47212 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 161 / Tuesday, August 24, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 

(i) No Reporting Requirement 

Although the service information 

referenced in EASA AD 2020–0182 specifies 

to submit certain information to the 

manufacturer in case of no finding, this AD 

does not include that requirement. 

(j) Other FAA 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 (k) 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 DOA. If approved by the DOA, the 

approval must include the DOA-authorized 

signature. 

(k) 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; 

phone and fax: 206–231–3220; email: 

Shahram.Daneshmandi@faa.gov. 

(l) 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 2020–0182, dated August 13, 

2020. 

(ii) [Reserved] 

(3) For EASA AD 2020–0182, 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. This material may be found 

in the AD docket on the internet at https:// 

www.regulations.gov by searching for and 

locating Docket No. FAA–2021–0141. 

(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 July 23, 2021. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Director, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–18082 Filed 8–23–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2021–0192; Project 

Identifier MCAI–2020–01580–T; Amendment 

39–21662; AD 2021–16–01] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus SAS 

Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 

Airbus SAS Model A318 series 

airplanes; Model A319–111, –112, –113, 

–114, –115, –131, –132, –133, –151N, 

and –153N airplanes; Model A320 series 

airplanes; and Model A321 series 

airplanes. This AD was prompted by a 

determination that new or more 

restrictive airworthiness limitations are 

necessary. This AD 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, which is incorporated by reference. 

The FAA is issuing this AD to address 

the unsafe condition on these products. 

DATES: This AD is effective September 

28, 2021. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in this AD 

as of September 28, 2021. 

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 IBR 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 on 

the internet at https://

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2021– 

0192. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the internet at https://

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2021– 

0192; 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, 

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: 

Sanjay Ralhan, Aerospace Engineer, 

Large Aircraft Section, International 

Validation Branch, FAA, 2200 South 

216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; 

telephone and fax 206–231–3223; email 

sanjay.ralhan@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

EASA, which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Union, has issued EASA AD 2020–0219, 

dated October 12, 2020 (EASA AD 

2020–0219) (also referred to as the 

mandatory continuing airworthiness 

information, or ‘‘the MCAI’’), to correct 

an unsafe condition for all Airbus SAS 

Model A318 series; Model A319–111, 

–112, –113, –114, –115, –131, –132, 

–133, –151N, and –153N; Model A320– 

211, –212, –214, –215, –216, –231, –232, 

–233, –251N, –252N, –253N, –271N, 

–272N, and –273N airplanes; and Model 

A321 series airplanes. Model A320–215 

airplanes are not certificated by the FAA 

and are not included on the U.S. type 

certificate data sheet; this AD therefore 

does not include those airplanes in the 

applicability. 

The FAA issued a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 

part 39 by adding an AD that would 

apply to certain Airbus SAS Model 

A318 series; Model A319–111, –112, 

–113, –114, –115, –131, –132, –133, 

–151N, and –153N; Model A320 series 

airplanes; and Model A321 series 

airplanes. The NPRM published in the 

Federal Register on March 26, 2021 (86 


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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 161 / Tuesday, August 24, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 47213 

FR 16130). The NPRM was prompted by 

a determination that the new and more 

restrictive airworthiness limitations are 

necessary The NPRM proposed to 

require revising the existing 

maintenance or inspection program, as 

applicable, to incorporate new or more 

restrictive airworthiness limitations, as 

specified in EASA AD 2020–0219. 

The FAA is issuing this AD to address 

a safety-significant latent failure (that is 

not annunciated), which, in 

combination with one or more other 

specific failures or events, could result 

in a hazardous or catastrophic failure 

condition. See the MCAI for additional 

background information. 

Comments 

The FAA gave the public the 

opportunity to participate in developing 

this final rule. The following presents 

the comments received on the NPRM 

and the FAA’s response to each 

comment. 

Support for the NPRM 

The Air Line Pilots Association, 

International (ALPA) supported the 

NPRM. 

Request To Clarify the Need for 

Paragraph (i) of the Proposed AD 

Delta Air Lines (Delta) requested 

clarification on the need for paragraph 

(i) of the proposed AD. The commenter 

asked whether the paragraph was 

necessary since paragraph (k) of FAA 

AD 2020–22–16, Amendment 39–21312 

(85 FR 70439, November 5, 2020) (AD 

2020–22–16) allows the use of 

alternative actions/intervals if they are 

later-approved variations or revisions of 

Airbus A318/A319/A320/A321 

Airworthiness Limitation Section (ALS) 

Part 3 Certification Maintenance 

Requirements (CMR) Revision 07 Issue 

02, dated January 17, 2020, as specified 

in EASA AD 2020–0067, dated April 6, 

2020. 

The FAA does not agree that 

paragraph (k) of AD 2020–22–16 makes 

paragraph (i) of this AD unnecessary. 

The intent of paragraph (i) of this AD is 

to clarify that the termination action is 

for specific tasks in ALS Part 3 Variation 

7.1 that were also required in 

accordance with AD 2020–22–16, not 

the entire ALS Part 3 document. 

Although operators are allowed to 

comply with later revisions of that 

document, they are not required to do 

so unless the FAA issues an AD 

requiring the incorporation of that later 

revision. Therefore, without the older 

versions of these tasks being terminated, 

operators would have to show 

compliance with both versions of these 

tasks. No change has been made to this 

AD. 

Request To Clarify the Meaning of 

Paragraph (h) of the Proposed AD 

Delta requested clarification about its 

understanding of paragraph (h) of the 

proposed AD. The commenter said it 

interpreted ‘‘later approved revisions of 

this document’’ to mean later approved 

variations of ALS Part 3, e.g., Variation 

7.2, 7.3, etc. 

The FAA agrees with Delta’s 

interpretation of paragraph (h) of this 

AD. 

