This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains notices to the public of the proposed

issuance of rules and regulations. The

purpose of these notices is to give interested

persons an opportunity to participate in the

rule making prior to the adoption of the final

rules.

Proposed Rules Federal Register

1579 

Vol. 83, No. 9 

Friday, January 12, 2018 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2017–1245; Product 

Identifier 2017–NM–099–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus 

Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 

Airbus Model A318 series airplanes and 

Model A319 series airplanes; all Model 

A320–211, –212, –214, –216, –231, 

–232, and –233 airplanes; and all Model 

A321–111, –112, –131, –211, –212, 

–213, –231, and –232 airplanes. This 

proposed AD was prompted by an 

evaluation by the design approval 

holder (DAH) indicating that the holes 

of the upper cleat to upper stringer 

attachments at certain areas of the leftand right-hand wings are subject to 

widespread fatigue damage (WFD). This 

proposed AD would require modifying 

the holes of the upper cleat to upper 

stringer attachments at certain areas of 

the left- and right-hand wings. We are 

proposing this AD to address the unsafe 

condition on these products. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by February 26, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, 

using the procedures found in 14 CFR 

11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following 

methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Fax: 202–493–2251. 

• Mail: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 

Washington, DC 20590. 

• Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail 

address above between 9 a.m. and 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

For service information identified in 

this NPRM, contact Airbus, 

Airworthiness Office—EIAS, 1 Rond 

Point Maurice Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac 

Cedex, France; telephone: +33 5 61 93 

36 96; fax: +33 5 61 93 44 51; email: 

account.airworth-eas@airbus.com; 

internet: http://www.airbus.com. You 

may view this service information at the 

FAA, Transport Standards Branch, 1601 

Lind Avenue SW, Renton, WA. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call 425–227–1221. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the internet at http://

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2017– 

1245; or in person at the Docket 

Management Facility between 9 a.m. 

and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. The AD docket 

contains this NPRM, the regulatory 

evaluation, any comments received, and 

other information. The street address for 

the Docket Operations office (telephone: 

800–647–5527) is in the ADDRESSES

section. Comments will be available in 

the AD docket shortly after receipt. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Sanjay Ralhan, Aerospace Engineer, 

International Section, Transport 

Standards Branch, FAA, 1601 Lind 

Avenue SW, Renton, WA 98057–3356; 

telephone: 425–227–1405; fax: 425– 

227–1149. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to send any written 

relevant data, views, or arguments about 

this proposed AD. Send your comments 

to an address listed under the 

ADDRESSES section. Include ‘‘Docket No. 

FAA–2017–1245; Product Identifier 

2017–NM–099–AD’’ at the beginning of 

your comments. We specifically invite 

comments on the overall regulatory, 

economic, environmental, and energy 

aspects of this NPRM. We will consider 

all comments received by the closing 

date and may amend this NPRM based 

on those comments. 

We will post all comments we 

receive, without change, to http://

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information you provide. We 

will also post a report summarizing each 

substantive verbal contact we receive 

about this NPRM. 

Discussion 

Fatigue damage can occur locally, in 

small areas or structural design details, 

or globally, in widespread areas. 

Multiple-site damage is widespread 

damage that occurs in a large structural 

element such as a single rivet line of a 

lap splice joining two large skin panels. 

Widespread damage can also occur in 

multiple elements such as adjacent 

frames or stringers. Multiple-site 

damage and multiple-element damage 

cracks are typically too small initially to 

be reliably detected with normal 

inspection methods. Without 

intervention, these cracks will grow, 

and eventually compromise the 

structural integrity of the airplane. This 

condition is known as widespread 

fatigue damage. It is associated with 

general degradation of large areas of 

structure with similar structural details 

and stress levels. As an airplane ages, 

WFD will likely occur, and will 

certainly occur if the airplane is 

operated long enough without any 

intervention. 

The FAA’s WFD final rule (75 FR 

69746, November 15, 2010) became 

effective on January 14, 2011. The WFD 

rule requires certain actions to prevent 

structural failure due to WFD 

throughout the operational life of 

certain existing transport category 

airplanes and all of these airplanes that 

will be certificated in the future. For 

existing and future airplanes subject to 

the WFD rule, the rule requires that 

DAHs establish a limit of validity (LOV) 

of the engineering data that support the 

structural maintenance program. 

Operators affected by the WFD rule may 

not fly an airplane beyond its LOV, 

unless an extended LOV is approved. 

