AD 2006-22-07

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Model A300 and A310 airplanes and A300-600 series airplanes. This AD requires inspecting for discrepancies of all electrical bundles located in the leading and trailing edges of the wings, and performing corrective actions if necessary. This AD results from fuel system reviews conducted by the manufacturer. We are issuing this AD to prevent an ignition source, which, in combination with flammable fuel vapors, could result in a fuel tank explosion and consequent loss of the airplane.

Final rule.

2006-22-07 Airbus: Amendment 39-14804. Docket No. FAA-2006-25221; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-122-AD.

Effective Date

(a) This AD becomes effective December 1, 2006.

Affected ADs

(b) None.

Applicability

(c) This AD applies to all Airbus Model A300 and A310 airplanes; and all Airbus Model A300 B4-601, B4-603, B4-620, B4-622, B4-605R, B4-622R, F4-605R, and F4-622R airplanes, and A300 C4-605R Variant F airplanes; certificated in any category.

Unsafe Condition

(d) This AD results from fuel system reviews conducted by the manufacturer. We are issuing this AD to prevent an ignition source, which, in combination with flammable fuel vapors, could result in a fuel tank explosion and consequent loss of the airplane.

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.

Service Bulletin References

(f) The term "service bulletin," as used in this AD, means the Accomplishment Instructions of the following service bulletins, as applicable:
(1) For Model A300 airplanes: Airbus Service Bulletin A300-24- 0102, including Appendix 01, dated December 15, 2005;
(2) For Model A310 airplanes: Airbus Service Bulletin A310-24- 2095, including Appendix 01, dated December 15, 2005; and
(3) For Model A300 B4-601, B4-603, B4-620, B4-622, B4-605R, B4- 622R, F4-605R, and F4-622R airplanes, and A300 C4-605R Variant F airplanes: Airbus Service Bulletin A300-24-6092, including Appendix 01, dated December 15, 2005.

Inspections and Corrective Actions

(g) Within 44 months after the effective date of this AD, perform detailed inspections for discrepancies of all electrical bundles located in the leading and trailing edges of the wings, and all applicable corrective actions, by doing all of the actions in the service bulletin, except as provided by paragraph (h) of this AD. All corrective actions must be done beforefurther flight.

Note 1: For the purposes of this AD, a detailed inspection is: "An intensive examination of a specific item, installation, or assembly to detect damage, failure, or irregularity. Available lighting is normally supplemented with a direct source of good lighting at an intensity deemed appropriate. Inspection aids such as mirror, magnifying lenses, etc., may be necessary. Surface cleaning and elaborate procedures may be required."

Exception to Corrective Action Instructions

(h) If inadequate clearance is found between any electrical wire harness and adjacent components or structure: Before further flight, correct the inadequate clearance using a method approved by either the Manager, International Branch, ANM-116, Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA; or the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) (or its delegated agent).

Reporting

(i) Within 30 days after doing the inspections required by this AD, or within 30 days after the effective date of the AD, whichever is later: Submit a report of the findings (both positive and negative) of the inspections required by paragraph (g) of this AD to Airbus Engineering, c/o SE-E54, 1 Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex, France. The report must include the airplane serial number or registration number, the number of flight cycles and flight hours on the airplane, the date of the inspection, the location of the defect, the conditions found, and the type of repair. Submitting Appendix 01 of the service bulletin to Airbus is acceptable for compliance with this requirement. Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved the information collection requirements contained in this AD and has assigned OMB Control Number 2120-0056.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

(j)(1) The Manager, International Branch, ANM-116, Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs forthis AD, if requested in accordance with the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.
(2) Before using any AMOC approved in accordance with Sec. 39.19 on any airplane to which the AMOC applies, notify the appropriate principal inspector in the FAA Flight Standards Certificate Holding District Office.

Related Information

(k) EASA airworthiness directive 2006-0076, dated April 3, 2006, also addresses the subject of this AD.

