AD 96-22-15

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to certain Airbus Model A310 and A300-600 series airplanes, that requires repetitive Tap Test inspections to detect debonding of the elevator skins, and corrective actions, if necessary. This amendment is prompted by a report of a debonded area of the upper skin of an elevator that was discovered during a visual inspection. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent the presence of water in the elevator, which could cause debonding of the elevator skins and, consequently, adversely affect the structural integrity of the elevator.

Final rule.

96-22-15 AIRBUS: Amendment 39-9804. Docket 94-NM-222-AD.

Applicability: Model A310 and A300-600 series airplanes equipped with carbon fiber elevators having part number (P/N) A5527605500000 (left-hand side) and P/N A5527605600000 (right-hand side), on which Airbus Modifications 10489 and 10533 have not been accomplished; certificated in any category.

NOTE 1: This AD applies to each airplane identified in the preceding applicability provision, regardless of whether it has been modified, altered, or repaired in the area subject to the requirements of this AD. For airplanes that have been modified, altered, or repaired so that the performance of the requirements of this AD is affected, the owner/operator must request approval for an alternative method of compliance in accordance with paragraph (f) of this AD. The request should include an assessment of the effect of the modification, alteration, or repair on the unsafe condition addressed by this AD; and, if the unsafe condition has not been eliminated, the request should include specific proposed actions to address it.

Compliance: Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously.

To prevent the presence of water in the elevator, which could cause debonding of the elevator skins and, consequently, could affect the structural integrity of the elevator, accomplish the following:

(a) Perform a thermographic inspection to detect any water that is trapped within the elevator structure, in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin A310-55-2016, Revision 1, dated August 8, 1995 (for Model A310 series airplanes); or Airbus Service Bulletin A300-55-6014, Revision 1, dated August 8, 1995 (for Model A300-600 series airplanes); as applicable. Perform the inspection at the time specified in paragraph (a)(1) or (a)(2) of this AD, as applicable.

(1) For airplanes on which CARCOM elevators are installed: Perform the inspection at the later of the times specified in paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) of this AD.

(i) Prior to the accumulation of 4,500 total landings on the elevator, or within 5 years after the first landing on the elevator, whichever occurs later; or

(ii) Within 3 months after the effective date of this AD.

(2) For airplanes on which CASA elevators are installed: Perform the inspection at the later of the times specified in paragraphs (a)(2)(i) and (a)(2)(ii) of this AD.

(i) Prior to the accumulation of 5,000 total landings on the elevator, or within 6 years after the first landing on the elevator, whichever occurs later.

(ii) Within 3 months after the effective date of this AD.

(b) If no water is detected, repeat the thermographic inspection required by paragraph (a) of this AD thereafter at the time specified in paragraph (b)(1) or (b)(2) of this AD, as applicable.

(1) For airplanes on which CARCOM elevators are installed: Repeat the inspection at intervals not to exceed 4,500 landings or 5 years, whichever occurs first;

(2) Forairplanes on which CASA elevators are installed: Repeat the inspection at intervals not to exceed 5,000 landings or 6 years, whichever occurs first.

(c) If any water is detected in the elevator, and the area is within the limits specified in the Accomplishment Instructions of Airbus Service Bulletin A310-55-2016, Revision 1, dated August 8, 1995 (for Model A310 series airplanes); or Airbus Service Bulletin A300-55-6014, Revision 1, dated August 8, 1995 (for Model A300-600 series airplanes); as applicable: Prior to further flight, protect and/or repair the elevator in accordance with the applicable service bulletin. Thereafter, repeat the thermographic inspections required by paragraph (b) of this AD at the times specified in the Accomplishment Instructions of the applicable service bulletin until the replacement of the elevator is accomplished as specified in paragraph (e) of this AD.

(d) If any water is detected in the elevator that exceeds the limits specified in the Accomplishment Instructions of Airbus Service Bulletin A310-55-2016, Revision 1, dated August 8, 1995 (for Model A310 series airplanes); or Airbus Service Bulletin A300-55-6014, Revision 1, dated August 8, 1995 (for Model A300-600 series airplanes); as applicable: Accomplish the requirements of either (d)(1) or (d)(2) of this AD, as applicable.

(1) If any damage is detected that is less than or equal to 60,000 square millimeters or 93 square inches: Prior to further flight, protect or repair and perform repetitive inspections in accordance with the applicable service bulletin.

(2) If any damage is detected that is more than 60,001 square millimeters or 93 square inches: Prior to further flight, perform the requirements of either paragraph (d)(2)(i) or (d)(2)(ii) of this AD.

(i) If the damage is within the limits of the Structural Repair Manual (SRM) (Ref. SRM 55-20-00), accomplish the repair in accordance with the SRM. Or

(ii) Replace the elevator in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin A310-55-2019, Revision 1, dated December 18, 1995 (for Model A310 series airplanes); or Airbus Service Bulletin A300-55-6016, Revision 1, dated December 18, 1995 (for Model A300-600 series airplanes); as applicable. After this replacement is accomplished, no further action is required by this AD.

(e) Replacement of the elevator in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin A310-55-2019, Revision 1, dated December 18, 1995 (for Model A310 series airplanes); or Airbus Service Bulletin A300-55-6016, Revision 1, dated December 18, 1995 (for Model A300-600 series airplanes); as applicable; constitutes terminating action for the requirements of this AD.

(f) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the compliance time that provides an acceptable level of safety may be used if approved by the Manager, Standardization Branch, ANM-113, FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate. Operators shall submit their requests through an appropriate FAA Principal MaintenanceInspector, who may add comments and then send it to the Manager, Standardization Branch, ANM-113.

NOTE 2: Information concerning the existence of approved alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be obtained from the Standardization Branch, ANM-113.

