Airworthiness Directives; Airbus SAS Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 7, 2023)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 7862-7864]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-02530]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2022-0812; Project Identifier MCAI-2022-00445-T; 
Amendment 39-22208; AD 2022-21-09]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Airbus SAS Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all 
Airbus SAS 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 AD was 
prompted by a determination that a new airworthiness limitation is 
necessary. This AD requires revising the existing maintenance or 
inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate a new airworthiness 
limitation, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency 
(EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA is issuing this 
AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: This AD is effective March 14, 2023.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publications listed in this AD as of March 14, 
2023.

ADDRESSES: 
    AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under 
Docket No. FAA-2022-0812; 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 final rule, the mandatory continuing airworthiness 
information (MCAI), any comments received, and other information. The 
address for Docket Operations is U.S. Department of Transportation, 
Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 
New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
    Material Incorporated by Reference:
    <bullet> For material incorporated by reference in this AD, contact 
EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221 
8999 000; email [email protected]; website easa.europa.eu. You may 
find this IBR material on the EASA website at ad.easa.europa.eu.
    <bullet> You may view this material at the FAA, Airworthiness 
Products Section,

[[Page 7863]]

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 regulations.gov 
under Docket No. FAA-2022-0812.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan Rodina, Aerospace Engineer, Large 
Aircraft Section, International Validation Branch, FAA, 2200 South 
216th Street, Des Moines, WA 98198; telephone 206-231-3225; email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 
CFR part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to all Airbus SAS Model 
A300-600 and A310 series airplanes. The NPRM published in the Federal 
Register on July 8, 2022 (87 FR 40752). The NPRM was prompted by AD 
2022-0060, dated April 1, 2022, issued by EASA, which is the Technical 
Agent for the Member States of the European Union (referred to after 
this as the MCAI). The MCAI states that a new airworthiness limitation 
is necessary. The FAA is issuing this AD to address safety-significant 
latent failures that would, in combination with one or more other 
specific failures or events, result in a hazardous or catastrophic 
failure condition of hydraulic systems.
    In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to require revising the existing 
maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate a new 
airworthiness limitation, as specified in EASA AD 2022-0060.
    You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at regulations.gov under 
Docket No. FAA-2022-0812.

Discussion of Final Airworthiness Directive

Comments

    The FAA received a comment from the Air Line Pilots Association, 
International, which supported the NPRM without change.

Conclusion

    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 this State of Design Authority, it 
has notified the FAA of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI 
referenced above. The FAA reviewed the relevant data, considered the 
comment received, and determined that air safety requires adopting this 
AD as proposed. Accordingly, the FAA is issuing this AD to address the 
unsafe condition on this product. Except for minor editorial changes, 
this AD is adopted as proposed in the NPRM. None of the changes will 
increase the economic burden on any operator.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    EASA AD 2022-0060 specifies procedures for a new airworthiness 
limitation for airplane hydraulic systems: Certification Maintenance 
Requirement (CMR) task 291000-00004-1-C ``Main and Auxiliary (Hydraulic 
Power)--Functional Check of the 3 Hydraulic Reservoirs for Air 
Leakage.''
    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.

Costs of Compliance

    The FAA estimates that this AD would affect 120 airplanes of U.S. 
registry. The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this AD:
    The FAA has determined that revising the existing maintenance or 
inspection program takes an average of 90 work-hours per operator, 
although the agency recognizes that this number may vary from operator 
to operator. Since operators incorporate maintenance or inspection 
program changes for their affected fleet(s), the FAA has determined 
that a per-operator estimate is more accurate than a per-airplane 
estimate. Therefore, the agency estimates the average total cost per 
operator to be $7,650 (90 work-hours x $85 per work-hour).

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

    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) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, 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.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by 
reference, Safety.

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

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 airworthiness 
directive:

2022-21-09 Airbus SAS: Amendment 39-22208; Docket No. FAA-2022-0812; 
Project Identifier MCAI-2022-00445-T.

(a) Effective Date

    This airworthiness directive (AD) is effective March 14, 2023.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to all Airbus SAS airplanes identified in 
paragraphs (c)(1) through (5) of this AD, certificated in any 
category.
    (1) Model A300 B4-601, B4-603, B4-620, and B4-622 airplanes.
    (2) Model A300 B4-605R and B4-622R airplanes.
    (3) Model A300 C4-605R Variant F airplanes.
    (4) Model A300 F4-605R and F4-622R airplanes.
    (5) Model A310-203, -204, -221, -222, -304, -322, -324, and -325 
airplanes.

[[Page 7864]]

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 05, Time Limits/
Maintenance Checks.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by a determination that a new airworthiness 
limitation is necessary. The FAA is issuing this AD to address 
safety-significant latent failures that would, in combination with 
one or more other specific failures or events, result in a hazardous 
or catastrophic failure condition of hydraulic systems.

(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, European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 
2022-0060, dated April 1, 2022 (EASA AD 2022-0060).

(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2022-0060

    (1) The requirements specified in paragraphs (1) and (2) of EASA 
AD 2022-0060 do not apply to this AD.
    (2) Paragraph (3) of EASA AD 2022-0060 specifies revising ``the 
approved AMP'' within 12 months after its effective date, but this 
AD requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, 
as applicable, within 90 days after the effective date of this AD.
    (3) The initial compliance time for doing the tasks specified in 
paragraph (3) of EASA AD 2022-0060 is at the applicable 
``threshold'' as incorporated by the requirements of paragraph (3) 
of EASA AD 2022-0060, or within 90 days after the effective date of 
this AD, whichever occurs later.
    (4) The provisions specified in paragraph (4) of EASA AD 2022-
0060 do not apply to this AD.
    (5) The ``Remarks'' section of EASA AD 2022-0060 does not apply 
to this AD.

 (i) Provisions for Alternative Actions and Intervals

    After the existing maintenance or inspection program has been 
revised as required by paragraph (g) of this AD, no alternative 
actions (e.g., inspections) and intervals are allowed unless they 
are approved as specified in the provisions of the ``Ref. 
Publications'' section of EASA AD 2022-0060.

(j) 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 (k) 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 
local flight standards district office/certificate holding district 
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.

 (k) Additional Information

    For more information about this AD, contact Dan Rodina, 
Aerospace Engineer, Large Aircraft Section, International Validation 
Branch, FAA, 2200 South 216th Street, Des Moines, WA 98198; 
telephone and fax 206-231-3225; email [email protected].

(l) Material Incorporated by Reference

    (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference of the service information listed in this 
paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
    (2) You must use this service information as applicable to do 
the actions required by this AD, unless this AD specifies otherwise.
    (i) European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2022-0060, 
dated April 1, 2022.
    (ii) [Reserved]
    (3) For EASA AD 2022-0060, contact EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 
50668 Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221 8999 000; email 
[email protected]; website easa.europa.eu. You may find this EASA 
AD on the EASA website at ad.easa.europa.eu.
    (4) 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.
    (5) You may view this material that is incorporated by reference 
at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For 
information on the availability of this material at NARA, email 
[email protected], or go to: www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.

    Issued on October 3, 2022.
Christina Underwood,
Acting Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft 
Certification Service.

    Editorial Note: This document was received for publication by 
the Office of the Federal Register on February 2, 2023.

[FR Doc. 2023-02530 Filed 2-6-23; 8:45 am]
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