Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 51 / Friday, March 16, 2007 / Rules and Regulations 12555 

TABLE 5.—SERVICE BULLETINS ACCOMPLISHED PREVIOUSLY—Continued 

Airbus service bulletin Revision level Date 

A310–78–2023 ........................................................................ Original ................................................................................... October 7, 2003. 

A310–78–2024 ........................................................................ Original ................................................................................... October 15, 2003. 

A310–78–2025 ........................................................................ Original ................................................................................... July 23, 2004. 

Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(i)(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 14 CFR 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 

(j) French airworthiness directive F–

2004–165, dated October 13, 2004, also 

addresses the subject of this AD. 

Material Incorporated by Reference 

(k) You must use the applicable 

Airbus service bulletins specified in 

Table 6 of this AD 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 a copy of this service information. 

You may review copies at the FAA, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 

Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington; 

or 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. 

TABLE 6.—MATERIAL INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Airbus service bulletin Revision level Date 

A300–78–6021, including Appendices 01 and 02 .................. 02 ............................................................................................ June 8, 2005. 

A300–78–6022, including Appendices 01 and 02 .................. 02 ............................................................................................ June 8, 2005. 

A300–78–6024 ........................................................................ 01 ............................................................................................ April 22, 2005. 

A300–78–6025 ........................................................................ 01 ............................................................................................ April 22, 2005. 

A310–78–2022, including Appendices 01 and 02 .................. 02 ............................................................................................ July 18, 2006. 

A310–78–2023 ........................................................................ 01 ............................................................................................ April 22, 2005. 

A310–78–2024, including Appendices 01 and 02 .................. 01 ............................................................................................ June 13, 2005. 

A310–78–2025 ........................................................................ 01 ............................................................................................ April 22, 2005. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on March 5, 

2007. 

Ali Bahrami, 

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. E7–4734 Filed 3–15–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2006–26324; Directorate 

Identifier 2006–NM–214–AD; Amendment 

39–14993; AD 2007–06–12] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model 

A330 Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding an 

existing airworthiness directive (AD), 

which applies to certain Airbus Model 

A330–300 airplanes. That AD currently 

requires reinforcement of the structure 

of the center fuselage by installing 

external stiffeners (butt straps) at frame 

(FR) 53.3 on the fuselage skin between 

left-hand (LH) and right-hand (RH) 

stringer (STR) 13, and related 

investigative and corrective actions. 

This new AD requires additional 

reinforcement of the structure of the 

center fuselage by installing external 

stiffeners (butt straps) at frame FR53.3 

on the fuselage skin between LH and RH 

STR13, and related investigative and 

other specified actions. This AD also 

adds airplanes to the applicability. This 

AD results from cracking found at the 

circumferential joint of FR53.3. We are 

issuing this AD to prevent fatigue 

cracking of the fuselage, which could 

result in reduced structural integrity of 

the fuselage. 

DATES: This AD becomes effective April 

20, 2007. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in the AD 

as of April 20, 2007. 

On October 19, 2005 (70 FR 57732, 

October 4, 2005), the Director of the 

Federal Register approved the 

incorporation by reference of Airbus 

Service Bulletin A330–53–3127, 

Revision 01, dated November 21, 2003. 

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: Tim 

Backman, Aerospace Engineer, 

International Branch, ANM–116, FAA, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 

Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 

98057–3356; telephone (425) 227–2797; 

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 


sroberts on PROD1PC70 with RULES
12556 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 51 / Friday, March 16, 2007 / Rules and Regulations 

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 

supersedes AD 2005–20–07, amendment 

39–14300 (70 FR 57732, October 4, 

2005). The existing AD applies to 

certain Airbus Model A330–300 series 

airplanes. That NPRM was published in 

the Federal Register on November 15, 

2006 (71 FR 66472). That NPRM 

proposed to continue to require 

reinforcement of the structure of the 

center fuselage by installing external 

stiffeners (butt straps) at frame (FR) 53.3 

on the fuselage skin between left-hand 

(LH) and right-hand (RH) stringer (STR) 

13, and related investigative and 

corrective actions. That NPRM also 

proposed to require additional 

reinforcement of the structure of the 

center fuselage by installing external 

stiffeners (butt straps) at frame FR53.3 

on the fuselage skin between LH and RH 

STR13, and related investigative and 

other specified actions. That NPRM also 

proposed to add airplanes to the 

applicability. 

Comments 

We provided the public the 

opportunity to participate in the 

development of this AD. We have 

considered the comments that have 

been received on the NPRM. 