(g) Special flight permits may be issued in accordance with sections 21.197 and 21.199 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 21.197 and 21.199) to operate the airplane to a location where the requirements of this AD can be accomplished.

(h) The actions shall be done in accordance with the following Airbus service bulletins, which contain the specified list of effective pages:

Service Document
Referenced and Date

Page Number
Revision Level
Shown on Page
Date
Shown on Page
A310-55-2016
Revision 1
August 8, 1995
1-55

Appendix 1
pages 1-8
1

Original
August 8, 1995

September 10, 1993
A300-55-6014
Revision 1
August 8, 1995
1-55

Appendix 1
pages 1-8
1

Original
August 8, 1995

September 10, 1993
A310-55-2019
Revision 1
December 18, 1995
1-9
1
December 18, 1995
A300-55-6016
Revision 1
December 18, 1995
1-9
1
December 18, 1995

This incorporation by reference was approved by the Director of the Federal Register in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. Copies may be obtained from Airbus Industrie, 1 Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex, France. Copies may be inspected at the FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington; or at the Office of the Federal Register, 800 North Capitol Street, NW., suite 700, Washington, DC.

(i) This amendment becomes effective on December 11, 1996.

A proposal to amend part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) to include an airworthiness directive (AD) that is applicable to certain Airbus Model A310 and A300-600 series airplanes was published in the Federal Register as a supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on July 12, 1996 (61 FR 36664). That action proposed to require repetitive Tap Test inspections to detect debonding of the elevator skins, and corrective actions, if necessary.

Interested persons have been afforded an opportunity to participate in the making of this amendment. Due consideration has been given to the comments received.

Request to Withdraw the Proposal
The Air Transport Association (ATA) of America, on behalf of two of its member operators, and the manufacturer have no technical objection to the proposal, but request that the FAA withdraw the proposal. These commenters state that the entire affected U.S. fleet has been modified already, so there is no need for an AD.

The FAA does not concur with the commenters request to withdraw the proposal. Even if the current U.S.-registered fleet is in compliance with the requirements of the AD, the issuance of the rule is still necessary to ensure that any affected airplane that is imported and placed on the U.S. register in the future will be required to be in compliance as well. The manufacturer has provided no supporting data to the FAA demonstrating that all of the affected airplanes, worldwide, have been modified; therefore, the possibility exists that an unmodified airplane could be imported to the U.S. at some future time. Issuance of this AD will ensure that any such airplane is modified prior to the time it is permitted to operated in the U.S.

Request to Include Equipment Costs in the Economic Analysis
Two commenters state that their fleet of airplanes have already accomplished the actions of the proposed rule; however, one of the commenters advises that the costof the thermographic inspections required by the proposed rule involves the use of equipment that costs approximately $30,000. The commenter notes that the cost impact information presented in the preamble to the notice does not take this factor into consideration, but it should have.

The FAA does not concur that a change to the information is necessary. The thermographic inspections that the commenter refers to are inspections that must be accomplished in the event that debonding is detected and the amount of it is outside the limits specified in the service bulletin. The economic analysis of the AD is limited only to the cost of actions actually required by the rule. It does not consider the costs of "on condition" actions (that is, actions taken to correct an unsafe condition if found), since those actions would be required to be accomplished, regardless of AD direction, in order to correct an unsafe condition identified in an airplane and to ensure operation of that airplanein an airworthy condition, as required by the Federal Aviation Regulations. In addition, the FAA has taken into consideration that some operators already may have the equipment at their main base, or that such equipment can be rented, borrowed, etc. The FAA also is aware that some manufacturers provide certain equipment on temporary loan to operators. Moreover, based on the previous commenters input that all U.S. operators have previously accomplished the inspections, and the fact that only a single operator commented on the cost of the equipment, the FAA assumes that operators who were required to perform the thermographic inspections found workable ways and means to conduct them.

Reference to Service Bulletin Revision
The FAA has revised the final rule to include a reference to Revision 1 of Airbus Service Bulletins A310-55-2019 and A300-55-6016. This reference to the revision level of the service bulletins was inadvertently omitted from the notice. (The issuance date ofthese service bulletins was correctly cited in the notice as December 18, 1995.)

Conclusion
After careful review of the available data, including the comments noted above, the FAA has determined that air safety and the public interest require the adoption of the rule with the change previously described. The FAA has determined that this change will neither increase the economic burden on any operator nor increase the scope of the AD.

Cost Impact
The FAA estimates that 15 Airbus Model A310 and A300-600 series airplanes of U.S. registry will be affected by this AD, that it will take approximately 5 work hours per airplane to accomplish the required inspections, and that the average labor rate is $60 per work hour. Based on these figures, the cost impact of the AD on U.S. operators is estimated to be $4,500, or $300 per airplane, per inspection cycle.

This cost impact figure is based on assumptions that no operator has yet accomplished any of the requirements of this AD action, and that no operator would accomplish those actions in the future if this AD were not adopted. However, the FAA has been advised that the terminating modification already has been installed on a number of airplanes that are subject to this AD. Therefore, the future economic cost impact of this rule on U.S. operators is expected to be less than the cost impact figure indicated above.

Regulatory Impact
The regulations adopted herein will not have substantial direct effects 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. Therefore, in accordance with Executive Order 12612, it is determined that this final rule does not have sufficient federalism implications to warrant the preparation of a Federalism Assessment.

For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this action (1) is not a "significant regulatory action" under Executive Order 12866; (2) is not a "significant rule" under 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. A final evaluation has been prepared for this action and it is contained in the Rules Docket. A copy of it may be obtained from the Rules Docket at the location provided under the caption "ADDRESSES."

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by reference, Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment
Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration amends part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (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. Section 39.13 is amended by adding the following new airworthiness directive: