EASA AD No.: 2015-0101R1

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EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

AD No.: 2015-0101R1

Date: 12 June 2015

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 accordance with EU 1321/2014 Annex I, Part M.A.301, the 

continuing airworthiness of an aircraft shall be ensured by accomplishing any applicable ADs. Consequently, no person may operate 

an aircraft to which an AD applies, except in accordance with the requirements of that AD, unless otherwise specified by the Agency 

[EU 1321/2014 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):

A330 and A340-200/-300 aeroplanes

TCDS Number: EASA A.004, EASA A.015 

Foreign AD: Not applicable

Revision: This AD revises EASA AD 2015-0101, dated 03 June 2015.

ATA 53 Fuselage – Skin and Structure / Allowable Damage Limits – Records 

Check / Repair

Manufacturer(s): Airbus (formerly Airbus Industrie)

Applicability: Airbus A330-201, A330-202, A330-203, A330-223, A330-243, [deleted], 

A330-301, A330-302, A330-303, A330-321, A330-322, A330-323, A330-341, 

A330-342 and A330-343 aeroplanes,

Airbus A340-211, A340-212, A340-213, A340-311, A340-312 and A340-313 

aeroplanes, 

all manufacturer serial numbers (MSN) up to MSN 1 600 inclusive.

Reason: Result of a fleet survey accomplished in 2008 identified that the nature of flight 

missions of A330 and A340-200/300 fleets had significantly changed in 

comparison with assumed usage during the type certification. Consequently, it 

was decided to recalculate the Structural Repair Manual (SRM) fatigue values to 

ensure that the given threshold and intervals remain valid. 

The results of this recalculation identified reduced thresholds and intervals 

applicable for repairs and Allowable Damage Limits (ADL) affecting the following 

areas:

- Door cut-out corners of door surrounding panels (forward cargo door, forward 

passenger (PAX) door, mid PAX door, emergency exit door/PAX door 3, aft 

cargo door, bulk cargo door, aft PAX door), on both Left Hand (LH) and Right 

Hand (RH) sides,

- Stringer (STGR) 9 junction between Frame (FR) 10 and FR13 on both LH and 

RH sides, and
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- Fuselage skin doubler repairs on both LH and RH sides.

Failing to apply the reduced thresholds and intervals, could adversely affect the 

structural integrity of the aeroplane.

To address this unsafe condition, Airbus issued SRM revision dated April 2013 

and temporary revision (TR) 53-001 for the STGR9 junction between FR10 and 

FR13 area (and subsequent revisions) to introduce reduced thresholds and 

intervals for the affected ADLs and repairs and issued a set of Service Bulletins 

(SB) to identify the ADLs used and repairs made, as well as to enable operators to 

update aeroplane repair records.

Consequently EASA issued AD 2015-0101, to require identification of any repairs

and/or ADL used to assess or control any structural damage on certain structural 

areas and, depending on findings, accomplishment of corrective action(s).

Since that AD was issued, data review confirmed that A330 freighter versions are 

not affected by the unsafe condition. 

This AD is revised to remove A330-223F and A330-243F from the Applicability.

Effective Date: Revision 01: 17 June 2015

Original issue: 17 June 2015

Required 

Action(s) and 

Compliance

Time(s):

Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously:

(1) Within the compliance time defined in Appendix 1 of this AD, as applicable, 

review the aeroplane maintenance records to identify any SRM ADL used to 

assess or control any structural damage and/or any structural repair 

accomplished in accordance with a SRM, as applicable, that have been 

applied on the areas as specified in Table 1 of this AD.

Table 1 – Affected Areas and Airbus SBs

Areas

(on both LH and RH sides)

(in accordance with the instructions of)

Airbus SB

(as applicable to aeroplane type)

Door cut-out corners of door 

surrounding panels (forward 

cargo door, mid PAX door, 

emergency exit door/PAX door 3, 

aft cargo door, bulk cargo door, 

aft PAX door)

SB A330-53-3232

or

SB A340-53-4222

Forward PAX door surround 

panels

SB A330-53-3233

or

SB A340-53-4223

Fuselage Skin Doubler repairs SB A330-53-3234

or

SB A340-53-4224

STGR9 junction between FR10 

and FR13

SB A330-53-3235 Revision 1 (or any 

later revision)

or

SB A340-53-4225 Revision 1 (or any 

later revision)

Note 1: For Airbus SB A330-53-3235 and SB A340-53-4225, mistakes have been 

made in these documents at original issue and they therefore cannot be used for 

compliance with the requirements of this AD.
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(2) If, during the review, as required by paragraph (1) of this AD, it has been 

determined that a SRM ADL was used on an area specified in Table 1 of this 

AD to assess or control any structural damage, and/or any structural repair of

an area specified in Table 1 of this AD was accomplished in accordance with

the instructions of any SRM revision or SRM TR, except those specified in 

Table 2 of this AD (or any later approved SRM or SRM TR revisions), 

depending on aeroplane configuration and within the compliance time defined 

in Appendix 1 of this AD, accomplish action (2.1) or (2.2) of this AD, in 

accordance with the instructions of applicable Airbus SB, as applicable.

