This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains notices to the public of the proposed

issuance of rules and regulations. The

purpose of these notices is to give interested

persons an opportunity to participate in the

rule making prior to the adoption of the final

rules.

Proposed Rules Federal Register

22 

Vol. 81, No. 1 

Monday, January 4, 2016 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2015–8136; Directorate 

Identifier 2014–NM–189–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus 

Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 

Airbus Model A330–223F and –243F 

airplanes. This proposed AD was 

prompted by a report of missing 

fasteners in certain locations of the 

fuselage during production. This 

proposed AD would require inspecting 

for missing, damaged, or incorrectly 

installed fasteners; and corrective 

actions if necessary. We are proposing 

this AD to prevent cracking of the 

fuselage due to missing, damaged, or 

incorrectly installed fasteners, which 

could result in reduced structural 

integrity of the fuselage. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by February 18, 2016. 

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 

http://www.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: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 

Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

For service information identified in 

this proposed AD, contact Airbus SAS, 

Airworthiness Office—EAL, 1 Rond 

Point Maurice Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac 

Cedex, France; telephone +33 5 61 93 36 

96; fax +33 5 61 93 45 80; email 

airworthiness.A330–A340@airbus.com; 

Internet http://www.airbus.com. You 

may view this referenced service 

information at the FAA, Transport 

Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue 

SW., Renton, WA. For information on 

the availability of this material at the 

FAA, call 425–227–1221. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the Internet at http://

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2015– 

8136; 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 this proposed AD, the 

regulatory evaluation, any comments 

received, and other information. The 

street address for the Docket Operations 

office (telephone 800–647–5527) is in 

the ADDRESSES section. Comments will 

be available in the AD docket shortly 

after receipt. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Vladimir Ulyanov, Aerospace Engineer, 

International Branch, ANM–116, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 

1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 

98057–3356; telephone 425–227–1138; 

fax 425–227–1149. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to send any written 

relevant data, views, or arguments about 

this proposed AD. Send your comments 

to an address listed under the 

ADDRESSES section. Include ‘‘Docket No. 

FAA–2015–8136; Directorate Identifier 

2014–NM–189–AD’’ at the beginning of 

your comments. We specifically invite 

comments on the overall regulatory, 

economic, environmental, and energy 

aspects of this proposed AD. We will 

consider all comments received by the 

closing date and may amend this 

proposed AD based on those comments. 

We will post all comments we 

receive, without change, to http://

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information you provide. We 

will also post a report summarizing each 

substantive verbal contact we receive 

about this proposed AD. 

Discussion 

The European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA), which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Union, has issued EASA Airworthiness 

Directive 2014–0197, dated September 

4, 2014 (referred to after this as the 

Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness 

Information, or ‘‘the MCAI’’), to correct 

an unsafe condition for certain Airbus 

Model A330–223F and –243F airplanes. 

The MCAI states: 

During inspection of various fuselage areas 

on some A330–200F aeroplanes on the 

production line, prior to delivery, some 

fasteners were found missing. 

This condition, if not detected and 

corrected, could lead to crack initiation and 

propagation, possibly resulting in reduced 

structural integrity of the fuselage. 

To address this condition, Airbus issued 

several Service Bulletins (SB), providing 

inspection and modification instructions, as 

applicable. 

For the reasons described above, this 

[EASA] AD requires detailed inspections of 

the affected areas and, depending on 

findings, accomplishment of the applicable 

corrective actions. 

Corrective actions include replacing 

any missing, damaged, or incorrectly 

installed fasteners, and repair of any 

discrepancy (deformation or cracking of 

the fastener rows) of the affected 

fuselage frame areas. You may examine 

the MCAI in the AD docket on the 

Internet at http://www.regulations.gov 

by searching for and locating Docket No. 

FAA–2015–8136. 

Related Service Information Under 

1 CFR Part 51 

Airbus has issued the following 

service information: 

• Airbus Service Bulletin A330–53– 

3202, dated May 6, 2014 (Inspections). 

