Airworthiness Directives; Airbus SAS Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 184 (Monday, September 25, 2023)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 65585-65588]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-20646]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2023-1217; Project Identifier MCAI-2023-00477-T; 
Amendment 39-22551; AD 2023-19-01]
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 A330-200 series; A330-200 Freighter series; A330-300 
series; A330-800 series; A330-900 series; A340-200 series; and A340-300 
series airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of cracks found in 
the scroll housing assembly of Honeywell GTCP331-350 auxiliary power 
units (APUs). This AD requires replacing each affected APU or re-
identifying certain APU scroll housing assemblies, and prohibits the 
installation of affected parts under certain conditions, 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 October 30, 2023.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of certain publications listed in this AD as of October 30, 
2023.

ADDRESSES: 

[[Page 65586]]

    AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under 
Docket No. FAA-2023-1217; 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 material on the EASA website at ad.easa.europa.eu.
    <bullet> For Honeywell service information incorporated by 
reference in this AD, contact Honeywell International, Inc., 111 South 
34th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85034; phone: (800) 601-3099; fax: (602) 365-
5577; website: myaerospace.honeywell.com/wps/portal.
    <bullet> 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. It is also available in the AD docket at 
regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2023-1217.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Timothy Dowling, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; 
telephone 206-231-3667; 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 
330-201, -202, -203, -223, -223F, -243, -243F, -301, -302, -303, -321, 
-322, -323, -341, -342, -343, -841, -941, and -743L airplanes, and 
Model A340-211, -212, -213, -311, -312, and -313 airplanes. Model A330-
743L airplanes are not certificated by the FAA and are not included on 
the U.S. type certificate data sheet; this AD therefore does not 
include those airplanes in the applicability. The NPRM published in the 
Federal Register on June 20, 2023 (88 FR 39796). The NPRM was prompted 
by AD 2023-0056, dated March 16, 2023, issued by EASA, which is the 
Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union (EASA AD 
2023-0056) (also referred to as the MCAI). The MCAI states that cracks 
were found in the scroll housing assembly of Honeywell GTCP331-350 
APUs.
    In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to require replacing each affected 
APU or re-identifying certain APU scroll housing assemblies, as 
specified in EASA AD 2023-0056. The NPRM also proposed to prohibit the 
installation of affected parts under certain conditions. The FAA is 
issuing this AD to address cracks in the scroll housing assembly of 
Honeywell GTCP331-350 APUs. The unsafe condition, if not addressed, 
could result in hot air leakage and consequent damage to the APU 
compartment and loss of the APU doors, possibly resulting in damage to 
the airplane.
    Since EASA AD 2023-0056 was issued and the FAA NPRM was published, 
EASA determined that a letter, which is part of an APU's serial number, 
is used only to identify the manufacturing facility of the APU and has 
no meaning in relation to the EASA AD 2023-0056 required actions. 
Therefore, EASA issued AD 2023-0158, dated August 2, 2023 (EASA AD 
2023-0158), which supersedes EASA AD 2023-0056 but retains the 
requirements of EASA AD 2023-0056. EASA AD 2023-0158 only revises the 
definition of ``affected APU'' to disregard any letter included in the 
APU serial number.
    You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at regulations.gov under 
Docket No. FAA-2023-1217.

Discussion of Final Airworthiness Directive

Comments

    The FAA received a comment from Air Line Pilots Association, 
International (ALPA) who supported the NPRM without change.

Additional Changes Made to This AD

    Since the NPRM was published, EASA AD 2023-0056 was superseded by 
EASA AD 2023-0158. The FAA has updated this final rule accordingly by 
replacing EASA AD 2023-0056 with EASA AD 2023-0158 in all affected 
paragraphs.

