Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 83 / Monday, April 30, 2001 / Proposed Rules 21291

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 2000–NM–415–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model

A319, A320, and A321 Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking

(NPRM).

SUMMARY: This document proposes the

supersedure of an existing airworthiness

directive (AD), applicable to certain

Airbus Model A319, A320, and A321

series airplanes, that currently requires

modification of the forward and aft

evacuation slide systems by replacing

the Velcro restraints for the support logs

with frangible link restraints. This

action would reduce the time to

accomplish the modification from 3

years to 9 months. This proposal is

prompted by issuance of mandatory

continuing airworthiness information by

a foreign civil airworthiness authority.

The actions specified by the proposed

AD are intended to prevent the

ingestion of sill support-log material

into the aspirator of the evacuation

slide, which could result in failure of

the slide to inflate.

DATES: Comments must be received by

May 30, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in

triplicate to the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Transport

Airplane Directorate, ANM–114,

Attention: Rules Docket No. 2000–NM–

415–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. Comments may be

submitted via fax to (425) 227–1232.

Comments may also be sent via the

Internet using the following address: 9-

anm-nprmcomment@faa.gov. Comments

sent via fax or the Internet must contain

‘‘Docket No. 2000–NM–415–AD’’ in the

subject line and need not be submitted

in triplicate. Comments sent via the

Internet as attached electronic files must

be formatted in Microsoft Word 97 for

Windows or ASCII text.

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: Tim

Dulin, Aerospace Engineer, ANM–116,

FAA, International Branch, FAA, 1601

Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington

98055–4056; telephone (425) 227–2141;

fax (425) 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 action may be changed in light

of the comments received.

Submit comments using the following

format:

• Organize comments issue-by-issue.

For example, discuss a request to

change the compliance time and a

request to change the service bulletin

reference as two separate issues.

• For each issue, state what specific

change to the proposed AD is being

requested.

• Include justification (e.g., reasons or

data) for each request.

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 action

must submit a self-addressed, stamped

postcard on which the following

statement is made: ‘‘Comments to

Docket Number 2000–NM–415–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–114, Attention: Rules Docket No.

2000–NM–415–AD, 1601 Lind Avenue,

SW., Renton, Washington 98055–4056.

Discussion

On February 15, 2000, the FAA issued

AD 2000–04–06, amendment 39–11588

(65 FR 9212, February 24, 2000),

applicable to certain Airbus Model

A319, A320, and A321 series airplanes,

to require modification of the forward

and aft evacuation slide systems by

replacing the Velcro restraints for the

support logs with frangible link

restraints. That action was prompted by

issuance of mandatory continuing

airworthiness information by a foreign

civil airworthiness authority. The

requirements of that AD are intended to

prevent the ingestion of sill support-log

material into the aspirator of the

evacuation slide, which could result in

failure of the slide to inflate.

Actions Since Issuance of Previous Rule

Since the issuance of AD 2000–04–06,

there have been additional incidents of

the evacuation slide failing to inflate,

due to the ingestion of sill support-log

material into the aspirator of the slide.

French Airworthiness Directives

After receiving additional reports of

failure of the evacuation slide to inflate,

the Direction Ge ́ne ́rale de l’Aviation

Civile (DGAC), which is the

airworthiness authority for France,

issued Revision 1 to French

airworthiness directive 2000–359–

152(B), dated November 29, 2000, to

reduce the compliance time for

accomplishment of the modification in

order to assure the continued

airworthiness of these airplanes in

France.

FAA’s Conclusions

These airplane models are

manufactured in France and are 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 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

supersede AD 2000–04–06 to continue

21292 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 83 / Monday, April 30, 2001 / Proposed Rules

to require modification of the forward

and aft evacuation slide systems by

replacing the Velcro restraints for the

support logs with frangible link

restraints. The proposed AD would

shorten the compliance time from 3

years after the effective date of AD

2000–04–06 to 9 months after the

effective date of the proposed AD. All

other requirements of AD 2000–04–06

would remain the same.

Cost Impact

There are approximately 202

airplanes of U.S. registry that would be

affected by this proposed AD.

The modification that is currently

required by AD 2000–04–06 and

retained in this proposed AD was

previously reported to take

approximately 1 work hour per airplane

to accomplish. That modification,

however, is now estimated to take

approximately 5 work hours per

airplane to accomplish. The average

labor rate is $60 per work hour. There

is no charge for required parts. Based on

these figures, the cost impact of the

proposed AD on U.S. operators is

estimated to be $60,600, or $300 per

airplane.

The cost impact figure discussed

above is based on assumptions that no

operator has yet accomplished any of

the current or 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 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. Therefore,

it is determined that this proposal

would not have federalism implications

under Executive Order 13132.

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.

§ 39.13 [Amended]

2. Section 39.13 is amended by

removing amendment 39–11588 (65 FR

9212, February 4, 2000), and by adding

a new airworthiness directive (AD), to

read as follows:

Airbus Industrie: Docket 2000–NM–415–AD.

Supersedes AD 2000–04–06,

Amendment 39–11588.

Applicability: Model A319, A320, and

A321 series airplanes; certificated in any

category; equipped with any emergency

evacuation slide having a part number (P/N)

listed as:

D31516–103

D31516–105

D31516–107

D31516–109

D31517–103

D31517–105

D31517–107

D31517–109

Note 1: This AD applies to each airplane

identified in the preceding applicability

provision, regardless of whether it has been

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 (c) 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 ingestion of sill support-log

material into the aspirator of the escape slide

which could result in failure of the escape

slide to inflate, accomplish the following:

Modification

(a) Within 9 months after the effective date

of this AD, modify the forward and aft

emergency evacuation slides by replacing the

Velcro restraints for the support logs with

frangible link restraints, in accordance with

Airbus Service Bulletin A320–25–1215,

dated April 29, 1999.

Note 2: Airbus Service Bulletin A320–25–

1215 refers to Air Cruisers Service Bulletin

004–25–51, dated February 26, 1999, as an

additional source of service information for

accomplishment of the modification.

Spares

(b) As of the effective date of this AD, no

person shall install on any airplane an

emergency evacuation slide having P/N

D31516–103, D31516–105, D31516–107,

D31516–109, D31517–103, D31517–105,

D31517–107, or D31517–109.

Alternative Methods of Compliance

(c) 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,

International Branch, ANM–116, 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, International Branch,

ANM–116.

Note 3: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the International Branch,

ANM–116.

Special Flight Permits

(d) 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.

Note 4: The subject of this AD is addressed

in French airworthiness directive 2000–359–

152(B) R1, dated November 29, 2000.

Issued in Renton, Washington, on April 23,

2001.

Donald L. Riggin,

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 01–10595 Filed 4–27–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–39–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 2000–NM–390–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model

A300 F4–605R Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking

(NPRM).

SUMMARY: This document proposes the

adoption of a new airworthiness

directive (AD) that is applicable to

certain Airbus Model A300 F4–605R