The WFD rule (75 FR 69746, 

November 15, 2010) does not require 

identifying and developing maintenance 

actions if the DAHs can show that such 

actions are not necessary to prevent 

WFD before the airplane reaches the 

LOV. Many LOVs, however, do depend 

on accomplishment of future 

maintenance actions. As stated in the 

WFD rule, any maintenance actions 

necessary to reach the LOV will be 

mandated by airworthiness directives 

through separate rulemaking actions. 

In the context of WFD, this action is 

necessary to enable DAHs to propose 


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1580 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 9 / Friday, January 12, 2018 / Proposed Rules 

LOVs that allow operators the longest 

operational lives for their airplanes, and 

still ensure that WFD will not occur. 

This approach allows for an 

implementation strategy that provides 

flexibility to DAHs in determining the 

timing of service information 

development (with FAA approval), 

while providing operators with certainty 

regarding the LOV applicable to their 

airplanes. 

The European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA), which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Union, has issued EASA AD 2017–0117, 

dated July 7, 2017 (referred to after this 

as the Mandatory Continuing 

Airworthiness Information, or ‘‘the 

MCAI’’), to correct an unsafe condition 

for certain Airbus Model A318 series 

airplanes; Model A319 series airplanes; 

Model A320–211, –212, –214, –216, 

–231, –232, and –233 airplanes; and 

Model A321–111, –112, –131, –211, 

–212, –213, –231, and –232 airplanes. 

The MCAI states: 

Within the scope of work of service life 

extension for A320 aeroplanes and of 

widespread fatigue damage evaluations, it 

has been determined that a structural 

modification is required to allow the 

aeroplanes to continue operation up to the 

limit of validity (LoV). 

This condition, if not corrected, may affect 

the structural integrity of the wing. 

To address this potential unsafe condition, 

Airbus issued SB A320–57–1208, providing 

instructions to oversize the holes of the 

upper cleat to upper stringer attachments at 

Rib 2 to Rib 7 (inclusive). 

For the reason described above, this 

[EASA] AD requires modification of the 

affected holes. 

You may examine the MCAI in the 

AD docket on the internet at http://

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2017– 

1245. 

Related Service Information Under 1 

CFR Part 51 

Airbus has issued Airbus Service 

Bulletin A320–57–1208, dated 

November 21, 2016. The service 

information describes procedures for 

modifying the stringer attachments at 

rib 2 through rib 7 of the left- and righthand wings. The modification includes 

oversizing the holes, doing an eddy 

current inspection of the affected holes 

for damage, and repair. This service 

information 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. 

FAA’s Determination and Requirements 

of This Proposed AD 

This product has been approved by 

the aviation authority of another 

country, and is approved for operation 

in the United States. Pursuant to our 

bilateral agreement with the State of 

Design Authority, we have been notified 

of the unsafe condition described in the 

MCAI and service information 

referenced above. We are proposing this 

AD because we evaluated all pertinent 

information and determined an unsafe 

condition exists and is likely to exist or 

develop on other products of these same 

type designs. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this proposed AD 

affects 1,136 airplanes of U.S. registry. 

We estimate the following costs to 

comply with this proposed AD: 

ESTIMATED COSTS

Action Labor cost Parts cost Cost per 

product 

Cost on U.S. 

operators 

Modification (by oversizing and doing eddy 

current inspection).

125 work-hours × $85 per hour = $10,625 .... $26,260 $36,885 $41,901,360 

We have received no definitive data 

that would enable us to provide cost 

estimates for the on-condition actions 

specified in this proposed 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. 

We are 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. 

This proposed AD is issued in 

accordance with authority delegated by 

the Executive Director, Aircraft 

Certification Service, as authorized by 

FAA Order 8000.51C. In accordance 

with that order, issuance of ADs is 

normally a function of the Compliance 

and Airworthiness Division, but during 

this transition period, the Executive 

Director has delegated the authority to 

issue ADs applicable to transport 

category airplanes to the Director of the 

System Oversight Division. 

Regulatory Findings 

We determined that this proposed AD 

would not have federalism implications 

under Executive Order 13132. This 

proposed AD would 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 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); 

3. Will not affect intrastate aviation in 

Alaska; and 

4. 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 Proposed Amendment 

Accordingly, under the authority 

delegated to me by the Administrator, 

the FAA proposes to amend 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. 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 9 / Friday, January 12, 2018 / Proposed Rules 1581 

§ 39.13 [Amended] 

■ 2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by adding 

the following new airworthiness 

directive (AD): 

Airbus: Docket No. FAA–2017–1245; Product 

Identifier 2017–NM–099–AD. 