Request To Reduce the Number of ADs 

Required for Compliance 

Delta expressed concern that multiple 

ADs would be required for compliance 

with ALS Part 3. The commenter noted 

that EASA AD 2021–0108, dated April 

20, 2021, was recently issued and 

requires incorporating Airbus A318/ 

A319/A320/A321 Airworthiness 

Limitations Section (ALS) Part 3 

Variation 7.3. Delta stated that after the 

FAA AD associated with EASA AD 

2021–0108 is published, operators will 

be required to show compliance with 

three ADs related to Airbus A318/A319/ 

A320/A321 ALS Part 3 instead of the 

usual one. The FAA infers a request by 

Delta to reduce the number of ADs. 

The FAA disagrees with reducing the 

number of ADs. While the FAA 

acknowledges that operators need to 

manage multiple ADs for compliance 

with ALS Part 3 (CMR), the FAA notes 

that two of the three EASA ADs require 

incorporating variations, rather than full 

revisions of Airbus A318/A319/A320/ 

A321 ALS Part 3. Superseding AD 

2020–22–16 would remove the 

requirement to show compliance with 

the full revision of the ALS document, 

potentially introducing an unsafe 

condition. In addition, the FAA notes 

that incorporation of the variations is 

necessary to mitigate an unsafe 

condition. Therefore, no change has 

been made to this AD. 

Conclusion 

The FAA reviewed the relevant data, 

considered the comments received, and 

determined that air safety and the 

public interest require adopting this 

final rule as proposed, except for minor 

editorial changes. The FAA has 

determined that these minor changes: 

• Are consistent with the intent that 

was proposed in the NPRM for 

addressing the unsafe condition; and 

• Do not add any additional burden 

upon the public than was already 

proposed in the NPRM. 

Related Service Information Under 1 

CFR Part 51 

EASA AD 2020–0219 specifies new 

and more restrictive airworthiness 

limitations for certain safety valves. 

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 will 

affect 1,680 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. 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. Therefore, the agency 

estimates the average total cost per 

operator would be $7,650 (90 workhours × $85 per work-hour). 

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: 


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47214 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 161 / Tuesday, August 24, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 

(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. 

Adoption of 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 adding 

the following new airworthiness 

directive: 

2021–16–01 Airbus SAS: Amendment 39– 

21662; Docket No. FAA–2021–0192; 

Project Identifier MCAI–2020–01580–T. 

(a) Effective Date 

This airworthiness directive (AD) is 

effective September 28, 2021. 

(b) Affected ADs 

This AD affects AD 2020–22–16, 

Amendment 39–21312 (85 FR 70439, 

November 5, 2020) (AD 2020–22–16). 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to the following Airbus 

SAS airplanes, certificated in any category, 

with an original airworthiness certificate or 

original export certificate of airworthiness 

issued on or before June 10, 2020: 

(1) Model A318–111, –112, –121, and –122 

airplanes; 

(2) Model A319–111, –112, –113, –114, 

–115, –131, –132, –133, –151N, and –153N 

airplanes; 

(3) Model A320–211, –212, –214, –216, 

–231, –232, –233, –251N, –252N, –253N, 

–271N, –272N, and –273N airplanes; and 

(4) Model A321–111, –112, –131, –211, 

–212, –213, –231, –232, –251N, –252N, 

–253N, –271N, –272N, –251NX, –252NX, 

–253NX, –271NX, and –272NX airplanes. 

(d) Subject 

Air Transport Association (ATA) of 

America Code 05, Time Limits/Maintenance 

Checks. 

(e) Reason 

This AD was prompted by a determination 

that new or more restrictive airworthiness 

limitations are necessary. The FAA is issuing 

this AD to address a safety-significant latent 

failure (that is not annunciated), which, in 

combination with one or more other specific 

failures or events, could result in a hazardous 

or catastrophic failure condition. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Requirements 

Revise the existing maintenance or 

inspection program, as applicable, by 

incorporating task(s) and associated 

thresholds and intervals specified in 

paragraph (3) of European Union Aviation 

Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2020–0219, dated 

October 12, 2020 (EASA AD 2020–0219), 

except you are required to incorporate task(s) 

and associated thresholds and intervals 

within 90 days after the effective date of this 

AD. Record a compliance time for the initial 

tasks of either the applicable ‘‘thresholds’’ 

incorporated by the requirements of 

paragraph (3) of EASA AD 2020–0219 or 90 

days after the effective date of this AD, 

whichever would occur later. 

(h) 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 

2020–0219. 

(i) Terminating Action for Certain 

Requirements of AD 2020–22–16 

Accomplishing the actions required by this 

AD terminates the corresponding 

requirements of AD 2020–22–16, for the tasks 

identified in the service information referred 

to in EASA AD 2020–0219 only. 

(j) Other FAA 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 (k) 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 SAS’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 (j)(2) of this AD, if 

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. 

(k) Related Information 

For more information about this AD, 

contact Sanjay Ralhan, Aerospace Engineer, 

Large Aircraft Section, International 

Validation Branch, FAA, 2200 South 216th 

St, Des Moines, WA 98198; telephone and fax 

206–231–3223; email sanjay.ralhan@faa.gov. 

(l) 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 2020–0219, dated October 12, 

2020. 

(ii) [Reserved] 

(3) For EASA AD 2020–0219, 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. This material may be found 

in the AD docket on the internet at https:// 

www.regulations.gov by searching for and 

locating Docket No. FAA–2021–0192. 

(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 fedreg.legal@

nara.gov, or go to: https://www.archives.gov/ 

federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html. 

Issued on July 20, 2021. 

Gaetano A. Sciortino, 

Deputy Director for Strategic Initiatives, 

Compliance & Airworthiness Division, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–18093 Filed 8–23–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 


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