[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 9 (Tuesday, January 14, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 1861-1863]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-812]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 96-NM-92-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model A320 Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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[[Page 1862]]

SUMMARY: This document proposes the adoption of a new airworthiness 
directive (AD) that is applicable to certain Airbus Model A320 series 
airplanes. This proposal would require repetitive inspections to detect 
cracking and delamination of the containers in which the left and right 
off-wing emergency evacuation slides are stored, and repair, if 
necessary. If cracking and delamination in excess of certain limits are 
found, the proposed AD also would require replacement of the slide with 
a modified slide; and replacement of the discrepant container with a 
serviceable container. Replacement of the slide with a modified slide 
would terminate the requirement for repetitive inspections. This 
proposal is prompted by a report indicating that a slide deployed 
during flight, which resulted in the loss of the slide and the 
container door. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended 
to prevent the loss of the escape slides during flight, which could 
make the emergency exits located over each wing unusable and result in 
damage to the fuselage.

DATES: Comments must be received by February 24, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA), Transport Airplane Directorate, ANM-103, 
Attention: Rules Docket No. 96-NM-92-AD, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, 
Washington 98055-4056. Comments may be inspected at this location 
between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays.
    The service information referenced in the proposed rule may be 
obtained from Airbus Industrie, 1 Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 31707 
Blagnac Cedex, France. This information may be examined at the FAA, 
Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, 
Washington.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles Huber, Aerospace Engineer, 
Standardization Branch, ANM-113, FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 
1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98055-4056; telephone (206) 
227-2589; fax (206) 227-1149.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    Interested persons are invited to participate in the making of the 
proposed rule by submitting such written data, views, or arguments as 
they may desire. Communications shall identify the Rules Docket number 
and be submitted in triplicate to the address specified above. All 
communications received on or before the closing date for comments, 
specified above, will be considered before taking action on the 
proposed rule. The proposals contained in this notice may be changed in 
light of the comments received.
    Comments are specifically invited on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the proposed rule. All 
comments submitted will be available, both before and after the closing 
date for comments, in the Rules Docket for examination by interested 
persons. A report summarizing each FAA-public contact concerned with 
the substance of this proposal will be filed in the Rules Docket.
    Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments 
submitted in response to this notice must submit a self-addressed, 
stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: ``Comments 
to Docket Number 96-NM-92-AD.'' The postcard will be date stamped and 
returned to the commenter.

Availability of NPRMs

    Any person may obtain a copy of this NPRM by submitting a request 
to the FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, ANM-103, Attention: Rules 
Docket No. 96-NM-92-AD, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 
98055-4056.

Discussion

    The Direction Generale de la Aviation Civile (DGAC), which is the 
airworthiness authority for France, recently notified the FAA that an 
unsafe condition may exist on certain Airbus Model A320 series 
airplanes. The DGAC advises that it has received a report indicating 
that the left off-wing emergency evacuation slide on one airplane 
inadvertently deployed during flight. A subsequent inspection revealed 
that both the left off-wing slide and the door to the container in 
which the slide was stored were missing. Based on the findings of the 
inspection, it was concluded that the loss of the slide and the 
container door were the result of the packed slide pressing against 
(and thereby exerting excessive internal pressure on) the container. 
This contact and resultant excessive pressure also contributed to 
delamination of the container door.
    A slide is mounted on each side of the airplane in the wing-to-body 
fairing. Should the slide begin to deploy during flight, air moving 
over the wing can separate the slide from the airplane. This loss of 
the slide during flight could make the two emergency exits located over 
each wing unusable and result in damage to the fuselage.

Explanation of Relevant Service Information

    Airbus has issued Service Bulletin A320-25-1161, dated June 21, 
1995, which describes procedures for conducting repetitive detailed 
visual inspections to detect cracking and delamination of the left and 
right slide containers and container doors, and repair, if necessary. 
When cracking and delamination of the container or container door 
exceed certain limits, this service bulletin also describes procedures 
for replacing a discrepant container with a serviceable container; and 
for replacing the slide with a modified slide. Accomplishment of the 
slide replacement would eliminate the need for repetitive inspections 
of that container and door.
    Airbus also has issued Service Bulletin A320-25-1156, dated June 
21, 1995, which describes procedures for the replacement of the slide 
with a modified slide. When the modified slide is packed into its 
container, there is a 5 mm clearance between the slide and the 
container door. This modification is intended to keep the packed slide 
from pressing against the container door, thus alleviating pressure on 
the door; the modification also would eliminate a cause of delamination 
of the container door.
    The DGAC classified the Airbus service bulletins as mandatory and 
issued French airworthiness directive (C/N) 95-186-071(B) R1, dated 
February 14, 1996, in order to assure the continued airworthiness of 
these airplanes in France.

    Note: The Airbus service bulletins reference the following 
service documents as additional sources of procedural service 
information:

--Airbus All Operator Telex 25-09, dated January 2, 1995;
--Airbus All Operator Telex 25-09, Revision 1, dated January 2, 
1995;
--Air Cruisers Service Bulletin 004-25-37; and
--Air Cruisers Service Bulletin 004-25-38.

(Air Cruisers is the manufacturer of the slide system.)

FAA's Conclusions

    This airplane model is manufactured in France and is type 
certificated for operation in the United States under the provisions of 
section 21.29 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 21.29) and 
the applicable bilateral airworthiness agreement. Pursuant to this 
bilateral airworthiness agreement, the DGAC has kept the FAA informed 
of the situation described above. The FAA has examined the findings of 
the DGAC, reviewed all available information, and determined that AD

[[Page 1863]]

action is necessary for products of this type design that are 
certificated for operation in the United States.