Request To Revise Paragraph (h) 

Airbus requests that we revise the 

phrase ‘‘For all airplanes * * *’’ in 

paragraph (h) of the NPRM to duplicate 

paragraph 2 of European Aviation Safety 

Agency (EASA) airworthiness directive 

2006–0266, dated August 30, 2006, as 

follows: ‘‘For all A330–200 and –300 

series aircraft [as listed in the 

applicability of this directive] which 

have received embodiment of AIRBUS 

modification 41652S11819.’’

We agree to clarify paragraph (h) of 

this AD. The term ‘‘for all airplanes’’ in 

paragraph (h) of the NPRM applies to 

the airplanes identified in paragraph (c) 

of the NPRM (the applicability of the 

NPRM). Even though paragraph (h) of 

the NPRM is essentially the same as 

paragraph 2 of EASA airworthiness 

directive 2006–0266, we have revised 

paragraph (h) of this AD as follows: ‘‘For 

Airbus Model A330–201, –202, –203, 

–223, –243, –301, –321, –322, –323, 

–341, –342, and –343 airplanes, on 

which Airbus Modification 

41652S11819 has been incorporated in 

production or in accordance with 

paragraph (f) of this AD, except those 

airplanes on which Airbus Modification 

49202 has been incorporated in 

production * * *.’’ This change has not 

expanded the scope of this AD. 

Request To Include Note 

Airbus requests that we revise the 

NPRM to include Note 2 of EASA 

airworthiness directive 2006–0266: 

‘‘Notwithstanding the compliance times 

referenced above, EASA supports the 

Airbus recommendation to embody SB 

A330–53–3143 at latest within 8,300 FC 

or 29,200 FH, whichever occurs first, in 

order to reduce the extent of any 

required repairs.’’

We disagree with including the note. 

We acknowledge that accomplishing the 

required actions sooner could reduce 

the extent of repairs needed in the 

future. However, it is not appropriate 

and, therefore, not the FAA’s practice to 

state recommendations in an AD. We 

have not revised this AD in this regard. 

Request To Revise Discussion Section 

Airbus requests that we revise the 

Discussion section of the NPRM to state 

the unsafe condition was found during 

fatigue tests (EF2) of the fuselage. 

We agree with Airbus’s statement. 

However, that portion of the Discussion 

section is not retained in this final rule. 

We have not revised this AD in this 

regard. 

Conclusion 

We have carefully reviewed the 

available data, including the comments 

that have been received, 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 

Currently, the action required by AD 

2005–20–07 and retained in this AD 

affects 12 airplanes of U.S. registry. 

However, we have been advised that all 

affected U.S. operators have already 

accomplished that action. If an affected 

airplane is imported and placed on the 

U.S. Register in the future, the action 

required by AD 2005–20–07 takes about 

315 work hours per airplane, at an 

average labor rate of $80 per work hour. 

Required parts cost about $8,920 per 

airplane. Based on these figures, the 

estimated cost of the currently required 

action is $34,120 per airplane. 

The new action affects about 27 

airplanes of U.S. registry. The new 

action takes about 316 work hours per 

airplane, at an average labor rate of $80 

per work hour. Required parts cost 

about $9,160 per airplane. Based on 

these figures, the estimated cost of the 

new action specified in this AD for U.S. 

operators is $929,880, or $34,440 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 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 

■ Accordingly, under the authority 

delegated to me by the Administrator, 

the FAA amends 14 CFR part 39 as 

follows: 


sroberts on PROD1PC70 with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 51 / Friday, March 16, 2007 / Rules and Regulations 12557 

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. 

§ 39.13 [Amended] 

■ 2. The Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA) amends § 39.13 

by removing amendment 39–14300 (70 

FR 57732, October 4, 2005) and by 

adding the following new airworthiness 

directive (AD): 

2007–06–12 Airbus: Amendment 39–14993. 

Docket No. FAA–2006–26324; 

Directorate Identifier 2006–NM–214–AD. 

Effective Date 

(a) This AD becomes effective April 20, 

2007. 

Affected ADs 

(b) This AD supersedes AD 2005–20–07. 

Applicability 

(c) This AD applies to Airbus Model A330–

201, –202, –203, –223, –243, –301, –321, 

–322, –323, –341, –342, and –343 airplanes, 

certificated in any category; except those on 

which Airbus Modification 49202 has been 

incorporated in production. 

Unsafe Condition 

(d) This AD results from cracking found at 

the circumferential joint of frame (FR) 53.3. 

We are issuing this AD to prevent fatigue 

cracking of the fuselage, which could result 

in reduced structural integrity of the fuselage. 

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. 

Requirements of AD 2005–20–07 

Installation for Model A330–300 Series 

Airplanes 

(f) For Airbus Model A330–301, –321, 

–322, –323, –341, –342, and –343 airplanes, 

except those on which Airbus Modification 

41652S11819 has been incorporated in 

production: At the later of the times in 

paragraphs (f)(1) and (f)(2) of this AD, install 

the butt straps at FR53.3 on the fuselage skin 

between left-hand (LH) and right-hand (RH) 

stringer (STR) 13, and do all related 

investigative and corrective actions before 

further flight. Except as provided by 

paragraph (g) of this AD, do all actions in 

accordance with the Accomplishment 

Instructions of Airbus Service Bulletin A330–

53–3127, Revision 01, dated November 21, 

2003. 