• Airbus Service Bulletin A330–53– 

3212, dated May 6, 2014 (Inspections). 

• Airbus Service Bulletin A330–53– 

3213, dated May 6, 2014 (Inspections). 

• Airbus Service Bulletin A330–53– 

3214, dated May 6, 2014 (Inspections). 

• Airbus Service Bulletin A330–53– 

3216, dated May 6, 2014 (Modification). 

• Airbus Service Bulletin A330–53– 

3217, dated May 6, 2014 (Modification). 

• Airbus Service Bulletin A330–53– 

3218, dated May 6, 2014 (Modification). 

• Airbus Service Bulletin A330–53– 

3219, dated May 6, 2014 (Modification). 


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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 1 / Monday, January 4, 2016 / Proposed Rules 23 

The service information describes 

procedures for inspecting for missing, 

damaged, or incorrectly installed 

fasteners; and corrective actions if 

necessary. The service information also 

describes procedures for modification of 

certain sections of the fuselage. 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 the ADDRESSES section of 

this NPRM. 

FAA’s Determination and Requirements 

of This Proposed AD 

This product has been approved by 

the aviation authority of another 

country, and is approved for operation 

in the United States. Pursuant to our 

bilateral agreement with the State of 

Design Authority, we have been notified 

of the unsafe condition described in the 

MCAI and service information 

referenced above. We are proposing this 

AD because we evaluated all pertinent 

information and determined an unsafe 

condition exists and is likely to exist or 

develop on other products of these same 

type designs. 

Explanation of ‘‘RC’’ Procedures and 

Tests in Service Information 

The FAA worked in conjunction with 

industry, under the Airworthiness 

Directive Implementation Aviation 

Rulemaking Committee (ARC), to 

enhance the AD system. One 

enhancement was a new process for 

annotating which procedures and tests 

in the service information are required 

for compliance with an AD. 

Differentiating these procedures and 

tests from other tasks in the service 

information is expected to improve an 

owner’s/operator’s understanding of 

crucial AD requirements and help 

provide consistent judgment in AD 

compliance. The procedures and tests 

identified as RC (required for 

compliance) in any service information 

have a direct effect on detecting, 

preventing, resolving, or eliminating an 

identified unsafe condition. 

As specified in a NOTE under the 

Accomplishment Instructions of the 

specified service information, 

procedures and tests that are identified 

as RC in any service information must 

be done to comply with the proposed 

AD. However, procedures and tests that 

are not identified as RC are 

recommended. Those procedures and 

tests that are not identified as RC may 

be deviated from using accepted 

methods in accordance with the 

operator’s maintenance or inspection 

program without obtaining approval of 

an alternative method of compliance 

(AMOC), provided the procedures and 

tests identified as RC can be done and 

the airplane can be put back in an 

airworthy condition. Any substitutions 

or changes to procedures or tests 

identified as RC will require approval of 

an AMOC. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this proposed AD 

affects 3 airplanes of U.S. registry. 

We also estimate that it would take 

about 10 work-hours per product to 

comply with the basic inspection 

requirements of this proposed AD, and 

1 work-hour per product to report 

inspection findings. The average labor 

rate is $85 per work-hour. Based on 

these figures, we estimate the cost of 

this proposed AD on U.S. operators to 

be $2,805, or $935 per product. 

In addition, we estimate that any 

necessary modification would take 

about 40 work-hours and require parts 

costing $210, for a cost of $3,610 per 

product. We have no way of 

determining the number of aircraft that 

might need this action. 

We have received no definitive data 

that would enable us to provide a cost 

estimate for the on-condition repairs 

specified in this proposed AD. 

Paperwork Reduction Act 

A federal agency may not conduct or 

sponsor, and a person is not required to 

respond to, nor shall a person be subject 

to penalty for failure to comply with a 

collection of information subject to the 

requirements of the Paperwork 

Reduction Act unless that collection of 

information displays a current valid 

OMB control number. The control 

number for the collection of information 

required by this AD is 2120–0056. The 

paperwork cost associated with this AD 

has been detailed in the Costs of 

Compliance section of this document 

and includes time for reviewing 

instructions, as well as completing and 

reviewing the collection of information. 