Explanation of Requirements of Proposed Rule

    Since an unsafe condition has been identified that is likely to 
exist or develop on other airplanes of the same type design registered 
in the United States, the proposed AD would require repetitive detailed 
visual inspections to detect cracking and delamination of the container 
and container door for the left and right escape slides, and repair, if 
necessary. If damage to the container door exceeds certain limits, the 
proposed AD would require replacement of the escape slide with a 
modified slide, and replacement of the discrepant container with a 
serviceable container. Accomplishment of the slide replacement would 
constitute terminating action for the repetitive inspections of the 
container and container door. The actions would be required to be 
accomplished in accordance with the Airbus service bulletins described 
previously.

Cost Impact

    The FAA estimates that 115 Airbus Model 320 series airplanes of 
U.S. registry would be affected by this proposed AD.
    It would take approximately 5 work hours per airplane to accomplish 
the proposed inspection, at an average labor rate of $60 per work hour. 
Based on these figures, the cost impact of the proposed AD on U.S. 
operators is estimated to be $34,500, or $300 per airplane, per 
inspection.
    The cost impact figure discussed above is based on assumptions that 
no operator has yet accomplished any of the proposed requirements of 
this AD action, and that no operator would accomplish those actions in 
the future if this AD were not adopted.

Regulatory Impact

    The regulations proposed herein would not have substantial direct 
effects 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. Therefore, in 
accordance with Executive Order 12612, it is determined that this 
proposal would not have sufficient federalism implications to warrant 
the preparation of a Federalism Assessment.
    For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this proposed 
regulation (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); 
and (3) if promulgated, 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. A copy of the draft 
regulatory evaluation prepared for this action is contained in the 
Rules Docket. A copy of it may be obtained by contacting the Rules 
Docket at the location provided under the caption ADDRESSES.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Safety.

The Proposed Amendment

    Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration proposes to amend 
part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (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.


Sec. 39.13  [Amended]

    2. Section 39.13 is amended by adding the following new 
airworthiness directive:

Airbus Industrie: Docket 96-NM-92-AD.

    Applicability: Model A320 series airplanes listed in Airbus 
Service Bulletin A320-25-1156, dated June 21, 1995; certificated in 
any category.

    Note 1: This AD applies to each airplane identified in the 
preceding applicability provision, regardless of whether it has been 
otherwise modified, altered, or repaired in the area subject to the 
requirements of this AD. For airplanes that have been modified, 
altered, or repaired so that the performance of the requirements of 
this AD is affected, the owner/operator must request approval for an 
alternative method of compliance in accordance with paragraph (b) of 
this AD. The request should include an assessment of the effect of 
the modification, alteration, or repair on the unsafe condition 
addressed by this AD; and, if the unsafe condition has not been 
eliminated, the request should include specific proposed actions to 
address it.

    Compliance: Required as indicated, unless accomplished 
previously.
    To prevent the loss of the off-wing emergency evacuation slides 
(``escape slides'') during flight, which could make the two 
emergency exits located over each wing unusable and result in damage 
to the airplane, accomplish the following:
    (a) Within 500 hours time-in-service after the effective date of 
this AD, perform a detailed visual inspection to detect cracking and 
delamination of each off-wing container, including the container 
door, in which an escape slide is stored, in accordance with Airbus 
Service Bulletin A320-25-1161, dated June 21, 1995.

    Note 2: Accomplishment of inspections prior to the effective 
date of this AD in accordance with Airbus All Operator Telex 25-09, 
dated January 2, 1995, or Revision 1, dated January 2, 1995; or Air 
Cruisers Service Bulletin 004-25-38; is considered acceptable for 
compliance with this paragraph.

    (1) If no crack or delamination is found, repeat the detailed 
visual inspection required by paragraph (a) of this AD thereafter at 
intervals not to exceed 18 months or 4,000 landings, whichever 
occurs earlier.
    (2) If any crack or delamination is found which does not exceed 
the limits specified in the service bulletin, prior to further 
flight, repair the crack or delamination in accordance with this 
service bulletin.
    (3) If any crack or delamination is found which exceeds the 
limits specified in the, prior to further flight, replace the 
discrepant container with a serviceable container in accordance with 
Airbus Service Bulletin A320-25-1161, dated June 21, 1995; and 
replace the escape slide with a slide modified in accordance with 
Airbus Service Bulletin A320-25-1156, dated June 21, 1995. 
Replacement of the slide constitutes terminating action for the 
repetitive inspections of that container required by paragraph 
(a)(1) of this AD.

    Note 3: Accomplishment of the slide modification prior to the 
effective date of this AD in accordance with Airbus All Operator 
Telex 25-09, dated January 2, 1995, or Revision 1, dated January 2, 
1995; or Air Cruisers Service Bulletin 004-25-37; is considered 
acceptable for compliance with this paragraph.

    (b) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the 
compliance time that provides an acceptable level of safety may be 
used if approved by the Manager, Standardization Branch, ANM-113, 
FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate. Operators shall submit their 
requests through an appropriate FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector, 
who may add comments and then send it to the Manager, 
Standardization Branch, ANM-113.

    Note 4: Information concerning the existence of approved 
alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be 
obtained from the Standardization Branch, ANM-113.

    (c) Special flight permits may be issued in accordance with 
sections 21.197 and 21.199 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 
CFR 21.197 and 21.199) to operate the airplane to a location where 
the requirements of this AD can be accomplished.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on January 7, 1997.
Darrell M. Pederson,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 97-812 Filed 1-13-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U