(1) Before the accumulation of 14,700 total 

flight cycles or 51,400 total flight hours, 

whichever occurs earlier. 

(2) Within 6 months after October 19, 2005 

(the effective date of AD 2005–20–07). 

Contact the FAA/Direction Ge ́ne ́rale de 

l’Aviation Civile (DGAC)/European Aviation 

Safety Agency (EASA) for Certain Repair 

Instructions 

(g) For Airbus Model A330–301, –321, 

–322, –323, –341, –342, and –343 airplanes, 

except those on which Airbus Modification 

41652S11819 has been incorporated in 

production: If any crack is detected during 

the related investigative actions (rototest) 

required by paragraph (f) of this AD, before 

further flight, repair the crack according to a 

method approved by the Manager, 

International Branch, ANM–116, Transport 

Airplane Directorate, FAA; the DGAC (or its 

delegated agent); or the EASA (or its 

delegated agent). 

New Requirements of This AD 

Installation for Model A330–200 and –300 

Series Airplanes 

(h) For Airbus Model A330–201, –202, 

–203, –223, –243, –301, –321, –322, –323, 

–341, –342, and –343 airplanes, on which 

Airbus Modification 41652S11819 has been 

incorporated in production or in accordance 

with paragraph (f) of this AD, except those 

airplanes on which Airbus Modification 

49202 has been incorporated in production: 

At the later of the times in paragraphs (h)(1) 

and (h)(2) of this AD, install the butt straps 

at FR53.3 on the fuselage skin between LH 

and RH STR13; and do all related 

investigative and other specified actions 

before further flight, as applicable. Do all 

actions in accordance with the 

Accomplishment Instructions of Airbus 

Service Bulletin A330–53–3143, Revision 01, 

including Appendix 01, dated June 29, 2006; 

except if any crack is detected during a 

related investigative action (rototest), before 

further flight, repair the crack using a method 

approved by the Manager, International 

Branch, ANM–116; or the EASA (or its 

delegated agent). 

(1) Before the accumulation of 17,600 total 

flight cycles or 61,600 total flight hours, 

whichever occurs earlier. 

(2) Within 6 months after the effective date 

of this AD. 

Credit for Actions Done in Accordance With 

Previous Service Bulletin 

(i) Actions done before the effective date of 

this AD in accordance with Airbus Service 

Bulletin A330–53–3143, including Appendix 

01, dated December 24, 2004, are acceptable 

for compliance with the corresponding 

requirements of paragraph (h) of this AD. 

Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(j)(1) The Manager, International Branch, 

ANM–116, 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 § 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 

(k) EASA airworthiness directive 2006–

0266, dated August 30, 2006, also addresses 

the subject of this AD. 

Material Incorporated by Reference 

(l) You must use Airbus Service Bulletin 

A330–53–3127, Revision 01, dated November 

21, 2003; and Airbus Service Bulletin A330–

53–3143, Revision 01, including Appendix 

01, dated June 29, 2006; as applicable, to 

perform the actions that are required by this 

AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. 

(1) The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference of 

Airbus Service Bulletin A330–53–3143, 

Revision 01, including Appendix 01, dated 

June 29, 2006, in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 

552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. 

(2) On October 19, 2005 (70 FR 57732, 

October 4, 2005), the Director of the Federal 

Register approved the incorporation by 

reference of Airbus Service Bulletin A330–

53–3127, Revision 01, dated November 21, 

2003. 

(3) Contact Airbus, 1 Rond Point Maurice 

Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex, France, for a 

copy of this service information. You may 

review copies at the FAA, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, 

Washington; or at the National Archives and 

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/federalregister/cfr/ibr-locations.html. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on March 7, 

2007. 

Ali Bahrami, 

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. E7–4740 Filed 3–15–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2006–26401; Directorate 

Identifier 2006–CE–72–AD; Amendment 39–

14987; AD 2007–06–06] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; B–N Group 

Ltd. BN–2, BN–2A, BN–2B, BN–2T, and 

BN–2T–4R Series (All Individual 

Models Included in Type Certificate 

Data Sheet (TCDS) A17EU, Revision 

16, Dated December 9, 2002), and BN–

2A–Mklll Trislander Series (All 

Individual Models Included in Type 

Certificate Data Sheet (TCDS) A29EU, 

Revision 4, Dated December 9, 2002) 

Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Final rule. 


sroberts on PROD1PC70 with RULES