Document ID: FAA-2021-1059-0001
Agency: faa
Document Type: Proposed Rule
Title: Airworthiness Directives: Airbus SAS Airplanes
Posted Date: 2021-12-17T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 240 (Friday, December 17, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 71587-71589]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-27287]

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 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
 
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 

  Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 240 / Friday, December 17, 2021 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 71587]]

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2021-1059; Project Identifier MCAI-2021-00797-T]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus SAS Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) 
for all Airbus SAS Model A350-941 and -1041 airplanes. This proposed AD 
was prompted by a report that in the event of a specific discrete wire 
failure, the landing gear extension and retraction system (LGERS) may 
not be able to complete landing gear retraction when commanded by 
moving the landing gear lever to the UP position. This proposed AD 
would require revising the operator's existing FAA-approved minimum 
equipment list (MEL) for the landing gear extension and retraction 
system, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) 
AD, which is proposed for incorporation by reference. The FAA is 
proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this proposed AD by January 31, 
2022.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR 
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
     Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket 
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
     Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    For material that will be incorporated by reference (IBR) in this 
AD, contact EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; 
telephone +49 221 8999 000; email [email protected]; internet 
www.easa.europa.eu. You may find this 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-2021-1059.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket at https://www.regulations.gov by 
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2021-1059; 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 NPRM, the 
mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI), any comments 
received, and other information. The street address for Docket 
Operations is listed above.

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 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed 
under ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2021-1059; Project Identifier 
MCAI-2021-00797-T'' at the beginning of your comments. The most helpful 
comments reference a specific portion of the proposal, explain the 
reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data. The FAA 
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend 
this proposal because of those comments.
    Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in 
the following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR 
11.35, the FAA will post all comments received, without change, to 
https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you 
provide. The agency will also post a report summarizing each 
substantive verbal contact received about this NPRM.

Confidential Business Information

    CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily 
and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of 
Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public 
disclosure. If your comments responsive to this NPRM contain commercial 
or financial information that is customarily treated as private, that 
you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to 
this NPRM, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted 
comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission containing 
CBI as ``PROPIN.'' The FAA will treat such marked submissions as 
confidential under the FOIA, and they will not be placed in the public 
docket of this NPRM. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to 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 [email protected]. Any 
commentary that the FAA receives which is not specifically designated 
as CBI will be placed in the public docket for this rulemaking.

Background

    EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the 
European Union, has issued EASA AD 2021-0161, dated July 6, 2021 (EASA 
AD 2021-0161), to correct an unsafe condition for all Airbus SAS Model 
A350-941 and -1041 airplanes.
    This proposed AD was prompted by a report that, in the event of a 
specific discrete wire failure, the LGERS may not be able to complete 
landing gear retraction when commanded by moving the landing gear lever 
to the UP position. The FAA is proposing this AD to address this 
condition, which, if one engine is inoperative at takeoff, could lead 
to a reduction of the flight path clearance and possibly result in 
damage

[[Page 71588]]

to the airplane and injury to occupants. See the MCAI for additional 
background information.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    EASA AD 2021-0161 describes procedures for revising the landing 
gear extension and retraction system for master minimum equipment list 
(MMEL) item 32-31-01. 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.

FAA's Determination

    This product has been approved by the aviation authority of another 
country and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to 
the FAA's bilateral agreement with the State of Design Authority, it 
has notified the FAA of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI 
referenced above. The FAA is issuing this NPRM after determining that 
the unsafe condition described previously is likely to exist or develop 
in other products of the same type design.

Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM

    This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified 
in EASA AD 2021-0161 described previously, except for any differences 
identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of this proposed AD.
    EASA AD 2021-0161 requires operators to ``inform all flight crews'' 
of revisions to the MMEL, and thereafter to ``operate the aeroplane 
accordingly.'' However, this proposed AD would not specifically require 
those actions as they are already required by FAA regulations. FAA 
regulations (14 CFR 121.628(a)(2)) require operators to provide pilots 
with access to all of the information contained in the operator's MEL. 
Furthermore, 14 CFR 121.628(a)(5) requires airplanes to be operated 
under all applicable conditions and limitations contained in the 
operator's MEL. Therefore, including a requirement in this proposed AD 
to operate the airplane according to the revised MEL would be redundant 
and unnecessary. Further, compliance with such a requirement in an AD 
would be impracticable to demonstrate or track on an ongoing basis; 
therefore, a requirement to operate the airplane in such a manner would 
be unenforceable.

Explanation of Required Compliance Information

    In the FAA's ongoing efforts to improve the efficiency of the AD 
process, the FAA developed a process to use some civil aviation 
authority (CAA) ADs as the primary source of information for compliance 
with requirements for corresponding FAA ADs. The FAA has been 
coordinating this process with manufacturers and CAAs. As a result, the 
FAA proposes to incorporate EASA AD 2021-0161 by reference in the FAA 
final rule. This proposed AD would, therefore, require compliance with 
EASA AD 2021-0161 in its entirety through that incorporation, except 
for any differences identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of 
this proposed AD. Using common terms that are the same as the heading 
of a particular section in EASA AD 2021-0161 does not mean that 
operators need comply only with that section. For example, where the AD 
requirement refers to ``all required actions and compliance times,'' 
compliance with this AD requirement is not limited to the section 
titled ``Required Action(s) and Compliance Time(s)'' in EASA AD 2021-
0161. Service information required by EASA AD 2021-0161 for compliance 
will be available at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and 
locating Docket No. FAA-2021-1059 after the FAA final rule is 
published.

Costs of Compliance

    The FAA estimates that this proposed AD would affect 19 airplanes 
of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with 
this proposed AD:

                                      Estimated Costs for Required Actions
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                    Cost per       Cost on U.S.
                          Labor cost                              Parts cost        product         operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 work-hours x $85 per hour = $170...........................              $0             $170           $3,230
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

    The FAA 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 this proposed 
regulation:
    (1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive 
Order 12866,
    (2) Would not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
    (3) Would 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 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

0
1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.

[[Page 71589]]

Sec.  39.13   [Amended]

0
2. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness 
directive:

Airbus SAS: Docket No. FAA-2021-1059; Project Identifier MCAI-2021-
00797-T.

(a) Comments Due Date

    The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive 
(AD) by January 31, 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 32, Landing 
gear.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by a report that in the event of a specific 
discrete wire failure, the landing gear extension and retraction 
system (LGERS) may not be able to complete landing gear retraction 
when commanded by moving the landing gear lever to the UP position. 
The FAA is issuing this AD to address this condition, which, if one 
engine is inoperative at takeoff, could lead to a reduction of the 
flight path clearance and possibly result in damage to the airplane 
and injury to occupants.

(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, EASA AD 2021-0161, dated July 6, 2021 (EASA AD 
2021-0161).

(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2021-0161

    (1) Where EASA AD 2021-0161 refers to its effective date, this 
AD requires using the effective date of this AD.
    (2) Whereas paragraph (1) of EASA AD 2021-0161 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 2021-0161 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)(2) of 
this AD. Information may be emailed to: [email protected]. 
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 (i)(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.

(j) Related Information

    (1) For EASA AD 2021-0161, contact EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 
50668 Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221 8999 000; email 
[email protected]; internet www.easa.europa.eu. You may find this 
EASA AD 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. This material may be found in the AD docket at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-
2021-1059.
    (2) For more information about this AD, 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 [email protected].

    Issued on December 2, 2021.
Lance T. Gant,
Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-27287 Filed 12-16-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P