EASA AD No.: 20 13

- 0 270 R1

TE.CAP.00110

- 003 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved

. 1 / 3 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA

- Internet/Intranet. 

## EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

AD No

. : 20 13 - 0 270 R1

Date: 27 Nove mber 2013

Note: This Airworthiness Directive (AD) is issued by EASA, acting in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 on behalf of the European Community, its Member States and of the European third countries that participate in the activities of EASA under Article 66 of that Regulation

. This AD is issued in accordance with EU 748/2012, Part 21.A.3B. In accordance with EC 2042/2003 Annex I, Part M.A.301, the continuing airworthiness of an aircraft shall be ensured by accomplishing any applicable ADs. Consequently, no person may ope rate an aircraft to which an AD applies, except in accordance with the requ irements of that AD, unless otherwise specified by the Agency [EC 2042/2003 Annex I, Part M.A.303] or agreed with the Authority of the State of Registry [EC 216/2008, Article 14(4) exempt ion]

. 

### Design Approval Holder’s Name: AIRBUS Type/Model designation(s ): A330 and A340 aeroplanes

TCDS Number s : EASA.A.004, EASA.A.005

F oreign AD: Not applicable

Revision : This AD revises EASA AD 2013

- 0270 dated 14 November 2013.



### ATA 55 Stabilizers

– Rudder Side Panel Along the Z - Profile
– Inspection

Manufacturer(s): Airbus (formerly Airbus Industrie) Applicability: Airbus A330

- 301, A330

- 302, A330

- 303, A330

- 321, A330

- 322, A330

- 323, A330

- 341, A330

- 342 and A330

- 343 aeroplanes, all manufacturer serial numbers (MSN) , except aeroplanes on which Airbus modification ( Mod ) 41800 has been embodied in production

. Airbus A340

- 211, A340

- 212, A340

- 213, A340

- 311, A340

- 312 and A340

- 313, aeroplanes, all MSN , except aeroplanes on which Airbus Mod 41800 has been embodied in production

. Reason: One A310 operator found substantial inner skin disbonding damage on a rudder. The results of the subsequent investigation revealed that the most probable cause of this damage was a blunt impact with no visible damage from outside during the rudder handling

. Such type of d amage might grow with pressure variation during ground

- air

- ground cycles, and tests performed with other rudders showed a rapid propagation of damage during artificial pressure cycling. This condition, if not detected and corrected, could affect the structural integrity of the rudder. For the affected A310 and A300

- 600 aeroplanes, EASA issued AD 2013

- 0039 to address and correct this potential unsafe condition. As potentially affected rudders can also be installed on A330 and A340 aeroplanes , Airbus issued Alert Operator Transmission (AOT) A55 L001

- 12, pending Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM) 27

- 21

- 4 1 PB401 revision , to provide operators with update d rudder handling procedures.EASA AD No.: 20 13

- 0 270 R1

TE.CAP.00110

- 003 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved

. 2 / 3 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA

- Internet/Intranet. EASA issued AD 2013

- 0270 to require identification of affected rudders P/N A55471500XXX (where XXX stands for any numerical value) , a one - time ultrasonic test (UT) inspection of each affected rudder to detect signs of disbonding and, depending on findings, accomplishment of applicable corrective action(s). After AD 2013

- 0270 was issued , operator s comme nt ed that the batch of rudders to be inspected was not correctly defined. For the reason described above, AD 2013

- 0270 is revised to clarify that no action is required for rudder s previou s ly inspected in accordance with Airbus S ervice B ulletin (SB) A330

- 55

- 3038 or SB A340

- 55

- 4034, as applicable to aeroplane model , provided the rudder has never been removed and /or installed on an aeroplane since this inspection.
Effective Date: Revision 1 (same as original issue): 28 November 2013

. Required A ction(s) and Compliance Time(s) : Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously: (1) Within 3 months after the effective date of this AD, in accordance with the instructions of Airbus Alert Operator Transmission (AOT) A55L001

