EASA AD No.: 2013

- 0 016

TE. CAP.0011 0

- 00 3 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 1 / 3 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA

- Internet/Intranet. 

## EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

AD No
. : 20 1 3 - 0 016

Date: 16 January 2013

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 EU 748/2012, Part 21.A.3B. In accordan ce 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 ope rate an aircraft to which an AD applies, except in accordance with the requirements of that AD, 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]

. 

### Design Approval Holder’s Name: AIRBUS Type/Model designation(s): A330 aeroplanes

TCDS Number: EASA A.004

F oreign AD: Not applicable Supersedure: This AD supersedes EASA AD 2006

- 0266 dated 30 August 2006

.



### ATA 53 Fuselage
– Frame 53.3 Circumferential Joint

– Reinforcement

Manufacturer(s): Airbus Applicability: Airbus A330

- 201, A330

- 202, A330

- 203, A330

- 223, A330

- 243, A330

- 301, A330

- 321, A330

- 322, A330

- 323, A330

- 341, A330

- 342 and A330

- 343 aeroplanes, all manufacturer serial numbers , except those on which Airbus modification 49202 has been embodied in production.
Reason: During the fatigue tests (EF2) of the Airbus A330 test fuselage, initiation and development of cracks were evidenced at the circumferential joint of frame 53.3. This condition , if not corrected, could lead to a reduction in the structural integrit y of the fuselage. EASA issued AD 2006

- 0266 , which t ook over the requirements of DGAC France AD F

- 2003

- 415 for A330

- 300 pre

- mod 41652S11819, and required reinforcement of the circumferential joint of frame 53.3 by application of Airbus Service Bulletin (SB) A330

- 53

- 3143 on A330

- 300 post modification 41652S11819 and pre

- mod 49202, and all A330

- 200 pre

- mod 49202 in order to improve the fatigue life

. Since that AD was issued, in the frame of a new fatigue and damage tolerance evaluation taking into account the aeroplane utili s ation , the threshold s for the reinforcement were reassessed and the conclu sion is that some thresholds must be reduced

. For the reason described above, this AD retains the requirements of EASA AD 200 6

- 0 266 , which is superseded, and requires reinforcement of structure of the centre fuselage at the upper circumferential joint of frame 53.3 within the newEASA AD No.: 2013

- 0 016

TE. CAP.0011 0

- 00 3 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 2 / 3 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA

- Internet/Intranet. thresholds

. Effective Date: 30 January 2013 Required A ction(s) and Compliance Time(s) : Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously: (1) For A330 - 301, A330 - 321, A330 - 322, A330 - 323, A330 - 341, A330 - 342 and A330 - 343 aeroplanes on which Airbus modification 41652S11819 has NOT been embodied in production: Within the compliance time defined in Table 1 of this AD , reinforce the structure of the centre fuselage at the upper circumferential joint of frame 53.3 (between Left Hand (LH) stringer 13 and Right Hand (RH) stringer 13) in accordance with the instructions of SB A330

- 53

- 3127 Revision 02.

Table 1

– Compliance Time Compliance time (whichever occurs later between A and B)

A Within the threshold defined in Airbus SB A330

- 53

- 31 27 Revision 0 2 , depending on aeroplane configuration and utili s ation and to be counted from the aeroplane first flight

B Within 24 months after the effective date of this AD but without exceeding 14 700 Flight Cycles (FC) or 51 400 Flight Hours (FH) ( the previous threshold defined in SB A330

- 53

- 3127 Revision 0 1) to be counted from the aeroplane first flight , whichever occurs first

Note: Modification of an aeroplane in accordance with Airbus SB A330

- 53

- 3127 at original issue is not acceptable to comply with the requirement of paragraph (1) of this AD. (2) For all A330 - 200 and A330 - 300 aeroplanes [as listed in the a pplicability of this directive] on which A irbus modification 41652S11819 ha s been embodied in production : Within the compliance time defined in Table 2 of this AD, reinforce the structure of the centre fuselage at the upper circumferent ial joint of frame 53.3 (between LH stringer 13 and RH stringer 13) in accordance with the instructions of SB A330

- 53

- 3143 Revision 0 5

.

Table 2

– Compliance Time Compliance time (whichever occurs later between C and D ) C Within the threshold defined in Airbus SB A330

- 53

- 3143 Revision 05 , depending on aeroplane configuration and utili s ation and to be counted from the aeroplane first flight D Within 24 months after the effective date of this AD but without exceeding 17 600 F C or 61 600 FH ( the previous threshold defined in SB A330

- 53

- 3143 Revision 0 3) to be counted from the aeroplane first flight , whichever occurs first (3) Reinforcement of the structure of the centre fuselage at the upper circumferential joint of frame 53.3 (between LH stringer 13 and RH stringer 13) accomplished on an a eroplane , before the effective date of this AD, in accordance with Airbus SB A330

- 53

- 3127 at Revision 0 1 or SB A330

- 53

- 3143 from original issue to Revision 0 4 , is acceptable to comply with the requirements of paragraph (1) or ( 2 ) of this AD , as applicable

. Ref. Public ations: Airbus SB A330

- 53

- 3127 Revision 01 dated 21 November 2003 , or Revision 0 2 dated 07 December 2011

. Airbus SB A330

- 53

- 3143 at original issue 24 December 2004 , or Revision 01 dated 29 June 2006 , or Revision 02 dated 31 August 2010 , or Revision 03EASA AD No.: 2013

- 0 016

TE. CAP.0011 0

- 00 3 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 3 / 3 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA

- Internet/Intranet. dated 03 March 2011 , or Revision 04 dated 06 December 2011 , or Revision 05 dated 29 May 2012

. The use of later approved revisions of these documents is acceptable for compliance with the requirements of this AD.
Remarks: 1. If requested and appropriately substantiated, EASA can approve Alternative Methods of Compliance for this AD

. 2. This AD was posted on 13 November 2012 as PAD 12

- 14 3 for consultation until 11 December 2012. No comments were received during the consultation period. 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 question concerning the technical conte nt of the requirements in this AD, please contact: AIRBUS

– Airworthiness Office

– EIAL; E

- mail: airworthiness.A330

- A340@airbus.com

.