Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 169 / Thursday, August 30, 2018 / Rules and Regulations 44209 

emergency floats to inflate during an 

emergency water landing. 

(c) Effective Date 

This AD becomes effective October 4, 2018. 

(d) Compliance 

You are responsible for performing each 

action required by this AD within the 

specified compliance time unless it has 

already been accomplished prior to that time. 

(e) Required Actions 

(1) Within 300 hours time-in-service: 

(i) Remove the EFS tube assembly from 

service. 

(ii) Lubricate the shoulder of the sleeves, 

threads, and seat of each mating fitting with 

anti-seize compound. 

(iii) Install an EFS tube assembly not listed 

in paragraph (a) of this AD. 

(2) After the effective date of this AD, do 

not install an EFS tube assembly listed in 

paragraph (a) of this AD on any helicopter. 

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, DSCO Branch, FAA, may 

approve AMOCs for this AD. Send your 

proposal to: Rory Rieger, Aviation Safety 

Engineer, DSCO Branch, AIR–7J0, FAA, 

10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 

76177; telephone (817) 222–5193; email 

rory.rieger@faa.gov. 

(2) For operations conducted under a 14 

CFR part 119 operating certificate or under 

14 CFR part 91, subpart K, we suggest that 

you notify your principal inspector, or 

lacking a principal inspector, the manager of 

the local flight standards district office or 

certificate holding district office before 

operating any aircraft complying with this 

AD through an AMOC. 

(g) Additional Information 

Bell Helicopter Alert Service Bulletins 

212–11–143 and 412–11–147, both Revision 

C and dated December 22, 2016, which are 

not incorporated by reference, contain 

additional information about the subject of 

this AD. For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Bell Helicopter Textron, 

Inc., P.O. Box 482, Fort Worth, TX 76101; 

telephone (817) 280–3391; fax (817) 280– 

6466; or at http://www.bellcustomer.com/ 

files/. You may review a copy of information 

at the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, 

Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., 

Room 6N–321, Fort Worth, TX 76177. 

(h) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 3212 Emergency Flotation Section. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on August 3, 

2018. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Director, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2018–18735 Filed 8–29–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2018–0300; Product 

Identifier 2017–NM–134–AD; Amendment 

39–19375; AD 2018–17–21] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus SAS 

Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 

Airbus SAS Model A318, A319, and 

A320 series airplanes; and Model A321– 

111, –112, –131, –211, –212, –213, –231, 

–232, –251N, –253N, and –271N 

airplanes. This AD was prompted by a 

revision of an airworthiness limitations 

document that specifies more restrictive 

maintenance requirements and 

airworthiness limitations. This AD 

requires revising the maintenance or 

inspection program, as applicable, to 

incorporate revised fuel airworthiness 

limitations. We are issuing this AD to 

address the unsafe condition on these 

products. 

DATES: This AD is effective October 4, 

2018. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in this AD 

as of October 4, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: For service information 

identified in this final rule, contact 

Airbus SAS, Airworthiness Office— 

EIAS, Rond-Point Emile Dewoitine No: 

2, 31700 Blagnac Cedex, France; 

telephone +33 5 61 93 36 96; fax +33 5 

61 93 44 51; email account.airwortheas@airbus.com; internet http://

www.airbus.com. You may view this 

service information at the FAA, 

Transport Standards Branch, 2200 

South 216th St., Des Moines, WA. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call 206–231–3195. 

It is also available on the internet at 

http://www.regulations.gov by searching 

for and locating Docket No. FAA–2018– 

0300. 

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–2018– 

0300; 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 final rule, 

the regulatory evaluation, any 

comments received, and other 

information. The address for Docket 

Operations (phone: 800–647–5527) is 

Docket Operations, U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 

Washington, DC 20590. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Sanjay Ralhan, Aerospace Engineer, 

International Section, Transport 

Standards Branch, FAA, 2200 South 

216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; 

telephone and fax 206–231–3223. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

We issued a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 

part 39 by adding an AD that would 

apply to certain Airbus SAS Model 

A318, A319, and A320 series airplanes; 

and Model A321–111, –112, –131, –211, 

–212, –213, –231, –232, –251N, –253N, 

and –271N airplanes. The NPRM 

published in the Federal Register on 

April 27, 2018 (83 FR 18485). The 

NPRM was prompted by a revision of an 

airworthiness limitations document that 

specifies more restrictive maintenance 

requirements and airworthiness 

limitations. The NPRM proposed to 

require revising the maintenance or 

inspection program, as applicable, to 

incorporate revised fuel airworthiness 

limitations. 

We are issuing this AD to address the 

potential of ignition sources inside fuel 

tanks, which, in combination with 

flammable fuel vapors, could result in a 

fuel tank explosion and consequent loss 

of the airplane. 

