EASA AD No.: 2013-0270R1

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EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

AD No.: 2013-0270R1

Date: 27 November 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 operate 

an aircraft to which an AD applies, except in accordance with the requirements 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) exemption].

Design Approval Holder’s Name:

AIRBUS

Type/Model designation(s):

A330 and A340 aeroplanes

TCDS Numbers: EASA.A.004, EASA.A.005

Foreign 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 damage 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) A55L001-12, 

pending Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM) 27-21-41 PB401 revision, to 

provide operators with updated rudder handling procedures. 
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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, operators commented 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 rudders previously inspected in accordance with Airbus 

Service Bulletin (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 Action(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 those same SBs, as applicable to aeroplane model.

(1.3) If it is determined that the rudder assembly has P/N A55471500XXX 

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 

inspected off-wing in accordance with those 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 by 

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, accomplish 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, 
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request approved instructions for corrective action and accomplish 

those instructions accordingly for that disbonding, or replace the 

rudder with a serviceable 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 Manual for those discrepancies.

In case no active SRM procedures are available, contact Airbus for 

approved repair instructions and accomplish those instructions accordingly.

(5) From the effective date of this AD, for each installation of a P/N 

A55471500XXX rudder on an aeroplane, before next flight after 

installation, accomplish an UT inspection of the rudder in accordance with 

the instructions 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. Publications: Alert Operator Transmission A55L001-12 dated 20 December 2012.

Airbus SB A330-55-3038 original issue dated 07 November 2007.

Airbus SB A340-55-4034 original issue dated 07 November 2007.

The use 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 

public 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 content of the requirements in 

this AD, please contact: AIRBUS – Airworthiness Office – EIAL,

E-mail: airworthiness.A330-A340@airbus.com.