Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 50 / Thursday, March 15, 2007 / Rules and Regulations 12071 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2007–26834; Directorate 

Identifier 2006–NM–235–AD; Amendment 

39–14984; AD 2007–06–03] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model 

A330 Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for the 

products listed above. This AD results 

from mandatory continuing 

airworthiness information (MCAI) 

issued by an airworthiness authority of 

another country to identify and correct 

an unsafe condition on an aviation 

product. The MCAI describes the unsafe 

condition as an incomplete discharge of 

the extinguishing agent in the fire zone, 

which could lead, in the worst case, in 

combination with an engine fire, to a 

temporary uncontrolled engine fire. We 

are issuing this AD to require actions to 

correct the unsafe condition on these 

products. 

DATES: This AD becomes effective April 

19, 2007. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in this AD 

as of April 19, 2007. 

ADDRESSES: You may examine the AD 

docket on the Internet at http:// 

dms.dot.gov or in person at the Docket 

Management Facility, U.S. Department 

of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, 

SW., Nassif Building, Room PL–401, 

Washington, DC. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Todd Thompson, Aerospace Engineer, 

International Branch, ANM–116, FAA, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 

Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 

98057–3356; telephone (425) 227–1175; 

fax (425) 227–1149. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

The FAA is implementing a new 

process for streamlining the issuance of 

ADs related to MCAI. This streamlined 

process will allow us to adopt MCAI 

safety requirements in a more efficient 

manner and will reduce safety risks to 

the public. This process continues to 

allow all FAA AD issuance processes to 

meet legal, economic, Administrative 

Procedure Act, and Federal Register 

requirements. We also continue to meet 

our technical decision-making 

responsibilities to identify and correct 

unsafe conditions on U.S.-certificated 

products. 

This AD references the MCAI and 

related service information that we 

considered in forming the engineering 

basis to correct the unsafe condition. 

The AD contains text copied from the 

MCAI and for this reason might not 

follow our plain language principles. 

We issued a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 

part 39 to include an AD that would 

apply to the specified products. That 

NPRM was published in the Federal 

Register on January 12, 2007 (72 FR 

1470). That NPRM proposed to require 

a one-time detailed visual inspection for 

the presence of the retaining-ring on the 

discharge head assembly of the engine 

fire extinguishing system, and repair if 

necessary. The MCAI states that one 

Model A330 operator discovered that 

the line connection to the discharge 

head could not be properly secured 

during engine fire bottle replacement, 

due to a missing retaining-ring. 

Inspections revealed that all four 

discharge-heads line connectors, two 

per engine, were missing the retainingring. It was confirmed later that it was 

a quality issue. 

The function of the retaining-ring is to 

secure a tight connection between the 

fire-extinguishing line and the discharge 

head. In absence of the retaining-ring, in 

case of activation of the fire 

extinguishing system, the pressure 

exerted by the agent on the pipe could 

compromise the tightness of the 

connection, leading to an incomplete 

discharge of the extinguishing agent in 

the fire zone. 

This situation if not corrected could 

lead, in the worst case, in combination 

with an engine fire, to a temporary 

uncontrolled engine fire which 

constitutes an unsafe condition. 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this AD. We 

considered the comment received. The 

commenter, Jonathan Frederick, 

supports the NPRM. 

Conclusion 

We reviewed the available data, 

including the comments received, and 

determined that air safety and the 

public interest require adopting the AD 

as proposed. 

Differences Between This AD and the 

MCAI or Service Information 

We have reviewed the MCAI and 

related service information and, in 

general, agree with their substance. But 

we might have found it necessary to use 

different words from those in the MCAI 

to ensure the AD is clear for U.S. 

operators and is enforceable in a U.S. 

court of law. In making these changes, 

we do not intend to differ substantively 

from the information provided in the 

MCAI and related service information. 

We might also have required different 

actions in this AD from those in the 

MCAI in order to follow our FAA 

policies. Any such differences are 

described in a separate paragraph of the 

AD. These requirements, if any, take 

precedence over the actions copied from 

the MCAI. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD will affect 

27 products of U.S. registry. We also 

estimate that it will take about 4 workhours per product to comply with this 

AD. The average labor rate is $80 per 

work-hour. Required parts will cost 

about $0 per product. Where the service 

information lists required parts costs 

that are covered under warranty, we 

have assumed that there will be no 

charge for these parts. As we do not 

control warranty coverage for affected 

parties, some parties may incur costs 

higher than estimated here. Based on 

these figures, we estimate the cost of 

this AD to the U.S. operators to be 

$8,640, or $320 per product. 

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. 

We are 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 

We determined that this AD will not 

have federalism implications under 

Executive Order 13132. This AD will 

not have a substantial direct effect on 

the States, on the relationship between 

the national government and the States, 


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12072 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 50 / Thursday, March 15, 2007 / Rules and Regulations 

or on the distribution of power and 

responsibilities among the various 

levels of government. 

For the reasons discussed above, I 

certify that this AD: 

(1) Is not a ‘‘significant regulatory 

action’’ under Executive Order 12866; 

(2) Is not a ‘‘significant rule’’ under 

DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures 

(44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); and 

(3) Will not have a significant 

economic impact, positive or negative, 

on a substantial number of small entities 

under the criteria of the Regulatory 

Flexibility Act. 