- 12 , accomplish the following actions: (1.1) Identify the Part Number (P/N) and serial number (s/n) of the installed rudder assembly. If the P/N and/or s/n cannot be identified, contact Airbus for identification advice. (1.2) Determine if , following the most recent inspection before the effective date of this AD, the installed rudder has been removed and / or installed in accordance with Airbus SB A330

- 55

- 3038 or SB A340

- 55

- 4034, as applicable to aeroplane model , or if the most recent inspection has been accomplished off

- wing in accordance with t h o s e same SBs, as applicable to aeroplane model

. (1. 3 ) If it is determined that the rudder assembly has P/N A55471500 XXX and that rudder has been removed and / or installed following the most recent inspection in accordance with Airbus SB A330

- 55

- 3038 or SB A340

- 55

- 4034, as applicable to aeroplane model , or has been in spected off

- wing in accordance with th o se same SBs, as applicable to aeroplane model , accomplish an UT inspection of the rudder side panel along the Z

- profile and in the booster area. (2) If, during the inspection as required by paragraph (1. 3 ) of this AD, any finding is detected , before next flight, differentiate the disbonding from other possible damage by accomplishing an Elasticity of Laminate Checker Inspection to detect external and internal disbonding, and accomplish a Woodpecker or Tap test inspection to detect external disbonding , in accordance with the instructions of Airbus AOT A55L001

- 12

. (3) If the finding , differentiated as required by paragraph (2) of this AD, is confirmed as disbonding, accomplish corrective actions as required b y paragraph (3 .1 ) or ( 3.2 ) of this AD, as applicable, depending on the size of the disbonding. (3.1) For disbonding, equal to or less than 50 mm width, and equal to or less than 150 mm length, before next flight, vent the rudder core in accordance with an approved procedure (which must be obtained from Airbus) and, within 10 days after venting the rudder core , send a detailed damage report to Airbus, request permanent repair instructions and, within 100 flight cycles after venting the rudder core , accomplis h those instructions accordingly for that disbonding

. (3.2) For disbonding, exceeding 50 mm width, or exceeding 150 mm length, before next flight, send a detailed damage report to Airbus,EASA AD No.: 20 13

- 0 270 R1

TE.CAP.00110

- 003 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved

. 3 / 3 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA

- Internet/Intranet. request approved instructions for corrective action and accomplis h those instructions accordingly for that disbonding , or replace the rudder with a service able rudder

. ( 4 ) If the finding , differentiated as required by paragraph (2) of this AD, is confirmed as other type(s) of damage (e.g. liquid ingress), before next flight, accomplish a repair in accordance with the instructions as provided in the applicable Airbus Structural Repair Manua l for those discrepancies

. In case no active SRM procedures are available, contact Airbus for approved repair instructions and accom plish those instructions accordingly

. ( 5 ) From the effective date of this AD, for each installation of a P/N A55471500 XXX rudder on an aeroplane, before next flight after installation, accomplish an UT inspect ion of the rudder in accordance with the instr uctions of Airbus AOT A55L001

- 12 and, depending on findings, accomplish corrective actions as required by paragraph (3) or (4) of this AD, depending on the size of the disbonding.
Ref. Public ations: Alert Operator Transmission A55L001

- 12 dated 20 Dec ember 2012

. Airbus SB A330

- 55

- 3038 original issue dated 07 Nov ember 2007

. Airbus SB A340

- 55

- 4034 original issue dated 07 Nov ember 2007

. The u se of later approved revisions of these documents is acceptable for compliance with the requirements of this AD.
Remarks: 1. If requested and appropriately substantiated, EASA can approve Alternative Methods of Compliance for this AD

. 2. Based on the required actions and the compliance time, EASA have decided to issue a Final AD with Request for Comments, postponing the pu blic consultation process until after publication

. 3. Enquiries regarding this AD should be referred to the Safety Information Section, Executive Directorate, EASA. E

- mail: ADs@easa.europa.eu

. 4. For any question concerning the technical conte nt of the requirements in this AD, please contact: AIRBUS

– Airworthiness Office

– EIAL , E

- mail: airworthiness.A330

- A340@airbus.com

.