EASA AD No.: 2012-0038

EASA Form 110 Page 1/3 

## EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

AD No.: 2012-0038

Date: 12 March 2012

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 EC 1702/2003, Part 21A.3 B. In accordance with EC 2042/2003 Annex I, Part M.A.301, the continuing airworthiness of an aircraft s hall be ensured by accomplishing any applicable ADs. Consequently, no person may opera te an aircraft to which an AD applies, except in accordance with t he requirements of that AD, unless otherwise specified by the Ag ency [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) exemptio n]. 

### Type Approval Holder’s Name :

SICMA AERO SEAT Type/Model designation(s) :
Passenger seat series 9140, 9166, 9173, 9174, 9184, 9188, 9196, 91B7, 91B8, 91C0, 91C2, 91C4, 91C5, 91C9, 9301, 9501
ETSO (JTSO) Authorisations: EASA 21O. 251; DGAC France QAC 54010/SFACT/TC, QAC 53854/SFACT/TC, QAC 944322/SFACT/N,
Foreign AD : Not applicable

Supersedure: This AD supersedes DGAC Fran ce AD 2001-605(AB), dated 12 December 2001.



### ATA 25 Equipment & Furnishings – Passenger Seat Backrest Link – Inspection / Replacement

Manufacturer(s): Sicma Aero Seat (part of Zodiac Aerospace)

Applicability: Passenger seat series 9 140, 9166, 9173, 9174, 9184, 9188, 9196, 91B7, 91B8, 91C0, 91C2, 91C4, 91C5, 91C9, 9301 and 9501, as identified in Annex 1 issue 3 of Sicma Aero Seat Service Bulletin (SB) 90-25-012 issue 6. The affected passenger seats are known to be installed on, but no limited to, Airbus A330, A340 and Boeing 777 aeroplanes.
Reason: On in-service passenger seats, so me cracks were found on seat backrest link with part number (P/N) 90-000200-104-1 and 90-000200-104-2. These cracks could significantly affect the structural int egrity of the seat backrests. Failures of the s eat backrests could result in injury to passengers or crew members during an emergency landing. To prevent this condition, a life limit was introduced on the affected backrest links and their mandatory replacement was required by DGAC France AD 2001-605(AB). Since that AD was issued, the seat manufacturer introduced new seat backrest links of similar design wi th P/N 90-000202-104-1 and P/N 90-000202-104-2 for passenger seat series 91B7, 91B8 and 91C5. Further analysis showed that also the new seat backrest links are potentially affected by similar cracks to those id entified on the backrest links with the previous design.EASA AD No.: 2012-0038

EASA Form 110 Page 2/3 For the reasons described above, this AD, which supersedes DGAC France AD 2001-605(AB), requires visual inspections of the seat backrest links, the accomplishment of the applicable co rrective actions as well as the replacement of the backrests links before reaching their life limit.

Effective Date: 26 March 2012

Required Action(s) and Compliance Time(s): Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously: (1) Inspect the seat backrest links P/N 90-000200-104-1, P/N 90-000200-104-2, P/N 90-000 202-104-1 and P/N 90-000202-104-2 in accordance with the accomplishment instructions of Sicma Aero Seat SB 90-25-012 issue 6 within:

(A) 6 000 seat operating hours or 2 y ears, whichever occurs later, from the seat manufacturing date or from the backrest link replacement,

or

(B) 900 seat operating hours after the effective date of this AD, but no later than 5 months after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later between (A) and (B).
Note: For the purpose of this AD, seat operating hours are considered to be equivalent to flight hours. (2) Depending on the results of the inspection required by paragraph (1) of this AD, do the actions required by Table 1 of this AD, within the applicable compliance time(s) indicated, in accordance with the accomplishment instructions of Si cma Aero Seat SB 90-25-012 issue 6:

INSPECTION RESULTS ACTION
The links are not cracked Repeat the inspection at intervals not to exceed 900 seat operating hours or 5 months since the last inspection, whichever occurs later
The link(s) has (have) crack(s) whose length does not exceed the

lock-out pin-hole (see applicable figures on Sicma Aero Seat SB 90-25-012 issue 6) Replace the cracked link(s) within 600 operating hours or 3 months, whichever occurs later, after crack identification

The link(s) has (have) crack(s)

whose length exceeds the lock-out pin-hole (see applicable figures on Sicma Aero Seat SB 90-25-012 issue 6) Replace the cracked link(s) before the next flight

Table 1 (3) In any case after accomplishment of the requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2) of this AD, replace all seat backrest links P/N 90-000200-104-1, P/N 90-000200-104-2, P/N 90-000 202-104-1 and P/N 90-000202-104-2 in accordance with the accomplishment instructions of Sicma Aero Seat SB 90-25-012 issue 6 within:

(C) 12 000 seat operating hours or 4 ye ars, whichever occurs later, from the seat manufacturing date or from the backrest link replacement,EASA AD No.: 2012-0038

EASA Form 110 Page 3/3 or (D) 3 500 seat operating hours after t he effective date of this AD, but no later than 18 months after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later between (C) and (D).

Ref. Publications: Sicma Aero Seat Service Bulletin 90-25-012 issue 6, dated 25 January 2012. The use of later approved revisions of this 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. 2. This AD was posted on 07 February 2012 as PAD 12-009 for consultation until 06 March 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 tec hnical content of the requirements in this AD, please contact: Sicma Aero Seat Z.I. la Limoise rue Robert Maréchal Sénior 36100 Issoudun – France Telephone: +33 (0)2 54 03 39 39 ; Fax: +33 (0)2 54 03 39 00 E-mail: guillaume.baron@z odiacaerospace.com and/or quentin.govindapoulle@zodiacaerospace.com



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