The European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA), which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Union, has issued EASA AD 2017–0169, 

dated September 7, 2017 (referred to 

after this as the Mandatory Continuing 

Airworthiness Information, or ‘‘the 

MCAI’’), to correct an unsafe condition 

for all Airbus SAS Model A318, A319, 

and A320 series airplanes; and Model 

A321–111, –112, –131, –211, –212, 

–213, –231, –232, –251N, –253N, and 

–271N airplanes. The MCAI states: 

The Fuel Airworthiness Limitations (FAL) 

for Airbus A320 family aeroplanes, which are 

approved by EASA, are currently defined and 

published in the Airbus A318/A319/A320/ 

A321 Airworthiness Limitations Section 

(ALS) Part 5 document. These instructions 

have been identified as mandatory for 

continued airworthiness. Failure to 

accomplish these instructions could result in 

a fuel tank explosion and consequent loss of 

the aeroplane. 


amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with RULES
44210 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 169 / Thursday, August 30, 2018 / Rules and Regulations 

* * * the Federal Aviation Administration 

(FAA) published Special Federal Aviation 

Regulation (SFAR) 88, and the Joint Aviation 

Authorities (JAA) published interim Policy 

INT/POL/25/12. In response to these 

regulations, Airbus conducted a design 

review to develop FAL for Airbus A320 

family aeroplanes. 

The FAL were specified in Airbus A318/ 

A319/A320/A321 FAL document ref. 

95A.1931/05 at issue 04 for A318/A319/ 

A320/A321 aeroplanes. This document was 

approved by EASA and is now referenced in 

Airbus A318/A319/A320/A321 ALS Part 5 to 

comply with EASA policy statement (EASA 

D2005/CPRO). 

Previously, EASA issued AD 2014–0260 

[which corresponds to FAA AD 2016–20–12, 

Amendment 39–18678 (81 FR 72507, October 

20, 2016) (‘‘AD 2016–20–12’’)] to require 

accomplishment of all FAL-related actions as 

described in ALS Part 5 at Revision 01. ALS 

Part 5 Revision 02 and 03 were not mandated 

because no significant changes were 

introduced with these Revisions. The new 

ALS Part 5 Revision 04 (hereafter referred to 

as ‘the ALS’ in this [EASA] AD) includes new 

and/or more restrictive requirements and 

extends the applicability to model A320– 

251N, A320–271N, A321–251N, A321–253N 

and A321–271N aeroplanes. 

For the reasons described above, this 

[EASA] AD retains the requirements of EASA 

AD 2014–0260, which is superseded, and 

requires implementation of the actions 

specified in the ALS. 

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–2018– 

0300. 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this final rule. 

We received no comments on the NPRM 

or on the determination of the cost to 

the public. 

Conclusion 

We reviewed the relevant data and 

determined that air safety and the 

public interest require adopting this 

final rule as proposed with the changes 

described previously and minor 

editorial changes. We have determined 

that these minor changes: 

• Are consistent with the intent that 

was proposed in the NPRM for 

addressing the unsafe condition; and 

• Do not add any additional burden 

upon the public than was already 

proposed in the NPRM. 

We also determined that these 

changes will not increase the economic 

burden on any operator or increase the 

scope of this final rule. 

Related Service Information Under 1 

CFR Part 51 

Airbus SAS has issued Airbus A318/ 

A319/A320/A321 Airworthiness 

Limitations Section (ALS) Part 5 Fuel 

Airworthiness Limitations (FAL), 

Revision 04, dated April 6, 2017. This 

service information describes fuel 

system airworthiness limitations. 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. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD affects 1,250 

airplanes of U.S. registry. 

We estimate the following costs to 

comply with this AD: 

We have determined that revising the 

maintenance or inspection program 

takes an average of 90 work-hours per 

operator, although we recognize that 

this number may vary from operator to 

operator. In the past, we have estimated 

that this action takes 1 work-hour per 

airplane. Since operators incorporate 

maintenance or inspection program 

changes for their affected fleet(s), we 

have determined that a per-operator 

estimate is more accurate than a perairplane estimate. Therefore, we 

estimate the total cost per operator to be 

$7,650 (90 work-hours × $85 per workhour). 

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. 

This AD is issued in accordance with 

authority delegated by the Executive 

Director, Aircraft Certification Service, 

as authorized by FAA Order 8000.51C. 

In accordance with that order, issuance 

of ADs is normally a function of the 

Compliance and Airworthiness 

Division, but during this transition 

period, the Executive Director has 

delegated the authority to issue ADs 

applicable to transport category 

airplanes and associated appliances to 

the Director of the System Oversight 

Division. 

Regulatory Findings 

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, 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 

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. 

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 airworthiness 

directive (AD): 

2018–17–21 Airbus SAS: Amendment 39– 

19375; Docket No. FAA–2018–0300; 

Product Identifier 2017–NM–134–AD. 

(a) Effective Date 

This AD is effective October 4, 2018. 

(b) Affected ADs 

This AD affects AD 2016–20–12, 

Amendment 39–18678 (81 FR 72507, October 

20, 2016) (‘‘AD 2016–20–12’’). 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to the Airbus SAS 

airplanes identified in paragraphs (c)(1) 

through (c)(4) of this AD, certificated in any 

category, with an original certificate of 

airworthiness or original export certificate of 

airworthiness issued on or before April 6, 

2017. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 169 / Thursday, August 30, 2018 / Rules and Regulations 44211 

(1) Model A318–111, –112, –121, and –122 

airplanes. 

