Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 7 / Tuesday, January 11, 2022 / Rules and Regulations 1333 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2021–0621; Project 

Identifier MCAI–2020–01517–T; Amendment 

39–21849; AD 2021–25–06] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus 

Defense and Space S.A. (Formerly 

Known as Construcciones 

Aeronauticas, S.A.) Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding 

Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2018–25– 

16, which applied to certain Airbus 

Defense and Space S.A. Model CN–235, 

CN–235–200, and CN–235–300 

airplanes. AD 2018–25–16 required 

revising the existing maintenance or 

inspection program, as applicable, to 

incorporate new or more restrictive 

airworthiness limitations. Since the 

FAA issued AD 2018–25–16, the FAA 

has determined that additional new or 

more restrictive airworthiness 

limitations, including inspections for 

discrepancies (cracking) of certain 

structural elements, are necessary. This 

AD requires revising the existing 

maintenance or inspection program, as 

applicable, to incorporate additional 

new or more restrictive airworthiness 

limitations, and repetitive inspections 

for discrepancies (cracking) of certain 

structural elements and corrective 

actions; as specified in a 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 15, 

2022. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in this AD 

as of February 15, 2022. 

ADDRESSES: For EASA material 

incorporated by reference (IBR) in this 

AD, contact EASA, Konrad-AdenauerUfer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; 

telephone +49 221 8999 000; email 

ADs@easa.europa.eu; internet 

www.easa.europa.eu. You may find this 

IBR material on the EASA website at 

https://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 

https://www.regulations.gov by 

searching for and locating Docket No. 

FAA–2021–0621. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket at 

https://www.regulations.gov by 

searching for and locating Docket No. 

FAA–2021–0621; 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. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Shahram Daneshmandi, Aerospace 

Engineer, Large Aircraft Section, 

International Validation Branch, FAA, 

2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 

98198; telephone and fax 206–231– 

3220; email shahram.daneshmandi@

faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

EASA, which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Union, has issued EASA AD 2020–0251, 

dated November 11, 2020 (EASA AD 

2020–0251) (also referred to as the 

MCAI), to correct an unsafe condition 

for all Airbus Defense and Space S.A. 

Model CN–235, CN–235–100, CN–235– 

200, and CN–235–300 airplanes. 

The FAA issued a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 

part 39 to supersede AD 2018–25–16, 

Amendment 39–19527 (83 FR 64441, 

December 17, 2018) (AD 2018–25–16). 

AD 2018–25–16 applied to certain 

Airbus Defense and Space S.A. Model 

CN–235, CN–235–200, and CN–235–300 

airplanes. The NPRM published in the 

Federal Register on August 9, 2021 (86 

FR 43437). The NPRM was prompted by 

a determination that additional new or 

more restrictive airworthiness 

limitations, including inspections for 

discrepancies (cracking) of certain 

structural elements, are necessary. The 

NPRM proposed to require revising the 

existing maintenance or inspection 

program, as applicable, to incorporate 

new or more restrictive airworthiness 

limitations, and repetitive inspections 

for discrepancies (cracking) of certain 

structural elements and corrective 

actions, as specified in EASA AD 2020– 

0251. 

The FAA is issuing this AD to address 

fatigue cracking, damage, and corrosion 

in principal structural elements; such 

fatigue cracking, damage, and corrosion 

could result in reduced structural 

integrity of the airplane. See the MCAI 

for additional background information. 

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 

The FAA has revised paragraph (c) of 

this AD to remove the inadvertent 

reference to an airplane’s original 

airworthiness certificate or original 

export certificate of airworthiness 

issued on or before March 20, 2018, 

from the applicability. As explained in 

the preamble of the NPRM, the intention 

was to follow the EASA AD 2020– 

0251’s intent. None of the airplanes in 

the current U.S. fleet have an original 

airworthiness certificate or original 

export certificate of airworthiness 

issued after March 20, 2018. This 

change does not add any further 

requirements on any airplane on the 

U.S. registry, therefore, re-opening the 

public comment period to provide 

notice and opportunity for prior public 

comment are unnecessary, pursuant to 5 

U.S.C 553(b)(3). However, paragraphs 

(h)(5) and (6) of this AD do retain the 

reference to an airplane’s original 

airworthiness certificate or original 

export certificate of airworthiness 

issued on or before March 20, 2018. 

Those paragraphs state the FAA 

requirements in regards to maintenance 

or inspection program revisions to 

incorporate airworthiness limitations 

and are separate from the repetitive 

inspections that apply to all airplanes. 

