Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 2 / Wednesday, January 3, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 235 

any motoreductor, part number 4255417, 

4394656, or 4339747, replace it with a 

serviceable part as defined in EASA AD 

2023–0014. 

(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2023–0014 

(1) Where EASA AD 2023–0014 refers to its 

effective date, this AD requires using the 

effective date of this AD. 

(2) This AD does not adopt the ‘‘Remarks’’ 

section of EASA AD 2023–0014. 

(i) No Reporting Requirement 

Although the service information 

referenced in EASA AD 2023–0014 specifies 

to submit certain information to the 

manufacturer, this AD does not include that 

requirement. 

(j) Additional AD Provisions 

The following provisions also apply to this 

AD: 

(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs): The Manager, International 

Validation 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 

responsible Flight Standards Office, as 

appropriate. If sending information directly 

to the International Validation Branch, send 

it to the attention of the person identified in 

paragraph (k) of this AD. Information may be 

emailed to: 9-AVS-AIR-730-AMOC@faa.gov. 

Before using any approved AMOC, notify 

your appropriate principal inspector, or 

lacking a principal inspector, the manager of 

the responsible Flight Standards Office. 

(2) Contacting the Manufacturer: For any 

requirement in this AD to obtain instructions 

from a manufacturer, the instructions must 

be accomplished using a method approved 

by the Manager, International Validation 

Branch, FAA; or EASA; or Airbus SAS’s 

EASA Design Organization Approval (DOA). 

If approved by the DOA, the approval must 

include the DOA-authorized signature. 

(3) Required for Compliance (RC): Except 

as required by paragraph (j)(2) of this AD, 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) Additional Information 

For more information about this AD, 

contact Tim Dowling, Aviation Safety 

Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 

410, Westbury, NY 11590; telephone 206– 

231–3667; email timothy.p.dowling@faa.gov. 

(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) European Union Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA) AD 2023–0014, dated January 18, 

2023 (EASA AD 2023–0014). 

(ii) [Reserved] 

(3) For EASA AD 2023–0014, contact 

EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 

Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221 8999 

000; email ADs@easa.europa.eu; website 

easa.europa.eu. You may find this EASA AD 

on the EASA website at ad.easa.europa.eu. 

(4) You may view this service information 

at the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, 

Operational Safety 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 material at the 

National Archives and Records 

Administration (NARA). For information on 

the availability of this material at NARA, 

visit www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ 

ibrlocations.html, or email fr.inspection@

nara.gov. 

Issued on December 14, 2023. 

Victor Wicklund, 

Deputy Director, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–28847 Filed 1–2–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2023–1887; Project 

Identifier MCAI–2023–00543–T; Amendment 

39–22642; AD 2023–25–15] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus SAS 

Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding 

Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2020–24– 

12, which applied to certain Airbus SAS 

Model A350–941 airplanes. AD 2020– 

24–12 required replacing certain center 

wing box (CWB) fasteners with fasteners 

having improved friction efficiency. 

This AD was prompted by reports that 

certain CWB fasteners had rotated 

inside the fastener holes due to 

insufficient friction for the application, 

and by the determination that additional 

work is necessary to ensure the correct 

application of the fuel vapor barrier 

structure paint on the outside of the 

CWB. This AD continues to require the 

actions in AD 2020–24–12; and requires 

the additional work; as specified in 

European Union Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA) AD, which is incorporated by 

reference. The FAA is issuing this AD 

to address the unsafe condition on these 

products. 

DATES: This AD is effective February 7, 

2024. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in this AD 

as of February 7, 2024. 

ADDRESSES: 

AD Docket: You may examine the AD 

docket at regulations.gov under Docket 

No. FAA–2023–1887; 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 mandatory 

continuing airworthiness information 

(MCAI), any comments received, and 

other information. The address for 

Docket Operations is U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 

Washington, DC 20590. 

Material Incorporated by Reference: 

• For material incorporated by 

reference in this AD, contact EASA, 

Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 

Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221 

8999 000; email ADs@easa.europa.eu; 

website easa.europa.eu. You may find 

this material on the EASA website at 

ad.easa.europa.eu. 

• You may view this material at the 

FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, 

Operational Safety 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 in the AD docket at 

regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA– 

2023–1887. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dat 

Le, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 

Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, 

NY 11590; telephone (516) 228–7317; 

email dat.v.le@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

The FAA issued a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 

part 39 to supersede AD 2020–24–12, 

Amendment 39–21342 (85 FR 76949, 

December 1, 2020) (AD 2020–24–12). 

AD 2020–24–12 applied to certain 

Airbus SAS Model A350–941 airplanes. 