(a) Comments Due Date 

We must receive comments by February 

26, 2018. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to Airbus Model A318– 

111, –112 –121, and –122 airplanes; Model 

A319–111, –112, –113, –114, –115, –131, 

–132, and –133 airplanes; Model A320–211, 

–212, –214, –216, –231, –232, and –233 

airplanes; and Model A321–111, –112, –131, 

–211, –212, –213, –231, and –232 airplanes; 

certificated in any category; all manufacturer 

serial numbers, except airplanes specified in 

paragraphs (c)(1) and (c)(2) of this AD. 

(1) Model A318 series airplanes on which 

Airbus Modification (Mod) 39195 has been 

embodied in production or Airbus Service 

Bulletin A320–00–1219 has been embodied 

in service. 

(2) Model A319 series airplanes on which 

Airbus Mod 28238, Mod 28162, and Mod 

28342 have been embodied in production. 

(d) Subject 

Air Transport Association (ATA) of 

America Code 57, wings. 

(e) Reason 

This AD was prompted by an evaluation by 

the design approval holder indicating that 

the holes of the upper cleat to upper stringer 

attachments at rib 2 through rib 7 of the leftand right-hand wings are subject to 

widespread fatigue damage. We are issuing 

this AD to prevent fatigue cracking in the 

stringer attachment holes of the wings, which 

could result in reduced structural integrity of 

the wings. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Modification 

Before reaching the upper limit, but not 

before reaching the lower limit, as defined in 

table 1 to paragraph (g) of this AD, as 

applicable: Modify the holes of the upper 

cleat to upper stringer attachments at rib 2 

through rib 7 inclusive, on the left- and righthand wings by oversizing the holes, doing 

eddy current inspections of the holes for 

damage, and repairing any damage found, in 

accordance with the Accomplishment 

Instructions of Airbus Service Bulletin A320– 

57–1208, dated November 21, 2016, except as 

required by paragraph (h) of this AD. Repair 

all damage before further flight. 

(h) Service Information Exception 

Where Airbus Service Bulletin A320–57– 

1208, dated November 21, 2016, specifies to 

contact Airbus for appropriate action, and 

specifies that action as ‘‘RC’’ (Required for 

Compliance): Before further flight, 

accomplish corrective actions in accordance 

with the procedures specified in paragraph 

(i)(2) of this AD. 

(i) Other FAA AD Provisions 

The following provisions also apply to this 

AD: 

(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs): The Manager, International 

Section, Transport Standards 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 local Flight Standards District 

Office, as appropriate. If sending information 

directly to the International Section, send it 

to the attention of the person identified in 

paragraph (j)(2) of this AD. Information may 

be emailed to 9-ANM-116-AMOCREQUESTS@faa.gov. Before using any 

approved AMOC, notify your appropriate 

principal inspector, or lacking a principal 

inspector, the manager of the local flight 

standards district office/certificate holding 

district office. 

(2) Contacting the Manufacturer: As of the 

effective date of this AD, for any requirement 

in this AD to obtain corrective actions from 

a manufacturer, the action must be 

accomplished using a method approved by 

the Manager, International Section, Transport 

Standards Branch, FAA; or the European 

Aviation Safety Agency (EASA); or Airbus’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 (h) of this AD: If 


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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) Related Information 

(1) Refer to Mandatory Continuing 

Airworthiness Information (MCAI) EASA AD 

2017–0117, dated July 7, 2017, for related 

information. This MCAI may be found in the 

AD docket on the internet at http://

www.regulations.gov by searching for and 

locating Docket No. FAA–2017–1245. 

(2) For more information about this AD, 

contact Sanjay Ralhan, Aerospace Engineer, 

International Section, Transport Standards 

Branch, FAA, 1601 Lind Avenue SW, 

Renton, WA 98057–3356; telephone: 425– 

227–1405; fax: 425–227–1149. 

(3) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Airbus, Airworthiness 

Office—EIAS, 1 Rond Point Maurice 

Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex, France; 

telephone: +33 5 61 93 36 96; fax: +33 5 61 

93 44 51; email: account.airworth-eas@

airbus.com; internet: http://www.airbus.com. 

You may view this service information at the 

FAA, Transport Standards Branch, 1601 Lind 

Avenue SW, Renton, WA. For information on 

the availability of this material at the FAA, 

call 425–227–1221. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on 

December 26, 2017. 