Therefore, all reporting associated with 

this AD is mandatory. Comments 

concerning the accuracy of this burden 

and suggestions for reducing the burden 

should be directed to the FAA at 800 

Independence Ave. SW., Washington, 

DC 20591, ATTN: Information 

Collection Clearance Officer, AES–200. 

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 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. Is not a ‘‘significant rule’’ under the 

DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures 

(44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); 

3. Will not affect intrastate aviation in 

Alaska; and 

4. 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. 

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: 

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 (AD): 

Airbus: Docket No. FAA–2015–8136; 

Directorate Identifier 2014–NM–189–AD. 

(a) Comments Due Date 

We must receive comments by February 

18, 2016. 


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24 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 1 / Monday, January 4, 2016 / Proposed Rules 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to Airbus Model A330– 

223F and –243F airplanes, certificated in any 

category; manufacturer serial numbers 1004, 

1032, 1051, 1062, 1070, 1092, 1115, 1136, 

1148, 1164, 1175, 1180, 1320, 1332, 1344, 

1350, 1368, 1380, 1386, 1406, 1414, 1418, 

and 1428. 

(d) Subject 

Air Transport Association (ATA) of 

America Code 53, Fuselage. 

(e) Reason 

This AD was prompted by a report of 

missing fasteners in certain locations of the 

fuselage during production. We are issuing 

this AD to prevent cracking of the fuselage 

due to missing, damaged, or incorrectly 

installed fasteners, which could result in 

reduced structural integrity of the fuselage. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Detailed Inspection 

Within 72 months since first flight of the 

airplane: Do a detailed inspection of all 

applicable fuselage zones for missing, 

damaged, or incorrectly installed fasteners, in 

accordance with the Accomplishment 

Instructions of the applicable service 

information specified in paragraphs (g)(1) 

through (g)(4) of this AD. 

(1) Airbus Service Bulletin A330–53–3202, 

dated May 6, 2014. 

(2) Airbus Service Bulletin A330–53–3212, 

dated May 6, 2014. 

(3) Airbus Service Bulletin A330–53–3213, 

dated May 6, 2014. 

(4) Airbus Service Bulletin A330–53–3214, 

dated May 6, 2014. 

(h) Corrective Actions 

If any missing, damaged, or incorrectly 

installed fasteners are found during the 

detailed inspection required by paragraph (g) 

of this AD, before further flight, do a detailed 

inspection for discrepancies (deformation or 

cracking) of the adjacent fastener rows of the 

applicable fuselage zones, in accordance with 

the Accomplishment Instructions of the 

applicable service information specified in 

paragraphs (g)(1) through (g)(4) of this AD. 

(1) If no discrepancy is found, before 

further flight, modify the affected fuselage 

zone, in accordance with the applicable 

service information specified in paragraphs 

(h)(1)(i) through (h)(1)(iv) of this AD. 

(i) Airbus Service Bulletin A330–53–3216, 

dated May 6, 2014. 

(ii) Airbus Service Bulletin A330–53–3217, 

dated May 6, 2014. 

(iii) Airbus Service Bulletin A330–53– 

3218, dated May 6, 2014. 

(iv) Airbus Service Bulletin A330–53– 

3219, dated May 6, 2014. 

(2) If any discrepancy is found, before 

further flight, repair using a method 

approved by the Manager, International 

Branch, ANM–116, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, FAA; or the European Aviation 

Safety Agency (EASA); or Airbus’s EASA 

Design Organization Approval (DOA). 

