Document ID: FAA-2013-0973-0001
Agency: faa
Document Type: Proposed Rule
Title: Airworthiness Directives: Airbus Airplanes
Posted Date: 2013-11-22T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 226 (Friday, November 22, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 70003-70005]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-28120]

 ========================================================================
 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
 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.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 226 / Friday, November 22, 2013 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 70003]]

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2013-0973; Directorate Identifier 2013-NM-139-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all 
Airbus Model A300 series airplanes; Airbus Model A300 B4-600, B4-600R, 
and F4-600R series airplanes, and Model A300 C4-605R Variant F 
airplanes (collectively called Model A300-600 series airplanes); and 
A310 series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of 
failures of the right inner tank fuel pump. This proposed AD would 
require repetitive functional tests of the circuit breakers for the 
fuel pump power supply, and replacement of any circuit breaker that 
fails any functional test or is found to be stuck closed. We are 
proposing this AD to detect and correct failure of the thermal fuses in 
the fuel pumps, which could result in a fuel pump overheating, leading 
to a fuel tank explosion.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by January 6, 2014.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://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: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket 
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., 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 SAS, Airworthiness Office--EAW, 1 Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 
31707 Blagnac Cedex, France; telephone +33 5 61 93 36 96; fax +33 5 61 
93 44 51; email account.airworth-eas@airbus.com; Internet http://www.airbus.com. You may view this referenced service information at the 
FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA. 
For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 
425-227-1221.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov; or in person at the Docket Management Facility 
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. The AD docket contains this proposed AD, the regulatory 
evaluation, any comments received, and other information. The street 
address for the Docket Operations office (telephone (800) 647-5527) is 
in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket 
shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan Rodina, Aerospace Engineer, 
International Branch, ANM-116, Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 
1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057-3356; telephone (425) 227-2125; 
fax (425) 227-1149.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited

    We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address 
listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2013-0973; 
Directorate Identifier 2013-NM-139-AD'' at the beginning of your 
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed AD. We 
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend 
this proposed AD based on those comments.
    We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We 
will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we 
receive about this proposed AD.

Discussion

    The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical 
Agent for the Member States of the European Community, has issued EASA 
Airworthiness Directive 2013-0163, dated July 24, 2013 (referred to 
after this as the Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information, or 
``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition for the specified 
products. The MCAI states:

    Two successive failures have been reported of a Right Hand 
 1 inner tank fuel pump, Part Number 2052Cxx series (with 
placeholder ``xx'' indicating numerals). The fix consisted in the 
replacement of the pump, the associated circuit breaker and the AC 
[alternating current] bus load relay.
    Investigations determined that, in case of loss of one phase on 
the pump supply and the associated circuit breaker failing to trip, 
the fuel pump thermal fuses may not operate as quickly as expected.
    This condition, if not detected and corrected, would result in 
an overheat condition of the fuel pump in excess of 200 [deg]C and 
could lead to a fuel tank explosion.
    To address this potential unsafe condition, Airbus issued Alert 
Operator Transmission (AOT) A28W002-13 providing instructions for a 
functional test of circuit breakers and corrective action.
    For the reasons described above, as a temporary measure until 
further notice, this [EASA] AD mandates functional tests of the 
affected fuel pump power supply circuit breakers, and, depending on 
findings, replacement of circuit breakers.
    This [EASA] AD will be followed by further [EASA] AD action.

    You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating it in Docket No. 
FAA-2013-0973.

Relevant Service Information

    Airbus has issued Alert Operators Transmission A28W002-13, dated 
July 23, 2013. The actions described in this service information are 
intended to correct the unsafe condition identified in the MCAI.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of This Proposed AD

    This product has been approved by the aviation authority of another 
country, and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant 
to our

[[Page 70004]]

bilateral agreement with the State of Design Authority, we have been 
notified of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI and service 
information referenced above. We are proposing this AD because we 
evaluated all pertinent information and determined an unsafe condition 
exists and is likely to exist or develop on other products of the same 
type design.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD affects 156 airplanes of U.S. 
registry.
    We estimate the following costs to comply with this proposed AD:

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                  Cost on U.S.
             Action                     Labor cost           Parts cost     Cost per product       operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Repetitive functional tests....  1 work-hour x $85 per                $0   $85 per test......  $ 13,260 per
                                  hour = $85 per test.                                          test.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We have received no definitive data that would enable us to provide 
cost estimates for the on-condition actions specified in this proposed 
AD.

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 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. Is not a ``significant rule'' under the DOT Regulatory Policies 
and Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979);
    3. Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska; and
    4. 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 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.