Material Incorporated by Reference

(l) You must use Airbus Service Bulletin A300-24-0102, including Appendix 01, dated December 15, 2005; Airbus Service Bulletin A310- 24-2095, including Appendix 01, dated December 15, 2005; or Airbus Service Bulletin A300-24-6092, including Appendix 01, dated December 15, 2005; as applicable; to perform the actions that are required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of these documents in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. Contact Airbus, 1 Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex, France, for a copy of this service information. You may review copies at the Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Room PL-401, Nassif Building, Washington, DC; on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov; or at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material at the NARA, call (202) 741-6030, or go to http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html .

Examining the Docket

You may examine the airworthiness directive (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 street address stated in the ADDRESSES section.

Discussion

The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 to include an AD that would apply to all Airbus Model A300 and A310 airplanes and A300-600 series airplanes. That NPRM was published in the Federal Register on June 30, 2006 (71 FR 37512). That NPRM proposed to require inspecting for discrepancies of all electrical bundles located in the leading and trailing edges of the wings, and performing corrective actions if necessary.

Comments

We provided the public the opportunity to participatein the development of this AD. We have considered the comment received.

Request To Change Incorporation of Certain Information

The Modification and Replacement Parts Association (MARPA) states that, typically, airworthiness directives are based on service information originating with the type certificate holder or its suppliers. MARPA adds that manufacturer service documents are privately authored instruments generally having copyright protection against duplication and distribution. MARPA notes that when a service document is incorporated by reference into a public document, such as an airworthiness directive, it loses its private, protected status and becomes a public document. MARPA adds that if a service document is used as a mandatory element of compliance, it should not simply be referenced, but should be incorporated into the regulatory document; by definition, public laws must be public, which means they cannot rely upon private writings. MARPA adds that incorporated-by-reference service documents should be made available to the public by publication in the Document Management System (DMS), keyed to the action that incorporates them. MARPA notes that the stated purpose of the incorporated-by-reference method is brevity, to keep from expanding the Federal Register needlessly by publishing documents already in the hands of the affected individuals; traditionally, "affected individuals" means aircraft owners and operators, who are generally provided service information by the manufacturer. MARPA adds that a new class of affected individuals has emerged, since the majority of aircraft maintenance is now performed by specialty shops instead of aircraft owners and operators. MARPA notes that this new class includes maintenance and repair organizations, component servicing and repair shops, parts purveyors and distributors, and organizations manufacturing or servicing alternatively certified parts under part 21 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFRpart 21), Sec. 21.303 (parts manufacturer approval). MARPA adds that the concept of brevity is now nearly archaic as documents exist more frequently in electronic format than on paper. Therefore, MARPA asks that the service documents deemed essential to the accomplishment of the NPRM be incorporated by reference into the regulatory instrument, and published in the DMS.

We do not agree that documents should be incorporated by reference during the NPRM phase of rulemaking. The Office of the Federal Register (OFR) requires that documents that are necessary to accomplish the requirements of the AD be incorporated by reference during the final rule phase of rulemaking. This final rule incorporates by reference the documents necessary for the accomplishment of the requirements mandated by this AD. Further, we point out that while documents that are incorporated by reference do become public information, they do not lose their copyright protection. For that reason, we advise the publicto contact the manufacturer to obtain copies of the referenced service information.

Additionally, we do not publish service documents in DMS. We are currently reviewing our practice of publishing proprietary service information. Once we have thoroughly examined all aspects of this issue, and have made a final determination, we will consider whether our current practice needs to be revised. However, we consider that to delay this AD action for that reason would be inappropriate, since we have determined that an unsafe condition exists and that the requirements in this AD must be accomplished to ensure continued safety. Therefore, we have not changed the AD in this regard.

Conclusion

We have carefully reviewed the available data, including the comment received, and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD as proposed.

Costs of Compliance

This AD affects about 227 airplanes of U.S. registry. The actions take about 10 work hours perairplane, at an average labor rate of $80 per work hour. Based on these figures, the estimated cost of the AD for U.S. operators is $181,600, or $800 per airplane.

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 identifiedin this rulemaking action.

Regulatory Findings

We have determined that this AD will not have federalism implications under Executive Order 13132. This AD will 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 this AD:
(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.
We prepared a regulatory evaluation of the estimated costs to comply with this 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, Incorporation by reference, Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the FAA amends 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):