E ASA AD No.: 20 13
- 0302

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 13 - 0302

Date: 19 December 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): A318 , A319 , A320 and A321 aeroplanes
TCDS Number: EASA.A.064
F oreign AD: Not applicable Supersedure: None



### ATA 55 Stabilizers
– Composite Rudder Side Shell Sandwich Repair
– Inspection
Manufacturer(s): Airbus (Formerly Airbus Industrie) Applicability: Airbus A318
- 111, A318
- 112, A318
- 121, A318
- 122, A319
- 111, A319
- 112, A319
- 113, A319
- 114, A319
- 115, A319
- 131, A319
- 132, A319
- 133, A320
- 211, A320
- 212, A320
- 214, A320
- 215, A320
- 216, A320
- 231, A320
- 232, A320
- 233, A321
- 111, A321
- 112, A321
- 131, A321
- 211, A321
- 212, A321
- 213, A321
- 231 and A321
- 232 aeroplane s , all manufacturer serial numbers. Reason: A case of skin disb o nding was reported on a composite side shell panel of a rudder installed on an A310 aeroplane. Investigation result s revealed tha t this disbo nding ha d started from a skin panel area , previously repaired in
- service, in accordance with Structural Repair Manual (SRM) instructions

. The initial damag e w as identified as a disbo nding between the c ore an d the skin of the repaired area. This damage was not visually detectable and likely propagate d during normal operation due to the variation of pressure during ground
- air
ground cycles

. Composite rudder side shell panel s are also installed on A320 family aeroplanes, which may have been repaired in
- servic e using a similar method. This condition, i f not detected and corrected, could affect the structural integrity of the rudder , possibly resulting in reduced control of the aeroplane

. To address this potential unsafe condition, Airbus issued Service Bulletin (SB) A320
- 55
- 1041 to provide instructions to inspect and correct any affected composite rudder side shell panels.E ASA AD No.: 20 13
- 0302

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. For the reasons describe d above, this AD requires a one
- time thermography inspection of each rudder that have received a co mposite rudder side shell panel repair , and, dependin g on the findings, accomplishment of applicable corrective and follow
- up actions. Effective Date: 02 January 2014 Required A ction(s) and Compliance Time(s) : Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously: (1) Within 24 months after the e ffective date of this AD, check the maintenance record s of each rudder to determine if any composite side shell panel repair ha s been accomplished since first installation on an aeroplane , e.g. in accordance with an Ai rbus Repair Approval Sheet , SRM instructions, or any other approved repair solution

. ( 2 ) If, based on available maintenance record analysis, a repair is identified as affected in accordance with figure A
- GBBAA (Sheet 01 and 02) or figure A
GBCAA (Sheet 02) of Airbus Service Bulletin ( SB ) A320
- 55
- 1041, w ithin 24 month s after the effective date o f this AD, accomplish a rudder thermography inspection , limited to the repair ed area (s) , in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A320
- 55
- 1041. (3) For each rudder where maintenance records are not available or incomplete, within 24 months after the effective date of this AD, accomplish a thermography inspection on complete side shells to identify and mark the repair loc ation (s) in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A320
- 55
- 1041. Not later than 3 months before accomplishment of the thermography inspection as required by this paragraph, report th e undocumented rudder by s erial n umber (s/n) to Airbus to obtain related rudder manufacturing rework data. ( 4 ) After the inspection as required by paragraph ( 2 ) or ( 3 ) of this AD, as applicable, d epending o n findings , within the compliance times and intervals defined in tables 3, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D and 5 of Airbus SB A320
- 55
- 1041 , accomplish supplemental inspections and/or applicable corrective actions and terminating actions in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A320
- 55
- 1041 , or in accordance with Airbus approved specific instructions , a s applicable

. (5) Aeroplanes fitted with a rudder having a s / n which is not in the range TS
- 1001 to TS
- 1639 inclusive, TS
- 2001 to TS
- 5890 inclusive, or TS
- 5927, are not affected by the requirements of paragraphs (2), (3) and (4) of this AD, provided that it is determined t hat no repairs , in accordance with SRM procedures as identified in paragraph (2) of this AD , have been accomplished on the composite side shell panel of that rudder since first installation on an aeroplane. ( 6 ) From the effective date of this AD, in case of rudder replacement, it is allowed to install a rudder on an aeroplane, provided that , prior to installation, it is determined that the rudder is compliant with the requirements of paragraphs (2), (3), (4) and (5) of this AD. ( 7 ) From the effective date of this AD , do not accomplish a composite side shell panel repair on any rudder using an SRM procedure as identified in figure A
- GBBAA (Sheet 01 and 02) or figure A
- GBCAA (Sheet 02) of Airbus SB A320
- 55
- 1041

. Ref. Public ations: Airbus SB A320
- 55
- 1041 o rigina l i ssue , date 26 November 2012

. The u se of later approved revisions of th i s document 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.E ASA AD No.: 20 13 -0302

TE.CAP.00110- 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. 2. This AD was posted on 02 September 2013 as PAD 13
- 133 for consultation until 30 September 2013 . The Comment Response Document can be found at http://ad.easa.europa.eu

. 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 content of the requirements in this AD, please contact: AIRBUS
- Airworthiness Office
- EIAS , Fax +33 5 61 93 44 51 , E
- mail: account.airworth
- eas@airbus.com

.