(i) Reporting Requirement 

Submit a report (including both positive 

and negative findings), using the applicable 

report sheet attached to the applicable 

service information specified in paragraphs 

(g)(1) through (g)(4) of this AD; of the 

inspection required by paragraph (g) of this 

AD. Submit the report to Airbus, Customer 

Services Directorate, 1 Rond Point Maurice 

Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex France, Attn: 

SDC32 Technical Data and Documentation 

Services; fax: (+33) 5 61 93 28 06; email: 

sb.reporting@airbus.com; at the applicable 

time specified in paragraph (i)(1) or (i)(2) of 

this AD. 

(1) For airplanes on which the inspection 

specified in paragraph (g) of this AD is 

accomplished on or after the effective date of 

this AD: Submit the report within 30 days 

after performing the inspection. 

(2) For airplanes on which the inspection 

specified in paragraph (g) of this AD is 

accomplished before the effective date of this 

AD: Submit the report within 30 days after 

the effective date of this AD. 

(j) Other FAA AD Provisions 

The following provisions also apply to this 

AD: 

(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs): The Manager, International 

Branch, ANM–116, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, 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 local 

Flight Standards District Office, as 

appropriate. If sending information directly 

to the International Branch, send it to ATTN: 

Vladimir Ulyanov, Aerospace Engineer, 

International Branch, ANM–116, Transport 

Airplane Directorate, FAA, 1601 Lind 

Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057–3356; 

telephone 425–227–1138; fax 425–227–1149. 

Information may be emailed to: 9-ANM-116- 

AMOC-REQUESTS@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. The AMOC approval letter 

must specifically reference this AD. 

(2) Contacting the Manufacturer: For any 

requirement in this AD to obtain corrective 

actions from a manufacturer, the action must 

be accomplished using a method approved 

by the Manager, International Branch, ANM– 

116, Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA; or 

the EASA; or Airbus’s EASA DOA. If 

approved by the DOA, the approval must 

include the DOA-authorized signature. 

(3) Reporting Requirements: A federal 

agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a 

person is not required to respond to, nor 

shall a person be subject to a penalty for 

failure to comply with a collection of 

information subject to the requirements of 

the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that 

collection of information displays a current 

valid OMB Control Number. The OMB 

Control Number for this information 

collection is 2120–0056. Public reporting for 

this collection of information is estimated to 

be approximately 5 minutes per response, 

including the time for reviewing instructions, 

completing and reviewing the collection of 

information. All responses to this collection 

of information are mandatory. Comments 

concerning the accuracy of this burden and 

suggestions for reducing the burden should 

be directed to the FAA at: 800 Independence 

Ave. SW., Washington, DC 20591, Attn: 

Information Collection Clearance Officer, 

AES–200. 

(4) Required for Compliance (RC): If any 

service information contains procedures or 

tests that are identified as RC, those 

procedures and tests must be done to comply 

with this AD; any procedures or tests that are 

not identified as RC are recommended. Those 

procedures and tests that are not identified 

as RC may be deviated from using accepted 

methods in accordance with the operator’s 

maintenance or inspection program without 

obtaining approval of an AMOC, provided 

the procedures and tests identified as RC can 

be done and the airplane can be put back in 

an airworthy condition. Any substitutions or 

changes to procedures or tests identified as 

RC require approval of an AMOC. 

(k) Related Information 

(1) Refer to Mandatory Continuing 

Airworthiness Information (MCAI) EASA 

Airworthiness Directive 2014–0197, dated 

September 4, 2014, for related information. 

This MCAI may be found in the AD docket 

on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov 

by searching for and locating Docket No. 

FAA–2015–8136. 

(2) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Airbus SAS, Airworthiness 

Office—EAL, 1 Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 

31707 Blagnac Cedex, France; telephone +33 

5 61 93 36 96; fax +33 5 61 93 45 80; email 

airworthiness.A330-A340@airbus.com; 

Internet http://www.airbus.com. You may 

view this service information at the FAA, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind 

Avenue SW., Renton, WA. For information 

on the availability of this material at the 

FAA, call 425–227–1221. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on 

December 21, 2015. 

Michael Kaszycki, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2015–32906 Filed 12–31–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2015–8135; Directorate 

Identifier 2015–NM–106–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing 

Company Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 


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