AD 2020–24–12 required replacing 

certain CWB fasteners with fasteners 

having improved friction efficiency. The 

FAA issued AD 2020–24–12 to address 

CWB fastener rotation. This condition, if 

not corrected, could lead to cracking of 

the fastener head sealant cover, 

followed by fuel vapor leakage inside 


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236 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 2 / Wednesday, January 3, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 

the cabin, possibly resulting in injury to 

airplane occupants. 

The NPRM published in the Federal 

Register on September 26, 2023 (88 FR 

65831). The NPRM was prompted by 

AD 2023–0068, dated March 30, 2023, 

issued by EASA, which is the Technical 

Agent for the Member States of the 

European Union (EASA AD 2023–0068) 

(also referred to as the MCAI). The 

MCAI states that during flight and 

fatigue testing it was discovered that 

some fasteners can rotate inside their 

CWB fastener holes. Further 

investigation identified insufficient 

friction for the application. After EASA 

issued AD 2020–0123 (which 

corresponds to FAA AD 2020–24–12), it 

was determined that additional work is 

necessary to ensure the correct 

application of the fuel vapor barrier 

structure paint on the outside of the 

CWB. CWB fastener rotation, if not 

corrected, can lead to a crack of the 

fastener head sealant cover, followed by 

fuel vapor leakage inside the cabin, 

possibly resulting in injury to airplane 

occupants. 

In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to 

continue to require the actions in AD 

2020–24–12 and to require the 

additional work, as specified in EASA 

AD 2023–0068. The FAA is issuing this 

AD to address the unsafe condition on 

these products. 

You may examine the MCAI in the 

AD docket at regulations.gov under 

Docket No. FAA–2023–1887. 

Discussion of Final Airworthiness 

Directive 

Comments 

The FAA received no comments on 

the NPRM or on the determination of 

the cost to the public. 

Additional Changes Made to This AD 

In the NPRM, the FAA inadvertently 

omitted an exception allowing the use 

of the effective date of this AD in lieu 

of the effective date of the EASA AD. 

The FAA has added paragraph (h)(2) of 

this AD to include that exception. 

Conclusion 

This product has been approved by 

the aviation authority of another 

country and is approved for operation in 

the United States. Pursuant to the FAA’s 

bilateral agreement with this State of 

Design Authority, it has notified the 

FAA of the unsafe condition described 

in the MCAI referenced above. The FAA 

reviewed the relevant data and 

determined that air safety requires 

adopting this AD as proposed. 

Accordingly, the FAA is issuing this AD 

to address the unsafe condition on this 

product. Except for minor editorial 

changes, and any other changes 

described previously, this AD is 

adopted as proposed in the NPRM. 

None of the changes will increase the 

economic burden on any operator. 

Related Service Information Under 1 

CFR Part 51 

EASA AD 2023–0068 specifies 

procedures for replacing the affected 

CWB fasteners with fasteners having 

improved friction efficiency, and for 

doing additional work on previously 

modified airplanes to ensure the correct 

application of the fuel vapor barrier 

structure paint from outside the CWB. 

This material 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 

The FAA estimates that this AD 

affects 13 airplanes of U.S. registry. The 

FAA estimates the following costs to 

comply with this AD: 

ESTIMATED COSTS FOR REQUIRED ACTIONS

Action Labor cost Parts cost Cost per 

product 

Cost on 

U.S. 

operators 

Retained actions from AD 2020–24–12 ................. 307 work-hours × $85 per hour = $26,095 ............ $5,900 $31,995 $415,935 

New actions ............................................................ 174 work-hours × $85 per hour = $14,790 ............ 900 15,690 203,970 

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. 

The FAA is 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 

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) Will not affect intrastate aviation 

in Alaska, 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. 

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39 

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation 

safety, Incorporation by reference, 

Safety. 

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: 

■ a. Removing Airworthiness Directive 

(AD) 2020–24–12, Amendment 39– 

21342 (85 FR 76949, December 1, 2020); 

and 

■ b. Adding the following new AD: 

2023–25–15 Airbus SAS: Amendment 39– 

22642; Docket No. FAA–2023–1887; 

Project Identifier MCAI–2023–00543–T. 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with RULES1
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 2 / Wednesday, January 3, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 237 

(a) Effective Date 

This airworthiness directive (AD) is 

effective February 7, 2024. 

(b) Affected ADs 

This AD replaces AD 2020–24–12, 

Amendment 39–21342 (85 FR 76949, 

December 1, 2020) (AD 2020–24–12). 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to Airbus SAS Model 

A350–941 airplanes, certificated in any 

category, as identified in European Union 

Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2023– 

0068, dated March 30, 2023 (EASA AD 2023– 

0068). 