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, 
and any other changes described previously, 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 2023-0158 specifies procedures for replacing each affected 
APU or re-identifying certain APU scroll housing assemblies (those 
having part number (P/N) 5053-181-001-501 or P/N 0331207990 and ``SR-
1'' next to the part number marking). EASA AD 2023-0158 also prohibits 
the installation of affected parts under certain conditions.
    Honeywell Service Bulletin 5053-181-49-7895, dated July 21, 2006, 
specifies procedures for, among other actions, re-identifying affected 
APU scroll housing assemblies. While Honeywell distributes this 
document, Aeronamic develops the technical content.
    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 affects 128 airplanes of U.S. 
registry. The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this AD:

[[Page 65587]]



                                      Estimated Costs For Required Actions
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Labor cost                   Parts cost         Cost per product         Cost on U.S. operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Up to 18 work-hours x $85 per hour = Up       $1,612,820  Up to $1,614,350..........  (*)
 to $1,530 (replace APU).
Up to 20 work-hours x $85 per hour = Up            3,141  Up to $4,841..............  (*)
 to $1,700 (re-identify APU scroll
 housing assembly).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Operators have the option to replace the APU or re-identify the APU scroll housing assembly. The FAA has no
  definitive data on which to provide a total cost estimate for U.S. operators for the required actions
  specified in this 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.
    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:

2023-19-01 Airbus SAS: Amendment 39-22551; Docket No. FAA-2023-1217; 
Project Identifier MCAI-2023-00477-T.

(a) Effective Date

    This airworthiness directive (AD) is effective October 30, 2023.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to all Airbus SAS airplanes specified in 
paragraphs (c)(1) through (7) of this AD, certificated in any 
category.
    (1) Model A330-201, -202, -203, -223, and -243 airplanes.
    (2) Model A330-223F and -243F airplanes.
    (3) Model A330-301, -302, -303, -321, -322, -323, -341, -342, 
and -343 airplanes.
    (4) Model A330-841 airplanes.
    (5) Model A330-941 airplanes.
    (6) Model A340-211, -212, and -213 airplanes.
    (7) Model A340-311, -312, and -313 airplanes.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 49, Airborne 
auxiliary power.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by reports of cracks found in the scroll 
housing assembly of Honeywell GTCP331-350 auxiliary power units 
(APUs). The FAA is issuing this AD to address such cracks. The 
unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in hot air leakage 
and consequent damage to the APU compartment and loss of the APU 
doors, possibly resulting in damage to the airplane.

(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 
2023-0158, dated August 2, 2023 (EASA AD 2023-0158).

(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2023-0158

    (1) Where EASA AD 2023-0158 refers to its effective date, this 
AD requires using the effective date of this AD.
    (2) Where EASA AD 2023-0158 refers to the effective date of EASA 
AD 2023-0056, this AD requires using the effective date of this AD.
    (3) This AD does not adopt the ``Remarks'' section of EASA AD 
2023-0158.
    (4) Where EASA AD 2023-0158 specifies to re-identify an SR-1 
affected part ``in accordance with the instructions of the SB,'' for 
this AD, operators must use Honeywell Service Bulletin 5053-181-49-
7895, dated July 21, 2006.
    Note 1 to paragraph (h)(4): Honeywell distributes this document; 
Aeronamic develops the technical content.

(i) Additional AD Provisions

    The following provisions also apply to this AD:
    (1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, 
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 International 
Validation Branch, send it to the attention of the person identified 
in paragraph (j) 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 responsible Flight Standards 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, 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.
    (3) Required for Compliance (RC): Except as required by 
paragraph (i)(2) of this AD, if any service information contains 
procedures or tests that are identified as RC, those procedures and 
tests must be done to comply with this AD; any procedures or tests 
that are not identified as RC are recommended. Those procedures and 
tests that are not identified as RC may be deviated from using 
accepted methods in accordance with the operator's maintenance or 
inspection program without obtaining approval of an AMOC, provided

[[Page 65588]]

the procedures and tests identified as RC can be done and the 
airplane can be put back in an airworthy condition. Any 
substitutions or changes to procedures or tests identified as RC 
require approval of an AMOC.

(j) Additional Information

    For more information about this AD, contact Timothy Dowling, 
Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, 
Westbury, NY 11590; telephone 206-231-3667; email 
[email protected].

(k) 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 2023-0158, 
dated August 2, 2023.
    (ii) Honeywell Service Bulletin 5053-181-49-7895, dated July 21, 
2006.
    (3) For EASA AD 2023-0158, 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) For Honeywell service information incorporated by reference 
in this AD, contact Honeywell International, Inc., 111 South 34th 
Street, Phoenix, AZ 85034; phone: (800) 601-3099; fax: (602) 365-
5577; website: myaerospace.honeywell.com/wps/portal.
    (5) 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.
    (6) 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 September 18, 2023.
Victor Wicklund,
Deputy Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-20646 Filed 9-22-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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