EASA AD No : 2011-0212 

EASA Form 110 Page 1/3 

 

EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE 

AD No.: 2011-0212 

Date: 31 October 2011 

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 EC 1702/2003, Part 21A.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 Airworthiness Directive applies, except in accordance with the requirements of that 

Airworthiness Directive 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]. 

Type Approval Holder’s Name : 

AIRBUS

Type/Model designation(s) : 

A330 aeroplanes 

TCDS Number : EASA.A.004 

Foreign AD : Not applicable 

Supersedure : None 

ATA 32 Landing Gear – Main Landing Gear (MLG) Bogie Beam – Life 

Limit 

Manufacturer(s): Airbus (formerly Airbus Industrie) 

Applicability: Airbus A330-201, A330-202, A330-203, A330-223, A330-243, A330-301, 

A330-302, A330-303, A330-321, A330-322, A330-323, A330-341, A330-

342 and A330-343 aeroplanes, all manufacturer serial numbers. 

Reason: During ground load test cycles on an A340-600 aeroplane, the MLG bogie 

beam has prematurely fractured. 

The results of the investigation identified that this premature fracture was 

due to high tensile standing stress, resulting from dry fit axle assembly 

method. Improvement has been introduced subsequently with a grease fit 

axle assembly method. 

Fatigue and damage tolerance analyses were performed, whose results 

demonstrated that the current life limit of certain MLG bogie beams with 

dry fit axles installed on A330 aeroplanes only must be reduced compared 

to the life limit stated in the A330 Airworthiness Limitations Section (ALS) 

Part 1- Safe Life Airworthiness Limitation Items revision 05 approved by 

EASA on 29 July 2010. 

Failure to comply with the reduced life limit of the MLG bogie beam with 

dry fit axle might jeopardize the MLG structural integrity. 

For the reasons described above, this AD requires the replacement of the 

affected MLG bogie beams before reaching the new reduced life limit. 
EASA AD No : 2011-0212 

EASA Form 110 Page 2/3 

 

Effective Date: 14 November 2011 

Required action(s) 

and Compliance 

Time(s): 

Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously: 

For the purpose of this AD, an affected MLG Bogie Beam is defined as a 

MLG Bogie Beam having a Part Number (P/N) listed in table 1 of this AD, 

and whose serial number is not identified as ‘S2A’, ‘S2B’ and ‘S2C’ in 

Messier-Dowty Service Letter A33-34 A20 revision 05. 

Table 1 – Affected MLG bogie beam P/N 

Affected MLG bogie beam P/N 

201485300 or 201485301, or 201272302, or 201272304, or 

201272306, or 201272307 

(1) Within the compliance time specified in paragraph (1.1) or (1.2) of this 

AD, whichever occurs later, replace the affected MLG bogie beam by 

a serviceable part. 

(1.1) Before the accumulation of the flight hours (FH) or landings 

(LDG), whichever occurs first, as defined in Table 2 of this AD, 

as applicable to aeroplane type, model and Weight Variant 

(WV), or 

(1.2) within 6 months after the effective date of this AD. 

Table 2 - MLG bogie beam life limit 

Affected 

aeroplanes 

Life Limit to be counted from the MLG 

bogie beam first installation on an 

aeroplane 

A330-201/-202/-

203/-223/-243 

WV02x, WV05x 

(except WV058), and 

WV06x series 

50 000 LDG or 72 300 FH 

A330-201/-202/-

203/-223/-243 

WV058 

50 000 LDG or 57 900 FH 

A330-301/ -302/ -

303/-321/-322/-323/-

341/-342/-343 

WV00x, WV01x, 

WV02x, WV05x 

series

46 000 LDG or 75000 FH 

(2) After the effective date of this AD, a MLG bogie beam having a P/N 

identified in Table 1 of this AD can be installed on an aeroplane, 

provided its life has not exceeded the life limit defined in Table 2 of 

this AD and it is replaced with a serviceable part before reaching the 

life limit defined in Table 2 of this AD. 

Note 1: Table 2 of this AD provides the applicable life limits only when the 

P/N installation is valid for the given aeroplane model and weight 

variant. 

Note 2: The reduced MLG bogie beam life limits are expected to be 

incorporated in the subsequent revision of the A330 ALS 

Part 1. 
EASA AD No : 2011-0212 

EASA Form 110 Page 3/3 

 

Ref. Publications : Airbus A330 ALS Part 1 revision 05, approved on 29 July 2010; 

Messier-Dowty Service Letter A33-34 A20 revision 05 dated 31 July 2009. 

Remarks: 1. If requested and appropriately substantiated, EASA can approve 

Alternative Methods of Compliance for this AD. 

2. The required actions and the risk allowance have granted the 

issuance of a Final AD with Request for Comments, postponing the 

public consultation process 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 questions concerning the technical content of the 

requirements in this AD, please contact: AIRBUS – Airworthiness 

Office – EAL; E-mail: airworthiness.A330-A340@airbus.com.