, escape slide having a part number and a serial 
number identified in table 1 to paragraphs (g), (i), and (j) of this 
AD is found: At the applicable compliance time specified in 
paragraph (h)(1) or paragraph (h)(2) of this AD, replace each 
affected door 3, Type 1, escape slide with a serviceable escape 
slide, in accordance with the instructions of Airbus Alert Operators 
Transmission A25L009-16, dated July 7, 2016.
    (1) For affected slides on both the left and right sides of the 
airplane: Within 30 days after the effective date of this AD, after 
identification as required by paragraph (g) of this AD, replace at 
least one slide; and, within 10 months or 4,100 flight hours, 
whichever occurs first after the effective date of this AD, replace 
the second slide.
    (2) For one affected slide on either the left or right side of 
the airplane: Within 10 months or 4,100 flight hours, whichever 
occurs first after the effective date of this AD, replace the slide.

(i) Serviceable Escape Slide

    For the purpose of this AD, a serviceable escape slide is a 
brand new escape slide or one that has a part number and serial 
number identified in table 1 to paragraphs (g), (i) and (j) of this 
AD and was overhauled after May 1, 2016.

(j) Parts Installation Limitation

    As of the effective date of this AD, an affected slide having a 
part number and serial number identified in table 1 to paragraphs 
(g), (i), and (j) of this AD may be installed on any airplane at the 
door 3, Type 1, position, provided it can be positively determined 
that the slide was overhauled after May 1, 2016.

(k) 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.
    (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.

(l) Related Information

    Refer to Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information (MCAI) 
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2016-0137R1, dated July 21, 2016, for 
related information. You may examine the MCAI on the Internet at 
http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. 
FAA-2016-9108.

(m) Material Incorporated by Reference

    (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference (IBR) of the service information listed 
in this paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
    (2) You must use this service information as applicable to do 
the actions required by this AD, unless this AD specifies otherwise.
    (i) Airbus Alert Operators Transmission A25L009-16, dated July 
7, 2016.
    (ii) Reserved.
    (3) 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.
    (4) You may view this service information at the FAA, Transport 
Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA. For

[[Page 63694]]

information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 
425-227-1221.
    (5) You may view this service information that is incorporated 
by reference at the National Archives and Records Administration 
(NARA). For information on the availability of this material at 
NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on September 6, 2016.
Michael Kaszycki,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-22178 Filed 9-15-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P