Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 127 / Tuesday, July 5, 2022 / Rules and Regulations 39741 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call (817) 222–5110. 

(5) You may view this service information 

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/ 

ibr-locations.html. 

Issued on June 17, 2022. 

Christina Underwood, 

Acting Director, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2022–14183 Filed 7–1–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2022–0464; Project 

Identifier MCAI–2021–01290–T; Amendment 

39–22097; AD 2022–13–11] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus SAS 

Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for all 

Airbus SAS Model A350–941 and –1041 

airplanes. This AD was prompted by a 

report of inadvertent auto flight system 

(AFS) altitude changes on the flight 

control unit (FCU). This AD requires 

revising the existing airplane flight 

manual (AFM) to include a procedure 

on the use of the AFS control panel ALT 

knob and replacing any affected FCU 

with a serviceable FCU, as specified in 

a European Union Aviation Safety 

Agency (EASA) AD, which is 

incorporated by reference. This AD also 

prohibits the installation of affected 

parts. The FAA is issuing this AD to 

address the unsafe condition on these 

products. 

DATES: This AD is effective August 9, 

2022. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in this AD 

as of August 9, 2022. 

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 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 at 

https://www.regulations.gov by 

searching for and locating Docket No. 

FAA–2022–0464. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket at 

https://www.regulations.gov by 

searching for and locating Docket No. 

FAA–2022–0464; 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, the mandatory continuing 

airworthiness information (MCAI), 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: Dan 

Rodina, Aerospace Engineer, Large 

Aircraft Section, International 

Validation Branch, FAA, 2200 South 

216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; 

telephone and fax 206–231–3225; email 

dan.rodina@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

EASA, which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Union, has issued EASA AD 2021–0260, 

dated November 18, 2021 (EASA AD 

2021–0260) (also referred to as the 

MCAI), to correct an unsafe condition 

for all Airbus SAS Model A350–941 and 

–1041 airplanes. 

The FAA issued a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 

part 39 by adding an AD that would 

apply to all Airbus SAS Model A350– 

941 and –1041 airplanes. The NPRM 

published in the Federal Register on 

April 18, 2022 (87 FR 22816). The 

NPRM was prompted by a report of 

inadvertent AFS altitude changes on the 

FCU. The NPRM proposed to require 

revising the existing AFM to include a 

procedure on the use of the AFS control 

panel ALT knob and replacing any 

affected FCU with a serviceable FCU, as 

specified in EASA AD 2021–0260. The 

NPRM also proposed to prohibit the 

installation of affected parts. 

The FAA is issuing this AD to address 

erroneous target altitude during descent, 

climb, or go-around, which could result 

in an unexpected vertical trajectory 

deviation and loss of correct situational 

awareness that could potentially result 

in uncontrolled impact with the ground. 

See the MCAI for additional background 

information. 

Discussion of Final Airworthiness 

Directive 

Comments 

The FAA received a comment from 

the Air Line Pilots Association, 

International (ALPA) who supported the 

NPRM without change. 

Conclusion 

The FAA reviewed the relevant data, 

considered the comment received, and 

determined that air safety requires 

adopting this AD as proposed. Except 

for minor editorial changes, this AD is 

adopted as proposed in the NPRM. 

None of the changes will increase the 

economic burden on any operator. 

Accordingly, the FAA is issuing this AD 

to address the unsafe condition on these 

products. 

Related Service Information Under 1 

CFR part 51 

EASA AD 2021–0260 describes 

procedures for revising the existing 

AFM to include a procedure on the use 

of the AFS control panel ALT knob and 

replacing any affected FCU having part 

numbers (P/N) C31006AC01 or 

C31006AB01 with a serviceable FCU 

having P/N C31006AD01. 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 

affects 27 airplanes of U.S. registry. The 

FAA estimates the following costs to 

comply with this AD: 

ESTIMATED COSTS FOR REQUIRED ACTIONS

Labor cost Parts cost Cost per 

product 

Cost on U.S. 

operators 

Up to 6 work-hours × $85 per hour = $510 ..................................................................... $27,000 Up to $27,510 ..... Up to $742,770. 


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39742 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 127 / Tuesday, July 5, 2022 / Rules and Regulations 

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: 

(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. 

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: 

2022–13–11 Airbus SAS: Amendment 39– 

22097; Docket No. FAA–2022–0464; 

Project Identifier MCAI–2021–01290–T. 

(a) Effective Date 

This airworthiness directive (AD) is 

effective August 9, 2022. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to all Airbus SAS Model 

A350–941 and –1041 airplanes, certificated 

in any category. 

(d) Subject 

Air Transport Association (ATA) of 

America Code 22, Auto Flight. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by a report of 

inadvertent auto flight system (AFS) altitude 

changes on the flight control unit (FCU); an 

investigation revealed that, depending on the 

ring selection, failure of the ALT knob on the 

FCU could change the target altitude. The 

FAA is issuing this AD to address erroneous 

target altitude during descent, climb, or goaround, which could result in an unexpected 

vertical trajectory deviation and loss of 

correct situational awareness that could 

potentially result in uncontrolled impact 

with the ground. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Requirements 

Except as specified in paragraph (h) of this 

AD: Comply with all required actions and 

compliance times specified in, and in 

accordance with, European Union Aviation 

Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2021–0260, dated 

November 18, 2021 (EASA AD 2021–0260). 

(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2021–0260 

(1) Where EASA AD 2021–0260 refers to its 

effective date, this AD requires using the 

effective date of this AD. 

(2) Where paragraph (1) of EASA AD 2021– 

0260 specifies to ‘‘inform all flight crews, and 

thereafter, operate the aeroplane 

accordingly,’’ this AD does not require those 

actions as those actions are already required 

by existing FAA operating regulations. 

(3) The ‘‘Remarks’’ section of EASA AD 

2021–0260 does not apply to this AD. 

(i) Additional 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 (j) 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. 

(j) Related Information 

For more information about this AD, 

contact Dan Rodina, Aerospace Engineer, 

Large Aircraft Section, FAA, International 

Validation Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des 

Moines, WA 98198; telephone and fax 206– 

231–3225; email dan.rodina@faa.gov. 

(k) Material Incorporated by Reference 

(1) The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 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 2021–0260, dated November 18, 

2021. 

(ii) [Reserved] 

(3) For EASA AD 2021–0260, 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. 

(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 June 14, 2022. 

Christina Underwood, 

Acting Director, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2022–14194 Filed 7–1–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 


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