[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 180 (Monday, September 19, 2005)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 54854-54856]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-18529]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2005-22456; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-128-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model A321-100 and -200 Series 
Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) 
for certain Airbus Model A321-100 and -200 series airplanes. This 
proposed AD would require replacing the crashworthiness pins on the 
side-stay of the main landing gear (MLG) with new pins having an 
increased internal notch diameter. This proposed AD results from 
testing on the side-stay crashworthiness pins on the MLG, which 
revealed that, in the case of an emergency landing, the crashworthiness 
pins installed will not ensure a correct MLG collapse. We are proposing 
this AD to prevent a punctured fuel tank, which could cause damage to 
the airplane or injury to passengers.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by October 19, 
2005.

ADDRESSES: Use one of the following addresses to submit comments on 
this proposed AD.
    <bullet> DOT Docket Web site: Go to http://dms.dot.gov and follow 
the instructions for sending your comments electronically.
    <bullet> Government-wide rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the instructions for sending your 
comments electronically.
    <bullet> Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-401, 
Washington, DC 20590.
    <bullet> Fax: (202) 493-2251.
    <bullet> Hand Delivery: Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the 
Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. 
and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    For service information identified in this proposed AD, contact 
Airbus, 1 Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex, France.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan Rodina, Aerospace Engineer, 
International Branch, ANM-116, FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 
1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98055-4056; telephone (425) 
227-2125; fax (425) 227-1149.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    We invite you to submit any relevant written data, views, or 
arguments regarding this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address 
listed in the ADDRESSES section. Include the docket number ``FAA-2005-
22456; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-128-AD'' at the beginning of your 
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the proposed AD. We will 
consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend the 
proposed AD in light of those comments.
    We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://dms.dot.gov, including any personal information you provide. We will 
also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact with FAA 
personnel concerning this proposed AD. Using the search function of 
that Web site, anyone can find and read the comments in any of our 
dockets, including the name of the individual who sent the comment (or 
signed the comment on behalf of an association, business, labor union, 
etc.). You may review the DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the 
Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78), or you 
may visit http://dms.dot.gov.

Examining the Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov, or in person at the Docket Management Facility office 
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. The Docket Management Facility office (telephone (800) 647-
5227) is located on the plaza level of the Nassif Building at the DOT 
street address stated in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be 
available in the AD docket shortly after the Docket Management System 
receives them.

Discussion

    The Direction G[eacute]n[eacute]rale de l'Aviation Civile (DGAC), 
which is the airworthiness authority for France, notified us that an 
unsafe condition may exist on certain Airbus Model A321-100 and -200 
series airplanes. The DGAC advises that, during the development 
qualification program of the 93T maximum takeoff weight (MTOW), 
complementary tests performed revealed that the main landing gear (MLG) 
side-stay crashworthiness pins installed with Airbus Modification 24982 
are not compatible. In the case of an emergency landing, the 
crashworthiness pins installed will not ensure a correct MLG collapse, 
and a risk of fuel tank puncture that could cause damage to the 
airplane or injury to passengers could result.

Relevant Service Information

    Airbus has issued Service Bulletin A320-32-1229, dated August 9, 
2001. The service bulletin describes procedures for replacing the 
crashworthiness pin on the MLG side-stay with a new pin having an 
increased internal notch diameter. Accomplishing the actions specified 
in the service information is intended to adequately address the unsafe 
condition. The DGAC mandated the service information and issued French 
airworthiness directive 2002-074(B) R1, dated March 20, 2002, to ensure 
the continued airworthiness of these airplanes in France.
    The Airbus service bulletin refers to Messier-Dowty Service 
Bulletin 201-32-26, dated July 20, 2001, as an additional source of 
service information for replacing the crashworthiness pins.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of the Proposed AD

    These airplane models are manufactured in France and are type

[[Page 54855]]

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. We have examined the DGAC's findings, 
evaluated all pertinent information, and determined that we need to 
issue an AD for airplanes of this type design that are certificated for 
operation in the United States.
    Therefore, we are proposing this AD, which would require 
accomplishing the actions specified in the service information 
described previously, except as discussed below.

Difference Between Proposed AD and French Airworthiness Directive

    The applicability of the French airworthiness directive excludes 
airplanes on which Airbus Service Bulletin A320-32-1229 was 
accomplished in service. However, we have not excluded those airplanes 
in the applicability of this proposed AD; rather, this proposed AD 
would include a requirement to accomplish the actions specified in that 
service bulletin. This proposed requirement would ensure that the 
actions specified in the service bulletin are accomplished on all 
affected airplanes. Operators must continue to operate the airplane in 
the configuration required by this proposed AD unless an alternative 
method of compliance is approved.

Costs of Compliance

    The following table provides the estimated costs for U.S. operators 
to comply with this proposed AD.

                                                                     Estimated Costs
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                                                                                                                        Number of U.S.-
                      Action                           Work hours     Average labor        Parts           Cost per        registered       Fleet cost
                                                                      rate per hour                        airplane        airplanes
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Pin replacement...................................               2              $65               $0             $130                1             $130
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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.

Regulatory Findings

    We have 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 that the 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. 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.
    We prepared a regulatory evaluation of the estimated costs to 
comply with this proposed AD and placed it in the AD docket. See the 
ADDRESSES section for a location to examine the regulatory evaluation.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, 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.


Sec.  39.13  [Amended]

    2. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) amends Sec.  39.13 by 
adding the following new airworthiness directive (AD):

Airbus: Docket No. FAA-2005-22456; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-
128-AD.

Comments Due Date

    (a) The FAA must receive comments on this AD action by October 
19, 2005.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Airbus Model A321-111, -112, and -131 
airplanes; and Model A321-211 and -231 airplanes; certificated in 
any category, including airplanes modified in production by Airbus 
Modification 24982, but excluding airplanes modified in production 
by Airbus Modification 30046.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from testing on the side-stay 
crashworthiness pins on the main landing gear (MLG), which revealed 
that, in the case of an emergency landing, the crashworthiness pins 
installed will not ensure a correct MLG collapse. We are issuing 
this AD to prevent a punctured fuel tank, which could cause damage 
to the airplane or injury to passengers.

Compliance

    (e) You are responsible for having the actions required by this 
AD performed within the compliance times specified, unless the 
actions have already been done.

Pin Replacement

    (f) Within 27 months after the effective date of this AD, 
replace any crashworthiness pin having part number 201525620 with 
part number 201525621, in accordance with the Accomplishment 
Instructions of Airbus Service Bulletin A320-32-1229, dated August 
9, 2001.

    Note 1: Airbus Service Bulletin A320-32-1229 refers to Messier-
Dowty Service Bulletin 201-32-26, dated July 20, 2001, as an 
additional source of service information for replacing the 
crashworthiness pins.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (g) The Manager, International Branch, ANM-116, Transport 
Airplane Directorate, FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs for 
this AD, if requested in accordance with the procedures found in 14 
CFR 39.19.

[[Page 54856]]

Related Information

    (h) French airworthiness directive 2002-074(B) R1, dated March 
20, 2002, also addresses the subject of this AD.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on September 9, 2005.
Kalene C. Yanamura,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 05-18529 Filed 9-16-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P