Airplanes with an original airworthiness 

certificate or original export certificate 

of airworthiness issued after March 20, 

2018, must comply with the 

airworthiness limitations specified as 

part of the approved type design and 

referenced on the type certificate data 

sheet. Therefore, this AD does not 

include those airplanes in the 

requirement to revise the existing 

maintenance or inspection program. 

Conclusion 

The FAA reviewed the relevant data, 

and determined that air safety requires 

adopting this AD as proposed. 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 


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1334 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 7 / Tuesday, January 11, 2022 / Rules and Regulations 

operator. Accordingly, the FAA is 

issuing this AD to address the unsafe 

condition on these products. 

Related Service Information Under 1 

CFR Part 51 

EASA AD 2020–0251 specifies new or 

more restrictive airworthiness 

limitations for airplane systems, 

structural inspections, safe life 

structural items, and safe life system 

items. EASA AD 2020–0251 also 

describes repetitive inspections for 

discrepancies (cracking) of certain 

structural elements and corrective 

action (repair). 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 8 airplanes of U.S. registry. The 

FAA estimates the following costs to 

comply with this AD: 

The FAA has determined that revising 

the existing maintenance or inspection 

program takes an average of 90 workhours per operator, although the agency 

recognizes that this number may vary 

from operator to operator. Since 

operators incorporate maintenance or 

inspection program changes for their 

affected fleet(s), the FAA has 

determined that a per-operator estimate 

is more accurate than a per-airplane 

estimate. The FAA estimates the total 

cost per operator for the new actions to 

be $7,650 (90 work-hours × $85 per 

work-hour). 

ESTIMATED COSTS FOR REQUIRED ACTIONS

Action Labor cost Parts cost Cost per 

product 

Cost on U.S. 

operators 

New inspections ............................... 60 work-hours × $85 per hour = $5,100 ....................... $0 $5,100 $40,800 

The FAA has received no definitive 

data on which to base the cost estimates 

for the on-condition actions specified in 

this AD. 

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) 2018–25–16, Amendment 39– 

19527 (83 FR 64441, December 17, 

2018); and 

■ b. Adding the following new AD: 

2021–25–06 Airbus Defense and Space S.A. 

(Formerly Known as Construcciones 

Aeronauticas, S.A.): Amendment 39– 

21849; Docket No. FAA–2021–0621; 

Project Identifier MCAI–2020–01517–T. 

(a) Effective Date 

This airworthiness directive (AD) is 

effective February 15, 2022. 

(b) Affected ADs 

This AD replaces AD 2018–25–16, 

Amendment 39–19527 (83 FR 64441, 

December 17, 2018) (AD 2018–25–16). 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to all Airbus Defense and 

Space S.A. (formerly known as 

Construcciones Aeronauticas, S.A.) Model 

CN–235, CN–235–100, CN–235–200, and 

CN–235–300 airplanes, certificated in any 

category. 

(d) Subject 

Air Transport Association (ATA) of 

America Code 05, Time Limits/Maintenance 

Checks; and 53, Fuselage. 

(e) Reason 

This AD was prompted by a determination 

that new or more restrictive airworthiness 

limitations, including inspections for 

discrepancies (cracking) of certain structural 

elements, are necessary. The FAA is issuing 

this AD to address fatigue cracking, damage, 

and corrosion in principal structural 

elements; such fatigue cracking, damage, and 

corrosion could result in reduced structural 

integrity of the airplane. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Required Actions 

Except as specified in paragraph (h) of this 

AD: Comply with all required actions and 

compliance times specified in, and in 

accordance with, European Union Aviation 

Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2020–0251, dated 

November 11, 2020 (EASA AD 2020–0251). 

(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2020–0251 

(1) Where EASA AD 2020–0251 refers to its 

effective date, this AD requires using the 

effective date of this AD. 

(2) The requirements specified in 

paragraph (4) of EASA AD 2020–0251 do not 

apply to this AD. 

(3) Where paragraph (5) of EASA AD 2020– 

0251 specifies actions if discrepancies are 

found while accomplishing any task 

‘‘required by paragraph (1), (2), (3) or (4) of 

this [EASA] AD,’’ this AD requires actions if 

discrepancies are found while accomplishing 


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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 7 / Tuesday, January 11, 2022 / Rules and Regulations 1335 

any task ‘‘required by paragraph (1), (2), or 

(3) of EASA AD 2020–0251.’’ 

(4) Where paragraph (5) of EASA AD 2020– 

0251 specifies actions ‘‘in case of finding 

discrepancies,’’ for this AD, discrepancies 

include fatigue cracking. 