(2) Model A319–111, –112, –113, –114, 

–115, –131, –132, and –133 airplanes. 

(3) Model A320–211, –212, –214, –216, 

–231, –232, –233, –251N, and –271N 

airplanes. 

(4) Model A321–111, –112, –131, –211, 

–212, –213, –231, –232, –251N, –253N, and 

–271N airplanes. 

(d) Subject 

Air Transport Association (ATA) of 

America Code 05, Time Limits/Maintenance 

Checks. 

(e) Reason 

This AD was prompted by a revision of an 

airworthiness limitations document that 

specifies more restrictive maintenance 

requirements and airworthiness limitations. 

We are issuing this AD to address the 

potential of ignition sources inside fuel 

tanks, which, in combination with flammable 

fuel vapors, could result in a fuel tank 

explosion and consequent loss of the 

airplane. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Revision of Maintenance or Inspection 

Program 

Within 90 days after the effective date of 

this AD, revise the maintenance or inspection 

program, as applicable, to incorporate Airbus 

A318/A319/A320/A321 Airworthiness 

Limitations Section (ALS) Part 5 Fuel 

Airworthiness Limitations (FAL), Revision 

04, dated April 6, 2017. The initial 

compliance times for new or revised tasks are 

the minimum intervals or times specified in 

Airbus A318/A319/A320/A321 

Airworthiness Limitations Section (ALS) Part 

5 Fuel Airworthiness Limitations (FAL), 

Revision 04, dated April 6, 2017, or within 

30 days after the effective date of this AD, 

whichever occurs later. 

(h) No Alternative Actions, Intervals, or 

Critical Design Configuration Control 

Limitations (CDCCLs) 

After the maintenance or inspection 

program has been revised as required by 

paragraph (g) of this AD, no alternative 

actions (e.g., inspections), intervals, or 

CDCCLs may be used unless the actions, 

intervals, and CDCCLs are approved as an 

alternative method of compliance (AMOC) in 

accordance with the procedures specified in 

paragraph (j)(1) of this AD. 

(i) Terminating Action for AD 2016–20–12 

Accomplishing the actions required by this 

AD terminates all requirements of AD 2016– 

20–12. 

(j) Other FAA AD Provisions 

The following provisions also apply to this 

AD: 

(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs): The Manager, International 

Section, Transport Standards 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 local Flight Standards District 

Office, as appropriate. If sending information 

directly to the International Section, send it 

to the attention of the person identified in 

paragraph (k)(2) of this AD. Information may 

be emailed to: 9-ANM-116-AMOCREQUESTS@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 corrective 

actions from a manufacturer, the action must 

be accomplished using a method approved 

by the Manager, International Section, 

Transport Standards Branch, FAA; or the 

European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA); or 

Airbus SAS’s EASA Design Organization 

Approval (DOA). If approved by the DOA, 

the approval must include the DOAauthorized signature. 

(k) Related Information 

(1) Refer to Mandatory Continuing 

Airworthiness Information (MCAI) EASA AD 

2017–0169, dated September 7, 2017, 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–2018–0300. 

(2) For more information about this AD, 

contact Sanjay Ralhan, Aerospace Engineer, 

International Section, Transport Standards 

Branch, FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des 

Moines, WA 98198; telephone and fax 206– 

231–3223. 

(l) 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) Airbus A318/A319/A320/A321 

Airworthiness Limitations Section (ALS) Part 

5 Fuel Airworthiness Limitations (FAL), 

Revision 04, dated April 6, 2017. 

(ii) Reserved. 

(3) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Airbus SAS, Airworthiness 

Office—EIAS, Rond-Point Emile Dewoitine 

No: 2, 31700 Blagnac Cedex, France; 

telephone +33 5 61 93 36 96; fax +33 5 61 

93 44 51; email account.airworth-eas@

airbus.com; internet http://www.airbus.com. 

(4) You may view this service information 

at the FAA, Transport Standards 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, call 

202–741–6030, or go to: http://

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

Issued in Des Moines, Washington, on 

August 17, 2018. 

Michael Kaszycki, 

Acting Director, System Oversight Division, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2018–18661 Filed 8–29–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2018–0766; Product 

Identifier 2018–NM–111–AD; Amendment 

39–19383; AD 2018–18–04] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus SAS 

Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 

Airbus SAS Model A350–941 and –1041 

airplanes. This AD was prompted by a 

report of protective caps that were not 

removed from fire extinguishing lines in 

certain areas of the engines. This AD 

requires an inspection for the presence 

of protective caps on fire extinguishing 

lines, and corrective action. We are 

issuing this AD to address the unsafe 

condition on these products. 

DATES: This AD becomes effective 

September 14, 2018. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in this AD 

as of September 14, 2018. 

We must receive comments on this 

AD by October 15, 2018. 

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 final rule, contact Airbus SAS, 


amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with RULES