ALERT OPERATORS TRANSMISSION - ALERT OPERATORS TRANSMISSION

AIRBUS CUSTOMER SERVICES

SUBJECT: ATA 53 - CENTER FUSELAGE - INSPECTION OF FRAME BASE FITTING BETWEEN FR41 AND FR46

OUR REF.: A53W001-12 dated 04 Jul 2012.

1. AIRCRAFT AFFECTED

All A300 and A300-600 aircraft which have been repaired as preventive or corrective 

action in accordance with respectively Ref.1 and Ref.2 (or any previous revisions) in 

frame base fitting area 1.

2. REFERENCED DOCUMENTATION

2.1 APPENDIX

Appendix 1: Areas 1 and 2 description

Appendix 2: Inspection flow chart

Appendix 3: Inspection reporting sheet

2.2 REFERENCES

Ref.1: SB 53-0337 Revision 01 - dated 17 March 2003

Ref.2: SB 53-6111 Revision 04 - dated 25 August 2011

3. REASON

3.1 FACTS

In 2005, the frame base fitting 46 LH of one A300-600 aircraft was repaired as per 

Inspection Service Bulletin (ISB) Ref.2 further to a crack finding in area 1 at 12 638 

flight cycles (FC) / 36 295 flight hours (FH).

ISB Ref.2 gives a post-repair inspection threshold of 45 400 FC / 98 000 FH, to be 

counted from repair embodiment date.

Therefore, this frame base fitting should not have been inspected before accumulation of 

58 038 FC / 134 295 FH.

During inspections of adjacent un-repaired frame base fittings as per ISB Ref.2 on the 

same A300-600 aircraft, a crack was detected in area 2 of FR46 LH at 19 521 FC / 57 761 

FH.

A300 aircraft, which are inspected as per Ref.1, may also be affected by this recent 

A300-600 finding on repaired frame base fitting.

3.2 AIM

The purpose of this AOT is:

- In a first step, to identify the aircraft which have already been repaired in frame 

base fitting area 1,

- Then, to perform a one-time Detailed Inspection (DET) of the frame base fittings 

between FR41 and FR46 in area 2 shown in appendix 1.

This inspection will allow early detection of cracks in order to avoid possible 

occurrence of crack propagation which can lead to costly and time-consuming repairs.

In case of crack findings, the operators must contact Airbus to receive the related 

repair instructions.

AOT flow chart is given in Appendix 2.

4. SHORT TERM ACTION

4.1 PLANNING AND MANPOWER

4.1.1 ACCOMPLISHMENT TIMESCALE

The one-time DET described in paragraph 4.2.2 must be performed within 1000 FH from the 

receipt date of this AOT.
It is anticipated that an Airworthiness Directive (AD) published by the European Aviation 

Safety Agency (EASA) will mandate this inspection.

4.1.2 MANPOWER

The total man-hours (MH) and elapsed time (ET) required to perform the one-time DET of 

the base fittings are the same as the ones specified in SB Ref.1 and SB Ref.2 paragraph 

1.G. "inspection task": 4 MH and 4 hours of ET.

These manpower estimates are based on the direct labor cost to do the work. These 

estimates assume that the work will be done by experienced personnel, and may need to be 

revised upwards to suit operator's circumstances. The estimates do not include the time 

to prepare, plan or inspect the work. Manufacture and procurement of parts and tools, 

drying times for paints, sealants, etc., and general administration work are also not 

included.

4.2 DESCRIPTION

4.2.1 JOB PREPARATION AND ACCESS

For A300 aircraft, refer to SB Ref.1 paragraph 3.A.(1).

For A300-600 aircraft, refer to SB Ref.2 paragraph 3.B.

4.2.2 INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS

(1) Check the maintenance records to identify the aircraft which have already been 

repaired, as per SB Ref.1 and SB Ref.2, in frame base fitting area 1.

(2) For such aircraft, perform a one-time DET in area 2 of the frame base fittings 

between FR41 and FR46. The inspection area is shown in Appendix 1.

4.2.3 FINDINGS

In case of findings during the DET, before next flight, please contact Airbus to get 

further instructions:

SEER1/SEER2/SEER3

Customer Services

Fax: +33 (0)5 61 93 28 73

Mailto:

region1.StructureRepairSupport@airbus.com

region2.StructureRepairSupport@airbus.com

region3.StructureRepairSupport@airbus.com

Or for AOG request

AIRTAC (Airbus Technical AOG Center)

Customer Services

Phone: +33 (0)5 61 93 34 00

Fax: +33 (0)5 61 93 35 00

Mailto: airtac@airbus.com

Crack findings will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

A rework of the damaged area will be proposed if possible as a temporary repair. This 

will avoid the replacement of the frame base fitting and subsequent aircraft operation 

interruption.

4.2.4 JOB CLOSE-UP

For A300 aircraft, refer to SB Ref.1 paragraph 3.E.

For A300-600 aircraft, refer to SB Ref.2 paragraph 3.E.

4.2.5 TOOLING

No specific tooling is required to perform the one-time DET described in paragraph 4.2.2.
5. FOLLOW-UP PLAN

Airbus contemplates to revise ISB's Ref.1 and Ref.2 to decrease the post-repair 

inspection threshold value in 2013.

Modification Service Bulletins which will cancel inspections as per ISB's Ref.1 and Ref.2 

are expected in 2013.

Further and updated information will be provided to operators through a dedicated 

Technical Follow-Up (TFU).

6. AOT APPROVAL

The technical content of this document is approved under the authority of DOA nr. 

EASA.21J.031.

7. REPORTING

Operators are requested to acknowledge receipt of this AOT within 48 hours after receipt 

to:

Cecile BORDES, SEES

E-mail: cecile.bordes@airbus.com

Fax number: +33+ (0) 5 61 93 36 14

Questions about this AOT and inspection results as per Appendix 3 report with or without 

findings are to be sent to Airbus Customer Services engineering as soon as possible, 

after the AOT application, to the attention of:

Mr Sebastien FAURE, SEES1

Phone: +33 (0)5 61 93 31 68

Fax number +33 (0)5 61 93 36 14

E-mail: sebastien.s.faure@airbus.com

Best Regards,

Jean-Luc MOUYSSET

Philippe BOUCHERAT

VICE PRESIDENT ENGINEERING SUPPORT

VICE PRESIDENT A300/A310/A300-600 PROGRAMME

CUSTOMER SERVICES

CUSTOMER SERVICES DIRECTORATE