(d) Subject 

Air Transport Association (ATA) of 

America Code 57, Wings. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by reports that 

certain center wing box (CWB) fasteners had 

rotated inside the fastener holes due to 

insufficient friction for the application, and 

by the determination that additional work is 

necessary to ensure the correct application of 

the fuel vapor barrier structure paint on the 

outside of the CWB. The FAA is issuing this 

AD to address CWB fastener rotation. The 

unsafe condition, if not corrected, could lead 

to cracking of the fastener head sealant cover, 

followed by fuel vapor leakage inside the 

cabin, possibly resulting in injury to airplane 

occupants. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Requirements 

Except as specified in paragraph (h) of this 

AD: Comply with all required actions and 

compliance times specified in, and in 

accordance with, EASA AD 2023–0068. 

(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2023–0068 

(1) This AD does not adopt the ‘‘Remarks’’ 

section of EASA AD 2023–0068. 

(2) Where EASA AD 2023–0068 refers to its 

effective date, this AD requires using the 

effective date of this AD. 

(i) Additional AD Provisions 

The following provisions also apply to this 

AD: 

(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs): The Manager, International 

Validation 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 

responsible Flight Standards Office, as 

appropriate. If sending information directly 

to the International Validation Branch, send 

it to the attention of the person identified in 

paragraph (j) of this AD. Information may be 

emailed to: 9-AVS-AIR-730-AMOC@faa.gov. 

Before using any approved AMOC, notify 

your appropriate principal inspector, or 

lacking a principal inspector, the manager of 

the responsible Flight Standards Office. 

(2) Contacting the Manufacturer: For any 

requirement in this AD to obtain instructions 

from a manufacturer, the instructions must 

be accomplished using a method approved 

by the Manager, International Validation 

Branch, FAA; or EASA; or Airbus SAS’s 

EASA Design Organization Approval (DOA). 

If approved by the DOA, the approval must 

include the DOA-authorized signature. 

(3) Required for Compliance (RC): Except 

as required by paragraph (i)(2) of this AD, 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. 

(j) Additional Information 

For more information about this AD, 

contact Dat Le, Aviation Safety Engineer, 

FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, 

Westbury, NY 11590; telephone (516) 228– 

7317; email dat.v.le@faa.gov. 

(k) 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) European Union Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA) AD 2023–0068, dated March 30, 

2023. 

(ii) [Reserved] 

(3) For EASA AD 2023–0068, contact 

EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 

Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221 8999 

000; email ADs@easa.europa.eu; website 

easa.europa.eu. You may find this EASA AD 

on the EASA website at ad.easa.europa.eu. 

(4) You may view this service information 

at the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, 

Operational Safety 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 material at the 

National Archives and Records 

Administration (NARA). For information on 

the availability of this material at NARA, 

visit www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ 

ibr-locations or email fr.inspection@nara.gov. 

Issued on December 14, 2023. 

Victor Wicklund, 

Deputy Director, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–28848 Filed 1–2–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2023–2005; Project 

Identifier AD–2022–01523–A; Amendment 

39–22646; AD 2023–26–03] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; WACO 

Classic Aircraft Corporation Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 

WACO Classic Aircraft Corporation 

Model 2T–1A–2 airplanes. This AD was 

prompted by reports of multiple types of 

cracks at the leading edge former ribs 

and trailing edge former ribs in the 

upper wing center section. This AD 

requires installing maneuver restriction 

placards in the front and rear cockpits, 

inspecting the leading and trailing edge 

former ribs for cracking, replacing any 

cracked ribs, modifying the upper wing 

center section assembly, and removing 

the maneuver restriction placards after 

completing the modification. The FAA 

is issuing this AD to address the unsafe 

condition on these products. 

DATES: This AD is effective February 7, 

2024. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in this AD 

as of February 7, 2024. 

ADDRESSES: 

AD Docket: You may examine the AD 

docket at regulations.gov under Docket 

No. FAA–2023–2005; 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, any comments 

received, and other information. The 

address for Docket Operations is U.S. 

Department of Transportation, Docket 

Operations, M–30, West Building 

Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 

20590. 

Material Incorporated by Reference: 

• For service information identified 

in this final rule, contact WACO Classic 

Aircraft Corporation, 15955 South 

Airport Road, Battle Creek, MI 49015; 

phone: (269) 565–1000; email: hello@

wacoaircraft.com.; website: 

wacoaircraft.com. 

• You may view this service 

information at the FAA, Airworthiness 

Products Section, Operational Safety 

Branch, 901 Locust, Kansas City, MO 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with RULES1