Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 189 / Monday, October 2, 2023 / Proposed Rules 67685 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2023–1895; Project 

Identifier MCAI–2023–00652–T] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus SAS 

Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a 

new airworthiness directive (AD) for all 

Airbus SAS A300 B4–600, B4–600R, 

and F4–600R series airplanes, and 

Model A300 C4–605R Variant F 

airplanes (collectively called Model 

A300–600 series airplanes). This 

proposed AD was prompted by a 

determination that new or more 

restrictive airworthiness limitations are 

necessary. This proposed AD would 

require revising the existing 

maintenance or inspection program, as 

applicable, to incorporate new or more 

restrictive airworthiness limitations, as 

specified in a European Union Aviation 

Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is 

proposed for incorporation by reference 

(IBR). The FAA is proposing this AD to 

address the unsafe condition on these 

products. 

DATES: The FAA must receive comments 

on this proposed AD by November 16, 

2023. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, 

using the procedures found in 14 CFR 

11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following 

methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

regulations.gov. Follow the instructions 

for submitting comments. 

• Fax: 202–493–2251. 

• Mail: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 

Washington, DC 20590. 

• Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail 

address above between 9 a.m. and 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

AD Docket: You may examine the AD 

docket at regulations.gov under Docket 

No. FAA–2023–1895; or in person at 

Docket Operations between 9 a.m. and 

5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. The AD docket 

contains this NPRM, the mandatory 

continuing airworthiness information 

(MCAI), any comments received, and 

other information. The street address for 

Docket Operations is listed above. 

Material Incorporated by Reference: 

• For material that is proposed for 

IBR in this NPRM, contact EASA, 

Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 

Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221 

8999 000; email ADs@easa.europa.eu; 

website easa.europa.eu. You may find 

this material on the EASA website at 

ad.easa.europa.eu. It is also available at 

regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA– 

2023–1895. 

• You may view this service 

information at the FAA, Airworthiness 

Products Section, Operational Safety 

Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des 

Moines, WA. For information on the 

availability of this material at the FAA, 

call 206–231–3195. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan 

Rodina, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 

1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, 

Westbury, NY 11590; telephone 206– 

231–3225; email dan.rodina@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

The FAA invites you to send any 

written relevant data, views, or 

arguments about this proposal. Send 

your comments to an address listed 

under ADDRESSES. Include ‘‘Docket No. 

FAA–2023–1895; Project Identifier 

MCAI–2023–00652–T’’ at the beginning 

of your comments. The most helpful 

comments reference a specific portion of 

the proposal, explain the reason for any 

recommended change, and include 

supporting data. The FAA will consider 

all comments received by the closing 

date and may amend this proposal 

because of those comments. 

Except for Confidential Business 

Information (CBI) as described in the 

following paragraph, and other 

information as described in 14 CFR 

11.35, the FAA will post all comments 

received, without change, to 

regulations.gov, including any personal 

information you provide. The agency 

will also post a report summarizing each 

substantive verbal contact received 

about this NPRM. 

Confidential Business Information 

CBI is commercial or financial 

information that is both customarily and 

actually treated as private by its owner. 

Under the Freedom of Information Act 

(FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt 

from public disclosure. If your 

comments responsive to this NPRM 

contain commercial or financial 

information that is customarily treated 

as private, that you actually treat as 

private, and that is relevant or 

responsive to this NPRM, it is important 

that you clearly designate the submitted 

comments as CBI. Please mark each 

page of your submission containing CBI 

as ‘‘PROPIN.’’ The FAA will treat such 

marked submissions as confidential 

under the FOIA, and they will not be 

placed in the public docket of this 

NPRM. Submissions containing CBI 

should be sent to Dan Rodina, Aviation 

Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart 

Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 

11590; telephone 206–231–3225; email 

dan.rodina@faa.gov. Any commentary 

that the FAA receives which is not 

specifically designated as CBI will be 

placed in the public docket for this 

rulemaking. 

Background 

EASA, which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Union, has issued EASA AD 2023–0091, 

dated May 5, 2023 (EASA AD 2023– 

0091) (also referred to as the MCAI), to 

correct an unsafe condition for all 

Airbus SAS Model A300–600 series 

airplanes. The MCAI states that new or 

more restrictive airworthiness 

limitations have been developed. The 

FAA is proposing this AD to prevent 

reduced structural integrity of the 

airplane. 