Sec.  39.13  [Amended]

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

Airbus: Docket No. FAA-2013-0973; Directorate Identifier 2013-NM-
139-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by January 6, 2014.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to the Airbus airplanes specified in paragraphs 
(c)(1), (c)(2), (c)(3), (c)(4), (c)(5), and (c)(6) of this AD; 
certificated in any category; all serial numbers.
    (1) Model A300 B2-1A, B2-1C, B2K-3C, B2-203, B4-2C, B4-103, and 
B4-203 airplanes.
    (2) Model A300 B4-601, B4-603, B4-620, and B4-622 airplanes.
    (3) Model A300 B4-605R and B4-622R airplanes.
    (4) Model A300 F4-605R and F4-622R airplanes.
    (5) Model A300 C4-605R Variant F airplanes.
    (6) Model A310-203, -204, -221, -222, -304, 322, -324, and -325 
airplanes.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 28, Fuel.

(e) Reason

    This AD was prompted by reports of failures of the right inner 
tank fuel pump. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct failure 
of the thermal fuses in the fuel pumps, which could result in a fuel 
pump overheating, leading to a fuel tank explosion.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Repetitive Functional Tests of Circuit Breakers

    (1) Within 6 months or 500 flight hours after the effective date 
of this AD, whichever occurs first: Do a functional test of the 
circuit breakers for the fuel pump power supply, as identified in 
paragraphs (g)(1)(i), (g)(1)(ii), and (g)(1)(iii) of this AD, as 
applicable, in accordance with Airbus Alert Operators Transmission 
A28W002-13, dated July 23, 2013. Repeat the functional test 
thereafter at intervals not to exceed 6 months or 500 flight hours, 
whichever occurs first.
    (i) For Airbus Model A300 B2-1A, B2-1C, B2K-3C, and B2-203 
airplanes: Inner and outer pump, No. 1 and No. 2 left-hand (LH) side 
and right-hand (RH) side.
    (ii) For Airbus Model A300 B4-2C, B4-103, B4-203, B4-601, B4-
603, B4-620, and B4-622 airplanes; and A310-203, -204, -221, and -
222 airplanes:
    (A) Inner and outer pump, No. 1 and No. 2, LH and RH; and
    (B) Center pump, LH and RH.
    (iii) For Airbus Model A300 B4-605R, B4-622R, F4-605R, F4-622R, 
and C4-605R Variant F airplanes; and A310-304, -322, -324, and -325 
airplanes:
    (A) Inner and outer pump, No. 1 and No. 2, LH and RH; and
    (B) Center pump, LH and RH; and
    (C) Trim tank pump No. 1 and No. 2.
    (2) If, during any functional test required by paragraph (g)(1) 
of this AD, any circuit breaker fails any functional test, or any 
circuit breaker is found to be stuck closed, before further flight, 
replace the affected circuit breaker with a serviceable part, in 
accordance with Airbus Alert Operators Transmission A28W002-13, 
dated July 23, 2013.
    (3) The replacement of one or more circuit breakers as required 
by paragraph (g)(2) of this AD does not terminate the repetitive 
functional tests required by paragraph (g)(1) of this AD.

(h) Other FAA AD Provisions

    The following provisions also apply to this AD:

[[Page 70005]]

    (1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, 
International Branch, ANM-116, Transport Airplane Directorate, 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 local Flight 
Standards District Office, as appropriate. If sending information 
directly to the International Branch, send it to ATTN: Dan Rodina, 
Aerospace Engineer, International Branch, ANM-116, Transport 
Airplane Directorate, FAA, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057-
3356; telephone (425) 227-2125; fax (425) 227-1149. Information may 
be emailed to: 9-ANM-116-AMOC-REQUESTS@faa.gov. Before using any 
approved AMOC, notify your appropriate principal inspector, or 
lacking a principal inspector, the manager of the local flight 
standards district office/certificate holding district office. The 
AMOC approval letter must specifically reference this AD.
    (2) Airworthy Product: For any requirement in this AD to obtain 
corrective actions from a manufacturer, use these actions if they 
are FAA-approved. Corrective actions are considered FAA-approved if 
they were approved by the State of Design Authority (or its 
delegated agent or the Design Approval Holder with a State of Design 
Authority's design organization approval). For a repair method to be 
approved, the repair approval must specifically refer to this AD. 
You are required to ensure the product is airworthy before it is 
returned to service.

(i) Related Information

    (1) Refer to Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information 
European Aviation Safety Agency Airworthiness Directive 2013-0163, 
dated July 24, 2013, for related information. This MCAI may be found 
in the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by 
searching for and locating it in Docket No. FAA-2013-0973.
    (2) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Airbus SAS, Airworthiness Office--EAW, 1 Rond Point Maurice 
Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex, France; telephone +33 5 61 93 36 96; 
fax +33 5 61 93 44 51; email account.airworth-eas@airbus.com; 
Internet http://www.airbus.com. You may view this service 
information at the FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind 
Avenue SW., Renton, WA. For information on the availability of this 
material at the FAA, call 425-227-1221.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on November 15, 2013.
John P. Piccola,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-28120 Filed 11-21-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P