Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 211 / Friday, October 31, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 58891

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 96–NM–252–AD; Amendment

39–10185; AD 97–22–13]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model

A320 and A321 Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: This amendment supersedes

an existing airworthiness directive (AD),

applicable to all Airbus Model A320

series airplanes, that currently requires

revising the Limitations Section of the

FAA-approved Airplane Flight Manual

(AFM) to instruct the flight crew to

maintain a flap setting of ‘‘Configuration

Full’’ (CONF FULL) during landing.

That AD was prompted by a report of

severe control difficulties which

occurred on approach with the flaps

locked in CONF FULL and the landing

gear down. This amendment adds a

requirement for installation of a new,

improved flight warning computer

(FWC), which, when accomplished,

constitutes terminating action for the

AFM limitation. This action also revises

the applicability of the existing AD to

include additional airplanes that are

subject to the addressed unsafe

condition. The actions specified by this

AD are intended to prevent reduced

controllability of the airplane during

approach when the flaps are locked in

CONF FULL.

DATES: Effective December 5, 1997.

The incorporation by reference of

certain publications listed in the

regulations is approved by the Director

of the Federal Register as of December

5, 1997.

The incorporation by reference of

Airbus A320/A321 Flight Manual

Temporary Revision 9.99.99/20, dated

June 14, 1997, was approved previously

by the Director of the Federal Register

as of October 7, 1994 (59 FR 48563,

September 22, 1994).

ADDRESSES: The service information

referenced in this AD may be obtained

from Airbus Industrie, 1 Rond Point

Maurice Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex,

France. This information may be

examined at the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Transport

Airplane Directorate, Rules Docket,

1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton,

Washington; or at the Office of the

Federal Register, 800 North Capitol

Street, NW., suite 700, Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Charles Huber, Aerospace Engineer,

Standardization Branch, ANM–113,

FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate,

1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton,

Washington 98055–4056; telephone

(425) 227–2589; fax (425) 227–1149.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A

proposal to amend part 39 of the Federal

Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39)

by superseding AD 94–20–02,

amendment 39–9030 (59 FR 48563,

September 22, 1994), which is

applicable to all Airbus Model A320

series airplanes was published in the

Federal Register on February 12, 1997

(62 FR 6502). That action proposed to

continue to require revising the airplane

flight manual (AFM) of Model A320

series airplanes to instruct the flight

crew to maintain CONF FULL during

landing approaches for Airbus Model

A320 series airplanes. That action also

proposed to require the same AFM

revision for Airbus Model A321 series

airplanes.

Additionally, that action proposed to

require installation of a new, improved

flight warning computer (FWC) on all

airplanes as terminating action for the

AFM limitations.

Since the Issuance of the NPRM

Airbus has issued Airbus Service

Bulletin A320–31–1080, Revision 02,

dated October 24, 1996. This revised

service bulletin is essentially identical

to Revision 1 of the service bulletin

(which was referenced in the NPRM as

the appropriate source of service

information), but contains certain

editorial changes. The Direction

Ge ́ne ́rale de l’Aviation Civile (DGAC),

which is the airworthiness authority for

France, classified Revision 2 of the

service bulletin as mandatory, in order

to assure the continued airworthiness of

these airplanes in France.

The FAA has revised the final rule to

include Airbus Service Bulletin A320–

31–1080, Revision 02, dated October 24,

1996, as a source of service information.

Consideration of Comments Received

Interested persons have been afforded

an opportunity to participate in the

making of this amendment. Due

consideration has been given to the two

comments received.

Both commenters support the

proposed rule.

Conclusion

After careful review of the available

data, including the comments noted

above, the FAA has determined that air

safety and the public interest require the

adoption of the rule as proposed.

Cost Impact

The FAA estimates that 109 Airbus

Model A320 series airplanes of U.S.

registry will be affected by this AD.

The actions that are currently

required by AD 94–20–02 (revision of

the AFM), and retained in this AD, take

approximately 1 work hour per airplane

to accomplish, at an average labor rate

of $60 per work hour. Based on these

figures, the cost impact of the AFM

revision required by this AD on U.S.

operators is estimated to be $6,540, or

$60 per airplane.

The new actions that are required by

this new AD (installation of new

improved FWC) will take approximately

3 work hours per airplane to

accomplish, at an average labor rate of

$60 per work hour. Required parts will

be provided to operators by the

manufacturer at no cost. Based on these

figures, the cost impact of the new

requirements of this AD on U.S.

operators is estimated to be $19,620, or

$180 per airplane.

The cost impact figures discussed

above are based on assumptions that no

operator has yet accomplished any of

the requirements of this AD action, and

that no operator would accomplish

those actions in the future if this AD

were not adopted.

None of the Model A321 series

airplanes affected by this action are on

the U.S. Register. All of those airplanes

that are included in the applicability of

this AD currently are operated by nonU.S. operators under foreign registry;

therefore, they are not directly affected

by this AD action. However, the FAA

considers that inclusion of those

airplanes in the applicability of this rule

is necessary to ensure that the unsafe

condition is addressed in the event that

any of these airplanes are imported and

placed on the U.S. Register in the future.

Regulatory Impact

The regulations adopted herein will

not have substantial direct effects 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. Therefore, in

accordance with Executive Order 12612,

it is determined that this final rule does

not have sufficient federalism

implications to warrant the preparation

of a Federalism Assessment.