EASA AD 2023–0091 specifies that it 

requires certain tasks (limitations) 

already in Airbus A300–600 ALS Part 2 

DT–ALI, Revision 03, that is required by 

EASA AD 2019–0090, dated April 26, 

2019 (which corresponds to FAA AD 

2019–21–01, Amendment 39–19767 (84 

FR 56935, October 24, 2019) (AD 2019– 

21–01)), and that incorporation of EASA 

AD 2023–0091 invalidates (terminates) 

prior instructions for those tasks. This 

proposed AD would therefore terminate 

the limitations required by paragraph (g) 

of AD 2019–21–01, for the tasks 

identified in the service information 

referred to in EASA AD 2023–0091 

only. 

The FAA is proposing this AD to 

address fatigue cracking, damage, or 

corrosion in principal structural 

elements, which could result in reduced 

structural integrity of the airplane. You 

may examine the MCAI in the AD 

docket at regulations.gov under Docket 

No. FAA–2023–1895. 

Related Service Information Under 1 

CFR Part 51 

The FAA reviewed EASA AD 2023– 

0091, which specifies new or more 

restrictive airworthiness limitations for 

airplane structures and safe life limits. 

This service information is reasonably 

available because the interested parties 

have access to it through their normal 

course of business or by the means 

identified in ADDRESSES. 


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67686 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 189 / Monday, October 2, 2023 / Proposed Rules 

FAA’s Determination 

This product has been approved by 

the aviation authority of another 

country and is approved for operation in 

the United States. Pursuant to the FAA’s 

bilateral agreement with this State of 

Design Authority, it has notified the 

FAA of the unsafe condition described 

in the MCAI referenced above. The FAA 

is issuing this NPRM after determining 

that the unsafe condition described 

previously is likely to exist or develop 

in other products of the same type 

design. 

Proposed AD Requirements in This 

NPRM 

This proposed AD would require 

revising the existing maintenance or 

inspection program, as applicable, to 

incorporate new or more restrictive 

airworthiness limitations, which are 

specified in EASA AD 2023–0091 

described previously, as incorporated by 

reference. Any differences with EASA 

AD 2023–0091 are identified as 

exceptions in the regulatory text of this 

proposed AD. 

This proposed AD would require 

revisions to certain operator 

maintenance documents to include new 

actions (e.g., inspections). Compliance 

with these actions is required by 14 CFR 

91.403(c). For airplanes that have been 

previously modified, altered, or repaired 

in the areas addressed by this proposed 

AD, the operator may not be able to 

accomplish the actions described in the 

revisions. In this situation, to comply 

with 14 CFR 91.403(c), the operator 

must request approval for an alternative 

method of compliance (AMOC) 

according to paragraph (k)(1) of this 

proposed AD. 

Explanation of Required Compliance 

Information 

In the FAA’s ongoing efforts to 

improve the efficiency of the AD 

process, the FAA developed a process to 

use some civil aviation authority (CAA) 

ADs as the primary source of 

information for compliance with 

requirements for corresponding FAA 

ADs. The FAA has been coordinating 

this process with manufacturers and 

CAAs. As a result, the FAA proposes to 

incorporate EASA AD 2023–0091 by 

reference in the FAA final rule. This 

proposed AD would, therefore, require 

compliance with EASA AD 2023–0091 

through that incorporation, except for 

any differences identified as exceptions 

in the regulatory text of this proposed 

AD. Using common terms that are the 

same as the heading of a particular 

section in EASA AD 2023–0091 does 

not mean that operators need comply 

only with that section. For example, 

where the AD requirement refers to ‘‘all 

required actions and compliance times,’’ 

compliance with this AD requirement is 

not limited to the section titled 

‘‘Required Action(s) and Compliance 

Time(s)’’ in EASA AD 2023–0091. 

Service information required EASA AD 

2023–0091 for compliance will be 

available at regulations.gov by searching 

for and locating Docket No. FAA–2023– 

1895 after the FAA final rule is 

published. 

Airworthiness Limitation ADs Using 

the New Process 

The FAA’s process of incorporating 

by reference MCAI ADs as the primary 

source of information for compliance 

with corresponding FAA ADs has been 

limited to certain MCAI ADs (primarily 

those with service bulletins as the 

primary source of information for 

accomplishing the actions required by 

the FAA AD). However, the FAA is now 

expanding the process to include MCAI 

ADs that require a change to 

airworthiness limitation documents, 

such as airworthiness limitation 

sections. 

