Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/11/08/2018-24393/airworthiness-directives-airbus-sas
Timestamp: 2019-10-23 12:42:43
Document Index: 720770111

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 3', 'art 39', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3']

Federal Register :: Airworthiness Directives; Airbus SAS
The comment period for the NPRM published in the Federal Register on July 17, 2018 (83 FR 33159), is reopened.
83 FR 55830
55830-55833 (4 pages)
Docket No. FAA-2018-0554
Product Identifier 2018-NM-064-AD
FAA-2018-0554
2018-NM-064-AD Airbus Model A318 series airplanes; Model A319 series airplanes; Model A320 series airplanes; and Model A321-111, -112, -131, -211, -212, -213, -231, -232, ?251N, -253N, and ?271N airplanes
Request To Revise Language Regarding Previously Approved Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
Request To Use Later Revisions of Airbus A318/A319/A320/A321 Airworthiness Limitations Section (ALS) Part 3, Certification Maintenance Requirements (CMR)
FAA's Determination and Proposed Requirements of This SNPRM
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2018-24393 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2018-24393
We are revising an earlier proposal, which would have applied to certain Airbus SAS Model A318 series airplanes; Model A319 series airplanes; Model A320 series airplanes; and Model A321-111, -112, -131, -211, -212, -213, -231, -232, -251N, -253N, and -271N airplanes. This action revises the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) by including revised restrictive requirements and adding airplanes to the applicability. We are proposing this airworthiness directive (AD) to address the unsafe condition on these products. Since these actions impose an additional burden over those proposed in the NPRM, we are reopening the comment period to allow the public the chance to comment on these proposed changes.
We must receive comments on this SNPRM by December 24, 2018.
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 Start Printed Page 55831W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
You may examine the AD docket on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2018-0554; 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 SNPRM, the regulatory evaluation, any comments received, and other information. The street address for Docket Operations (phone: 800-647-5527) is in the ADDRESSES section.
We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include “Docket No. FAA-2018-0554; Product Identifier 2018-NM-064-AD” at the beginning of your comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this SNPRM. We will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend this SNPRM based on those comments.
We issued an NPRM to amend 14 CFR part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to certain Airbus SAS Model A318 series airplanes; Model A319 series airplanes; Model A320 series airplanes; and Model A321-111, -112, -131, -211, -212, -213, -231, -232, -251N, -253N, and -271N airplanes. The NPRM published in the Federal Register on July 17, 2018 (83 FR 33159). The NPRM was prompted by a revision of an airworthiness limitation item (ALI) document, which requires more restrictive maintenance requirements and airworthiness limitations. The NPRM proposed to require revising the maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new maintenance requirements and airworthiness limitations.
Since we issued the NPRM, we have determined that new or more restrictive requirements in revised service information are necessary, and that the identified unsafe condition also exists or may develop on Airbus SAS Model A321-251NX, -252N, -252NX, -253NX, -271NX, -272N, and -272NX airplanes.
Previously, EASA issued AD 2017-0168 to require accomplishment of all maintenance tasks as described in ALS Part 3 at Revision 05.
Airbus SAS has issued Airbus A318/A319/A320/A321 Airworthiness Limitations Section (ALS) Part 3, Certification Maintenance Requirements (CMR), Revision 06, dated June 13, 2018. The service information describes maintenance instructions and airworthiness limitations, including updated inspections and intervals, to be incorporated into the maintenance or inspection program. This service information 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.
Delta Air Lines (DAL) contended that the language used in paragraph (j)(ii) of the proposed AD is inaccurate. DAL pointed out that the phrase “that require incorporation” in paragraph (j)(ii) of the proposed AD should be revised to “that allow incorporation,” on the basis that AMOCs do not require alternative actions, but instead allow them.
We agree with the commenter's request based on the reasons stated. We have revised paragraph (j)(ii) of this AD to use the word “allow” instead of “require.”
DAL proposed revising paragraph (j)(ii) of the proposed AD to add a provision that allows the use of corresponding later approved EASA revisions and variations of the Airbus A318/A319/A320/A321 Airworthiness Limitations Section (ALS) Part 3, Certification Maintenance Requirements (CMR).
We disagree with the commenters' requests. We cannot use the phrase, “or later approved revisions,” in an AD when referring to the service information because doing so violates Office of the Federal Register (OFR) regulations for approval of materials “incorporated by reference” in rules. In general terms, we are required by these OFR regulations to either publish the service document contents as part of the actual AD language; or submit the service document to the OFR for approval as “referenced” material, in which case we may only refer to such material in the text of an AD. The AD may refer to the service document only Start Printed Page 55832if the OFR approved it for “incorporation by reference.” To allow operators to use later revisions of the referenced document (issued after publication of the AD), either we must revise the AD to reference specific later revisions, or operators must request approval to use later revisions as an alternative method of compliance (AMOC) with this AD under the provisions of paragraph (j)(1) of this AD. We have not changed this AD in this regard.
This proposed AD would require revising the maintenance or inspection program to incorporate new or revised airworthiness limitation requirements, as specified in Airbus A318/A319/A320/A321 Airworthiness Limitations Section (ALS) Part 3, Certification Maintenance Requirements (CMR), Revision 06, dated June 13, 2018. The applicability of this proposed AD would also include Airbus SAS Model A321-251NX, -252N, -252NX, -253NX, -271NX, -272N, and -272NX airplanes.
We estimate that this proposed AD affects 1,250 airplanes of U.S. registry. We estimate the following costs to comply with this proposed AD:
Airbus SAS: Docket No. FAA-2018-0554; Product Identifier 2018-NM-064-AD.
This AD was prompted by a revision of an airworthiness limitation item (ALI) document, which requires more restrictive maintenance requirements and airworthiness limitations. We are issuing this AD to address a safety-significant latent failure (that is not annunciated), which, in combination with one or more other specific failures or events, could result in a hazardous or catastrophic failure condition.
Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, unless already done.Start Printed Page 55833
Within 90 days after the effective date of this AD, revise the maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate the information specified in Airbus A318/A319/A320/A321 Airworthiness Limitations Section (ALS) Part 3, Certification Maintenance Requirements (CMR), Revision 06, dated June 13, 2018 (“ALS Part 3, CMR, R6”). The initial compliance time for accomplishing the tasks specified in ALS Part 3, CMR, R6, is at the applicable time specified in ALS Part 3, CMR, R6, or within 90 days after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later.
After the maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, has been revised as required by paragraph (g) of this AD, no alternative actions (e.g., inspections) or intervals may be used unless the actions or intervals are approved as an alternative method of compliance (AMOC) in accordance with the procedures specified in paragraph (j)(1) of this AD.
Issued in Des Moines, Washington, on October 30, 2018.
[FR Doc. 2018-24393 Filed 11-7-18; 8:45 am]