Table 2 – Acceptable SRM / SRM TR

Affected 

aeroplanes

Aeroplane areas Airbus SRM

All MSN up to MSN 

1 444 inclusive

All areas, except STGR9 

junction between FR10 

and FR13 area

SRM revision dated April 

2013 

All MSN up to MSN 

1 600 inclusive

STGR9 junction between 

FR10 and FR13 area

only

SRM TR 53-001 dated 

28 November 2014

(2.1) Update the aeroplane repair records with the revised thresholds and 

intervals, as applicable for the identified structural repairs embodied on 

the aeroplane in accordance with Airbus SRM as identified in Table 2 of 

this AD, or later approved (temporary) revisions and, following that 

update, accomplish all updated inspection instructions

accordingly.

(2.2) For a repair that was allowed in a previous Airbus SRM and is no longer 

allowed in the current Airbus SRM, as identified in Table 2 of this AD, 

contact Airbus for specific assessment and approved instructions and 

within the compliance time specified in those instructions, accomplish 

those instructions accordingly.

(3) From the effective date of this AD, any structural damage in the areas 

identified in Table 1 of this AD, must be assessed and, if outside the ADL,

corrected (repair or replacement) in accordance with data approved by EASA 

or Airbus, valid at the time of the (planned) repair or replacement, or Airbus 

SRM as identified in Table 2 of this AD, or later approved (temporary) 

revisions.

Ref. Publications: Airbus SB A330-53-3232 original issue dated 04 November 2014.

Airbus SB A340-53-4222 original issue dated 25 November 2014.

Airbus SB A330-53-3233 original issue dated 26 September 2014.

Airbus SB A340-53-4223 original issue dated 26 September 2014.

Airbus SB A330-53-3234 original issue dated 08 December 2014.

Airbus SB A340-53-4224 original issue dated 15 December 2014

Airbus SB A330-53-3235 Revision 01 dated 14 January 2015.

Airbus SB A340-53-4225 Revision 01 dated 14 January 2015.

Airbus SRM dated April 2013.

Airbus SRM TR 53-001 dated 28 November 2014.

The use of later approved revisions of these documents is acceptable for 

compliance with the requirements of this AD.
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Remarks: 1. If requested and appropriately substantiated, EASA can approve Alternative 

Methods of Compliance for this AD.

2. The original issue of this AD was posted on 26 February 2015 as PAD 15-017

for consultation until 26 March 2015. 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, Certification 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 – EAL.

E-mail: airworthiness.A330-A340@airbus.com.
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Appendix 1 – Affected Areas, Compliance Times and Airbus SBs

Affected 

aeroplanes and

configuration

ADL location/Repair Compliance Time 

(after 17 June 

2015, [the effective 

date of the original 

issue of this AD])

Airbus SB

A330-200 Pre-mod 

49144 Mid PAX door surround panels 12 months

SB A330-53-3232 

or

SB A340-53-4222

A330-200 Pre-mod 

49144

Forward cargo door, emergency exit 

door/PAX door 3, aft cargo door, bulk 

cargo door, and aft PAX door surround 

panels

24 months A330-300 Pre-mod 

49144

A340-200/-300 premod 49144

Mid PAX door surround panels, forward 

cargo door, emergency exit door/PAX 

door 3, aft cargo door, bulk cargo door, 

and aft PAX door surround panels

All, Post-mod 

40347 Forward PAX door surround panels

For ADL with a 

Temporary Life 

Limit:

12 months SB A330-53-3233 

or

For ADL with a SB A340-53-4223

Permanent 

Acceptance:

24 months

All STGR9 junction between FR10 and FR13 12 months

SB A330-53-3235 

Revision 1 or

SB A340-53-4225

Revision 1

A340-200/-300 

Weight Variant 

(WV)00s

Forward and rear fuselage 12 months

SB A330-53-3234 

or

SB A340-53-4224

A340-200/-300 

WV00s Nose forward and centre fuselage

24 months

A330-200/-300 preMOD 49144 and

A340-200/-300

WV20s 

Forward and rear fuselage, nose forward 

and centre fuselage

A330-200/-300

post-MOD 49144 

and

A340-200/-300

post-MOD 49144

Nose forward and centre fuselage