(5) Paragraph (6) of EASA AD 2020–0251 

specifies revising ‘‘the approved AMP’’ 

within 12 months after its effective date, but 

this AD requires, for airplanes with an 

original airworthiness certificate or original 

export certificate of airworthiness issued on 

or before March 20, 2018, revising the 

existing maintenance or inspection program, 

as applicable, to incorporate the ‘‘limitations, 

tasks and associated thresholds and 

intervals’’ specified in paragraph (6) of EASA 

AD 2020–0251 within 90 days after the 

effective date of this AD. 

(6) For airplanes with an original 

airworthiness certificate or original export 

certificate of airworthiness issued on or 

before March 20, 2018, the initial compliance 

time for doing the tasks specified in 

paragraph (6) of EASA AD 2020–0251 is at 

the applicable ‘‘thresholds’’ as incorporated 

by the requirements of paragraph (6) of EASA 

AD 2020–0251, or within 90 days after the 

effective date of this AD, whichever occurs 

later. 

(7) The provisions specified in paragraphs 

(7) and (8) of EASA AD 2020–0251 do not 

apply to this AD. 

(8) The ‘‘Remarks’’ section of EASA AD 

2020–0251 does not apply to this AD. 

(i) New Provisions for Alternative Actions 

and Intervals 

After the existing maintenance or 

inspection program has been revised as 

required by paragraph (g) of this AD, no 

alternative actions (e.g., inspections) and 

intervals are allowed unless they are 

approved as specified in the provisions of the 

‘‘Ref. Publications’’ section of EASA AD 

2020–0251. 

(j) No Reporting Requirement 

Although the service information 

referenced in EASA AD 2020–0251 specifies 

to submit certain information to the 

manufacturer, this AD does not include that 

requirement. 

(k) Additional AD Provisions 

The following provisions also apply to this 

AD: 

(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs): The Manager, Large Aircraft 

Section, 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 Large Aircraft 

Section, International Validation Branch, 

send it to the attention of the person 

identified in paragraph (l) of this AD. 

Information may be emailed to: 9-AVS-AIR730-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, Large Aircraft Section, 

International Validation Branch, FAA; or 

EASA; or Airbus Defense and Space S.A.’s 

EASA Design Organization Approval (DOA). 

If approved by the DOA, the approval must 

include the DOA-authorized signature. 

(l) Related Information 

For more information about this AD, 

contact Shahram Daneshmandi, Aerospace 

Engineer, Large Aircraft Section, 

International Validation Branch, FAA, 2200 

South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; 

telephone and fax 206–231–3220; email 

shahram.daneshmandi@faa.gov. 

(m) 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 2020–0251, dated November 11, 

2020. 

(ii) [Reserved] 

(3) For EASA AD 2020–0251, contact 

EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 

Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221 8999 

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

www.easa.europa.eu. You may find this 

EASA AD on the EASA website at https://

ad.easa.europa.eu. 

(4) 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. 

(5) You may view this material that is 

incorporated by reference at the National 

Archives and Records Administration 

(NARA). For information on the availability 

of this material at NARA, email 

fr.inspection@nara.gov, or go to: https://

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

Issued on December 2, 2021. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Director, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–28579 Filed 1–10–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2021–0841; Project 

Identifier MCAI–2021–00622–T; Amendment 

39–21863; AD 2021–26–05] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Saab AB, 

Support and Services (Formerly 

Known as Saab AB, Saab Aeronautics) 

Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding 

Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2020–07– 

17, which applied to all Saab AB, 

Support and Services Model SAAB 2000 

airplanes. AD 2020–07–17 required 

revising the existing maintenance or 

inspection program, as applicable, to 

incorporate new or more restrictive 

airworthiness limitations. Since the 

FAA issued AD 2020–07–17, it has 

determined that new or more restrictive 

airworthiness limitations are necessary. 

This AD retains the requirements of AD 

2020–07–17 and requires revising the 

existing maintenance or inspection 

program, as applicable, to incorporate 

new or more restrictive airworthiness 

limitations, as specified in a European 

Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) 

AD. The FAA is issuing this AD to 

address the unsafe condition on these 

products. 

DATES: This AD is effective February 15, 

2022. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in this AD 

as of February 15, 2022. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain other publication listed in 

this AD as of May 26, 2020 (85 FR 

21764, April 20, 2020). 

ADDRESSES: For material incorporated 

by reference (IBR) in this AD, contact 

EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 

Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221 

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

internet www.easa.europa.eu. You may 

find this IBR material on the EASA 

website at https://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 


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