For these ADs that incorporate by 

reference an MCAI AD that changes 

airworthiness limitations, the FAA 

requirements are unchanged. Operators 

must revise the existing maintenance or 

inspection program, as applicable, to 

incorporate the information specified in 

the new airworthiness limitation 

document. The airworthiness 

limitations must be followed according 

to 14 CFR 91.403(c) and 91.409(e). 

The previous format of the 

airworthiness limitation ADs included a 

paragraph that specified that no 

alternative actions (e.g., inspections) or 

intervals may be used unless the actions 

and intervals are approved as an AMOC 

in accordance with the procedures 

specified in the AMOCs paragraph 

under ‘‘Additional AD Provisions.’’ This 

new format includes a ‘‘New Provisions 

for Alternative Actions and Intervals’’ 

paragraph that does not specifically 

refer to AMOCs, but operators may still 

request an AMOC to use an alternative 

action or interval. 

Costs of Compliance 

The FAA estimates that this AD, if 

adopted as proposed, would affect 128 

airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA 

estimates the following costs to comply 

with this proposed AD: 

The FAA has determined that revising 

the existing maintenance or inspection 

program takes an average of 90 workhours per operator, although the agency 

recognizes that this number may vary 

from operator to operator. Since 

operators incorporate maintenance or 

inspection program changes for their 

affected fleet(s), the FAA has 

determined that a per-operator estimate 

is more accurate than a per-airplane 

estimate. Therefore, the agency 

estimates the average total cost per 

operator to be $7,650 (90 work-hours × 

$85 per work-hour). 

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. 

The FAA is 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 

The FAA has determined that this 

proposed AD would not have federalism 

implications under Executive Order 

13132. This proposed AD would 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 this proposed regulation: 

(1) Is not a ‘‘significant regulatory 

action’’ under Executive Order 12866, 

(2) Would not affect intrastate 

aviation in Alaska, and 

(3) Would not have a significant 

economic impact, positive or negative, 

on a substantial number of small entities 

under the criteria of the Regulatory 

Flexibility Act. 

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39 

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation 

safety, Incorporation by reference, 

Safety. 

The Proposed Amendment 

Accordingly, under the authority 

delegated to me by the Administrator, 

the FAA proposes to amend 14 CFR part 

39 as follows: 


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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 189 / Monday, October 2, 2023 / Proposed Rules 67687 

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 FAA amends § 39.13 by adding 

the following new airworthiness 

directive: 

Airbus SAS: Docket No. FAA–2023–1895; 

Project Identifier MCAI–2023–00652–T. 

(a) Comments Due Date 

The FAA must receive comments on this 

airworthiness directive (AD) by November 

16, 2023. 

(b) Affected ADs 

This AD affects AD 2019–21–01, 

Amendment 39–19767 (84 FR 56935, October 

24, 2019) (AD 2019–21–01). 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to all Airbus SAS 

airplanes identified in paragraphs (c)(1) 

through (4) of this AD, certificated in any 

category. 

(1) Model A300 B4–601, B4–603, B4–620, 

and B4–622 airplanes. 

(2) Model A300 B4–605R and B4–622R 

airplanes. 

(3) Model A300 F4–605R and F4–622R 

airplanes. 

(4) Model A300 C4–605R Variant F 

airplanes. 

(d) Subject 

Air Transport Association (ATA) of 

America Code 05, Time Limits/Maintenance 

Checks. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by a determination 

that new or more restrictive airworthiness 

limitations are necessary. The FAA is issuing 

this AD to address fatigue cracking, damage, 

or corrosion in principal structural elements, 

which could result in reduced structural 

integrity of the airplane. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Requirements 

Except as specified in paragraph (h) of this 

AD: Comply with all required actions and 

compliance times specified in, and in 

accordance with, European Union Aviation 

Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2023–0091, dated 

May 5, 2023 (EASA AD 2023–0091). 

(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2023–0091 

(1) This AD does not adopt the 

requirements specified in paragraphs (1) and 

(2) of EASA AD 2023–0091. 

(2) Paragraph (3) of EASA AD 2023–0091 

specifies revising ‘‘the approved AMP’’ 

within 12 months after its effective date, but 

this AD requires revising the existing 

maintenance or inspection program, as 

applicable, within 90 days after the effective 

date of this AD. 