John P. Piccola, Jr., 

Acting Director, System Oversight Division, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2018–00342 Filed 1–11–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 71 

[Docket No. FAA–2017–1144; Airspace 

Docket No. 16–AGL–30] 

Proposed Modification of Air Traffic 

Service (ATS) Routes in the Vicinity of 

Richmond, IN 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: This action proposes to 

modify five VHF Omnidirectional Range 

(VOR) Federal airways (V–12, V–214, 

V–340, V–467, and V–517) and one low 

altitude area navigation (RNAV) route 

(T–213) in the vicinity of Richmond, IN. 

The FAA is proposing this action due to 

the planned decommissioning of the 

Richmond, IN (RID), VHF 

Omnidirectional Range/Tactical Air 

Navigation (VORTAC) navigation aid 

(NAVAID) which provides navigation 

guidance for portions of the affected 

ATS routes. Overall, this action would 

enhance the safety and management of 

aircraft within the National Airspace 

System (NAS). 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before February 26, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments on this 

proposal to the U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building 

Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590; telephone: 

1(800) 647–5527, or (202) 366–9826. 

You must identify FAA Docket No. 

FAA–2017–1144 and Airspace Docket 

No. 16–AGL–30 at the beginning of your 

comments. You may also submit 

comments through the internet at http:// 

www.regulations.gov. 

FAA Order 7400.11B, Airspace 

Designations and Reporting Points, and 

subsequent amendments can be viewed 

online at http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/ 

publications/. For further information, 

you can contact the Airspace Policy 

Group, Federal Aviation 

Administration, 800 Independence 

Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591; 

telephone: (202) 267–8783. The Order is 

also available for inspection at the 

National Archives and Records 

Administration (NARA). For 

information on the availability of FAA 

Order 7400.11B at NARA, call (202) 

741–6030, or go to https://

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

ibr-locations.html. 

FAA Order 7400.11, Airspace 

Designations and Reporting Points, is 

published yearly and effective on 

September 15. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Colby Abbott, Airspace Policy Group, 

Office of Airspace Services, Federal 

Aviation Administration, 800 

Independence Avenue SW, Washington, 

DC 20591; telephone: (202) 267–8783. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Authority for This Rulemaking 

The FAA’s authority to issue rules 

regarding aviation safety is found in 

Title 49 of the United States Code. 

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. This rulemaking is 

promulgated under the authority 

described in Subtitle VII, Part A, 

Subpart I, Section 40103. Under that 

section, the FAA is charged with 

prescribing regulations to assign the use 

of the airspace necessary to ensure the 

safety of aircraft and the efficient use of 

airspace. This regulation is within the 

scope of that authority as it would 

support the route structure in the 

Richmond, IN, area as necessary to 

preserve the safe and efficient flow of 

air traffic within the NAS. 

Comments Invited 

Interested parties are invited to 

participate in this proposed rulemaking 

by submitting such written data, views, 

or arguments as they may desire. 

Comments that provide the factual basis 

supporting the views and suggestions 

presented are particularly helpful in 

developing reasoned regulatory 

decisions on the proposal. Comments 

are specifically invited on the overall 

regulatory, aeronautical, economic, 

environmental, and energy-related 

aspects of the proposal. 

Communications should identify both 

docket numbers (FAA Docket No. FAA– 

2017–1144 and Airspace Docket No. 16– 

AGL–30) and be submitted in triplicate 

to the Docket Management Facility (see 

ADDRESSES section for address and 

phone number). You may also submit 

comments through the internet at http:// 

www.regulations.gov. 

Commenters wishing the FAA to 

acknowledge receipt of their comments 

on this action must submit with those 

comments a self-addressed, stamped 

postcard on which the following 

statement is made: ‘‘Comments to FAA 

Docket No. FAA–2017–1144 and 

Airspace Docket No. 16–AGL–30.’’ The 

postcard will be date/time stamped and 

returned to the commenter. 

All communications received on or 

before the specified comment closing 

date will be considered before taking 

action on the proposed rule. The 

proposal contained in this action may 

be changed in light of comments 

received. All comments submitted will 

be available for examination in the 

public docket both before and after the 

comment closing date. A report 

summarizing each substantive public 

contact with FAA personnel concerned 

with this rulemaking will be filed in the 

docket. 

Availability of NPRMs 

An electronic copy of this document 

may be downloaded through the 

internet at http://www.regulations.gov. 

Recently published rulemaking 

documents can also be accessed through 

the FAA’s web page at http://

www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/ 

airspace_amendments/. 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with PROPOSALS