For the reasons discussed above, I

certify that this action (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)
58892 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 211 / Friday, October 31, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

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. A final evaluation has

been prepared for this action and it is

contained in the Rules Docket. A copy

of it may be obtained from the Rules

Docket at the location provided under

the caption ADDRESSES.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation

safety, Incorporation by reference,

Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

Accordingly, pursuant to the

authority delegated to me by the

Administrator, the Federal Aviation

Administration amends part 39 of the

Federal Aviation Regulations (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. Section 39.13 is amended by

removing amendment 39–9030 (59 FR

48563, eptember 22, 1994), and by

adding a new airworthiness directive

(AD), amendment 39–10185 to read as

follows:

97–22–13 Airbus Industrie: Amendment

39–10185. Docket 96-NM–252-AD.

Supersedes AD 94–20–02, Amendment 39–

9030.

Applicability: Model A320 and A321 series

airplanes, on which Airbus Modification

24612 or Airbus Service Bulletin A320–31–

1080 has not been accomplished; certificated

in any category.

Note 1: This AD applies to each airplane

identified in the preceding applicability

provision, regardless of whether it has been

otherwise modified, altered, or repaired in

the area subject to the requirements of this

AD. For airplanes that have been modified,

altered, or repaired so that the performance

of the requirements of this AD is affected, the

owner/operator must request approval for an

alternative method of compliance in

accordance with paragraph (c) of this AD.

The request should include an assessment of

the effect of the modification, alteration, or

repair on the unsafe condition addressed by

this AD; and, if the unsafe condition has not

been eliminated, the request should include

specific proposed actions to address it.

Compliance: Required as indicated, unless

accomplished previously.

To prevent severely reduced controllability

of the airplane during approach, accomplish

the following:

(a) At the applicable time specified in

either paragraph (a)(1) or (a)(2) of this AD,

revise the Limitations Section of the FAAapproved Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) to

include the information specified in Airbus

A320/A321 Flight Manual Temporary

Revision 9.99.99/20, dated June 14, 1994.

Note 2: This may be accomplished by

inserting a copy of Airbus A320/A321 Flight

Manual Temporary Revision 9.99.99/20,

dated June 14, 1994, in the AFM. When this

temporary revision has been incorporated in

the general revisions of the AFM, the general

revisions may be inserted in the AFM,

provided the information contained in the

general revisions is identical to that specified

in Temporary Revision 9.99.99/20.

(1) For Model A320 series airplanes: Revise

the AFM within 10 days after October 7, 1994

(the effective date of AD 94–20–02,

amendment 39–9030).

(2) For Model A321 series airplanes: Revise

the AFM within 10 days after the effective

date of this AD.

(b) Within 6 months after the effective date

of this AD, install a new, improved flight

warning computer (FWC) in accordance with

Airbus Service Bulletin A320–31–1080,

Revision 01, dated July 12, 1996 or Revision

2, dated October 24, 1996. Prior to further

flight after accomplishing this installation,

remove the AFM revision required by

paragraphs (a) of this AD.

(c) An alternative method of compliance or

adjustment of the compliance time that

provides an acceptable level of safety may be

used if approved by the Manager,

Standardization Branch, ANM–113, FAA,

Transport Airplane Directorate. Operators

shall submit their requests through an

appropriate FAA Principal Operations

Inspector, who may add comments and then

send it to the Manager, Standardization

Branch, ANM–113.

Note 3: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Standardization Branch,

ANM–113.

(d) Special flight permits may be issued in

accordance with sections 21.197 and 21.199

of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR

21.197 and 21.199) to operate the airplane to

a location where the requirements of this AD

can be accomplished.

(e) The installation shall be done in

accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin

A320–31–1080, Revision 01, dated July 12,

1996, or Airbus Service Bulletin A320–31–

1080, Revision 02, dated October 24, 1996.

Airbus Service Bulletin A320–31–1080,

Revision 01, dated July 12, 1996, contains the

following list of effective pages:

Page number

Revision

level

shown on

page

Date shown on

page

1, 3, 4, 6–8 ... 1 .............. July 12, 1996.

2, 5, 9–13 ..... Original .... Jan. 4, 1995.

This incorporation by reference was

approved by the Director of the Federal

Register in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a)

and 1 CFR part 51.

The revision to the AFM shall be done in

accordance with Airbus A320/A321 Flight

Manual Temporary Revision 9.99.99/20,

dated June 14, 1994. The incorporation by

reference of this document was approved

previously by the Director of the Federal

Register as of October 7, 1994 (59 FR 48563,

September 22, 1994).

Copies may be obtained from Airbus

Industrie, 1 Rond Point Maurice Bellonte,

31707 Blagnac Cedex, France. Copies may be

inspected at the FAA, Transport Airplane

Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton,

Washington; or at the Office of the Federal

Register, 800 North Capitol Street, NW., suite

700, Washington, DC.

Note 4: The subject of this AD is addressed

in French airworthiness directive 96–079–

079(B), dated April 10, 1996.

(f) This amendment becomes effective on

December 5, 1997.

Issued in Renton, Washington, on October

23, 1997.

James V. Devany,

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 97–28615 Filed 10–30–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 97–ANE–52–AD; Amendment

39–10186; AD 97–22–14]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; General

Electric Company CF6–50 and –80C2

Series Turbofan Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for

comments.

SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a

new airworthiness directive (AD) that is

applicable to General Electric Company

(GE) CF6–50 and –80C2 series turbofan

engines. This action requires removal

from service of defective high pressure

compressor rotor (HPCR) stage 3–9

spools, and replacement with

serviceable parts. This amendment is

prompted by a report of an uncontained

failure of an HPCR stage 3–9 spool

installed on a GE model CF6–80C2

turbofan engine. The actions specified

in this AD are intended to prevent

failure of the HPCR stage 3–9 spool,

which can result in an uncontained

engine failure and damage to the

aircraft.

DATES: Effective November 17, 1997.

The incorporation by reference of

certain publications listed in the

regulations is approved by the Director

of the Federal Register as of November

17, 1997.