We prepared a regulatory evaluation 

of the estimated costs to comply with 

this AD and placed it in the AD Docket. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov; or in 

person at the Docket Management 

Facility between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

holidays. The AD docket contains the 

NPRM, the regulatory evaluation, any 

comments received, and other 

information. The street address for the 

Docket Office (telephone (800) 647–

5227) is in the ADDRESSES section. 

Comments will be available in the AD 

docket shortly after receipt. 

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39 

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation 

safety, Incorporation by reference, 

Safety. 

Adoption of the Amendment 

■ Accordingly, under the authority 

delegated to me by the Administrator, 

the FAA amends 14 CFR part 39 as 

follows: 

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 AD: 

2007–06–03 Airbus: Amendment 39–14984. 

Docket No. FAA–2007–26834; 

Directorate Identifier 2006–NM–235–AD. 

Effective Date 

(a) This airworthiness directive (AD) 

becomes effective April 19, 2007. 

Affected ADs 

(b) None. 

Applicability 

(c) This AD applies to Airbus Model A330 

airplanes, all certified models, certificated in 

any category, all serial numbers up to 755 

included. 

Reason 

(d) The mandatory continuing 

airworthiness information (MCAI) states that 

one Model A330 operator discovered that the 

line connection to the discharge head could 

not be properly secured during engine fire 

bottle replacement, due to a missing 

retaining-ring. Inspections revealed that all 

four discharge-heads line connectors, two per 

engine, were missing the retaining-ring. It 

was confirmed later that it was a quality 

issue. The function of the retaining-ring is to 

secure a tight connection between the fireextinguishing line and the discharge head. In 

absence of the retaining-ring, in case of 

activation of the fire extinguishing system, 

the pressure exerted by the agent on the pipe 

could compromise the tightness of the 

connection, leading to an incomplete 

discharge of the extinguishing agent in the 

fire zone. This situation if not corrected 

could lead, in the worst case, in combination 

with an engine fire, to a temporary 

uncontrolled engine fire which constitutes an 

unsafe condition. The MCAI requires a onetime detailed visual inspection for the 

presence of the retaining-ring on the 

discharge head assembly of engine fire 

extinguishing system, and repair if necessary. 

Actions and Compliance 

(e) Unless already done, do the following 

actions. Within 900 flight hours from the 

effective date of this AD: On both engine 

pylons (left hand and right hand), for all four 

engine fire extinguisher bottles, two per 

engine pylon, perform a one-time detailed 

visual inspection for the presence of the 

retaining ring on the discharge head of the 

bottles and apply all applicable corrective 

actions, in accordance with instructions 

defined in Airbus Service Bulletin A330–

26A3037, dated July 26, 2006. Do all 

applicable corrective actions before further 

flight. Aircraft on which the four engine fire 

extinguishing bottles, 2 per engine pylon, 

have been removed and re-installed at the 

opportunity of hydrostatic test of engine fire 

extinguishing as per Airbus A330 

Maintenance Review Board Report (MRBR) 

task 26.21.00/04, are not concerned by this 

AD. 

Other FAA AD Provisions 

(f) The following provisions also apply to 

this AD: 

(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs): The Manager, International 

Branch, ANM–116, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, FAA, Attn: Todd Thompson, 

Aerospace Engineer, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., 

Renton, Washington 98057–3356, has the 

authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if 

requested using the procedures found in 14 

CFR 39.19. Before using any AMOC approved 

in accordance with § 39.19 on any airplane 

to which the AMOC applies, notify the 

appropriate principal inspector in the FAA 

Flight Standards Certificate Holding District 

Office. 

(2) Airworthy Product: For any requirement 

in this AD to obtain corrective actions from 

a manufacturer or other source, use these 

actions if they are FAA-approved. Corrective 

actions are considered FAA-approved if they 

are approved by the State of Design Authority 

(or their delegated agent). You are required 

to assure the product is airworthy before it 

is returned to service. 

(3) Reporting Requirements: For any 

reporting requirement in this AD, under the 

provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, 

the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 

has approved the information collection 

requirements and has assigned OMB Control 

Number 2120–0056. 

Material Incorporated by Reference 

(g) You must use Airbus Service Bulletin 

A330–26A3037, excluding Appendix 01, 

dated July 26, 2006, to do the actions 

required by this AD, unless the AD specifies 

otherwise. 

(1) The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference of 

this service information under 5 U.S.C. 

552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. 

(2) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Airbus, 1 Rond Point 

Maurice Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex, 

France. 

(3) You may review copies at the FAA, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind 

Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington; or at the 

National Archives and Records 

Administration (NARA). For information on 

the availability of this material at NARA, call 

202–741–6030, or go to: http:// 

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

Issued in Renton, Washington, on March 5, 

2007. 

Ali Bahrami, 

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. E7–4380 Filed 3–14–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2006–26516; Directorate 

Identifier 2006–NM–173–AD; Amendment 

39–14983; AD 2007–06–02] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model 

A318, A319, A320, and A321 Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding an 

existing airworthiness directive (AD), 

which applies to all Airbus Model 

A318–100 and A319–100 series 

airplanes, Model A320–111 airplanes, 

and Model A320–200, A321–100, and 

A321–200 series airplanes. That AD 

currently requires repetitive inspections 

of the upper and lower attachments of 

the trimmable horizontal stabilizer 

actuator (THSA) to measure for proper 


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