(3) The initial compliance time for doing 

the tasks specified in paragraph (3) of EASA 

2023–0091 is at the applicable ‘‘associated 

thresholds’’ as incorporated by the 

requirements of paragraph (3) of EASA AD 

2023–0091, or within 90 days after the 

effective date of this AD, whichever occurs 

later. 

(4) This AD does not adopt the provisions 

specified in paragraph (4) of EASA AD 2023– 

0091. 

(5) This AD does not adopt the ‘‘Remarks’’ 

section of EASA AD 2023–0091. 

(i) Provisions for Alternative Actions and 

Intervals 

After the existing maintenance or 

inspection program has been revised as 

required by paragraph (g) of this AD, no 

alternative actions (e.g., inspections) or 

intervals are allowed unless they are 

approved as specified in the provisions of the 

‘‘Ref. Publications’’ section of EASA AD 

2023–0091. 

(j) Terminating Action for AD 2019–21–01 

Accomplishing the actions required by this 

AD terminates the corresponding 

requirements of AD 2019–21–01 for the tasks 

identified in the service information 

referenced in EASA AD 2023–0091 only. 

(k) Additional AD Provisions 

The following provisions also apply to this 

AD: 

(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs): The Manager, International 

Validation Branch, FAA, has the authority to 

approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested 

using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. 

In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, send your 

request to your principal inspector or 

responsible Flight Standards Office, as 

appropriate. If sending information directly 

to the International Validation Branch, send 

it to the attention of the person identified in 

paragraph (l) of this AD. Information may be 

emailed to: 9-AVS-AIR-730-AMOC@faa.gov. 

Before using any approved AMOC, notify 

your appropriate principal inspector, or 

lacking a principal inspector, the manager of 

the local flight standards district office/ 

certificate holding district office. 

(2) Contacting the Manufacturer: For any 

requirement in this AD to obtain instructions 

from a manufacturer, the instructions must 

be accomplished using a method approved 

by the Manager, International Validation 

Branch, FAA; or EASA; or Airbus SAS’s 

EASA Design Organization Approval (DOA). 

If approved by the DOA, the approval must 

include the DOA-authorized signature. 

(l) Additional Information 

For more information about this AD, 

contact Dan Rodina, Aviation Safety 

Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 

410, Westbury, NY 11590; telephone 206– 

231–3225; email dan.rodina@faa.gov. 

(m) Material Incorporated by Reference 

(1) The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

(IBR) of the service information listed in this 

paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR 

part 51. 

(2) You must use this service information 

as applicable to do the actions required by 

this AD, unless this AD specifies otherwise. 

(i) European Union Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA) AD 2023–0091, dated May 5, 2023. 

(ii) [Reserved] 

(3) For EASA AD 2023–0091, contact 

EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 

Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221 8999 

000; email ADs@easa.europa.eu; website 

easa.europa.eu. You may find this EASA AD 

on the EASA website at ad.easa.europa.eu. 

(4) You may view this service information 

at the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, 

Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South 216th 

St., Des Moines, WA. For information on the 

availability of this material at the FAA, call 

206–231–3195. 

(5) You may view this service information 

that is incorporated by reference at the 

National Archives and Records 

Administration (NARA). For information on 

the availability of this material at NARA, 

email fr.inspection@nara.gov, or go to: 

www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibrlocations.html. 

Issued on September 26, 2023. 

Victor Wicklund, 

Deputy Director, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–21634 Filed 9–29–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

22 CFR Part 22 

[Public Notice: 11995] 

RIN 1400–AF61 

Schedule of Fees for Consular 

Services—Administrative Processing 

of Request for Certificate of Loss of 

Nationality (CLN) Fee 

AGENCY: Department of State. 

ACTION: Proposed rule. 

SUMMARY: The Department of State 

(‘‘Department’’) is proposing to amend 

the Schedule of Fees for Consular 

Services (‘‘Schedule’’) to reduce the 

current fee for Administrative 

Processing of a Request for a Certificate 

of Loss of Nationality of the United 

States (CLN) from $2,350 to $450. 

DATES: The Department of State will 

accept comments until November 1, 

2023. 

ADDRESSES: Interested parties may 

submit comments to the Department by 

any of the following methods: 

* Visit the Regulations.gov website at: 

https://www.regulations.gov and search 

for the Regulatory Information Number 

(RIN) 1400–AF61 or docket number 

DOS–2023–0026. 

* Email: fees@state.gov. You must 

include the RIN (1400–AF61) in the 

subject line of your message. 


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