Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model A300 Airplanes, Equipped With General Electric CF6-50 Series Engines

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 215 (Tuesday, November 7, 2006)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 65045-65047]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-18663]



[[Page 65045]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2006-24958; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-075-AD; 
Amendment 39-14818; AD 2006-23-06]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model A300 Airplanes, Equipped 
With General Electric CF6-50 Series Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain Airbus Model A300 airplanes. This AD requires modifying the 
airplane and the engine/nacelle to install a third line of defense 
against inadvertent deployment of the thrust reverser in flight. This 
AD also requires two other actions that must be accomplished before or 
concurrently with the modification: installing a structural change in 
the fan cowl to avoid interference; and installing a dedicated, 
shielded electrical circuit. This AD results from a report that the 
manufacturer has developed a third line of defense against the 
inadvertent deployment of the thrust reverser of Model A300 airplanes 
that are equipped with General Electric CF6-50 series engines (in 
accordance with FAA guidelines). We are issuing this AD to prevent 
inadvertent deployment of the thrust reverser in flight, which could 
result in reduced controllability of the airplane.

DATES: This AD becomes effective December 12, 2006.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of certain publications listed in the AD as of December 12, 
2006.

ADDRESSES: You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov or in person at the Docket Management Facility, U.S. 
Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, 
Room PL-401, Washington, DC.
    Contact Airbus, 1 Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex, 
France, for service information identified in this AD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Stafford, Aerospace Engineer, 
International Branch, ANM-116, FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 
1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; telephone (425) 
227-1622; fax (425) 227-1149.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

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 certain Airbus Model 
A300 airplanes. That NPRM was published in the Federal Register on June 
8, 2006 (71 FR 33264). That NPRM proposed to require modifying the 
airplane and the engine/nacelle to install a third line of defense 
against inadvertent deployment of the thrust reverser in flight. That 
NPRM also proposed to require two other actions that must be 
accomplished before or concurrently with the modification: installing a 
structural change in the fan cowl to avoid interference; and installing 
a dedicated, shielded electrical circuit.

Comments

    We provided the public the opportunity to participate in the 
development of this AD. We have considered the comments received.

Support for the NPRM

    Air line Pilots Association supports the NPRM.

Request To Revise the ``Costs of Compliance''

    GE Aviation requests that we revise the estimated costs for 
complying with the NPRM. GE Aviation specifically requests the changes 
shown in the following table.

                                      Requested Changes to Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                Parts cost
               Action                 Work hours   Requested   in original            Requested change
                                       in NPRM       change        NPRM
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Install third line of defense......            6          282         $440  $172,744.
Install structural change in the             312          328        5,680  No change requested.
 fan cowl (prior/concurrent
 requirement).
Install dedicated, shielded                   94          261       28,700  $18,320.
 electrical circuit (prior/
 concurrent requirement).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We agree to revise the cost information. This cost information is 
not provided in the Airbus service information that was referenced in 
the NPRM, but is available through Middle River Aircraft Systems 
(MRAS), a subsidiary of the General Electric Company. Therefore, we 
agree that the MRAS cost information provided by GE Aviation is valid. 
We have revised the estimated costs in this final rule as requested by 
GE Aviation. We have coordinated this change with Airbus.

Request To Revise Description of Service Bulletin

    GE Aviation also requests that we revise the description of Airbus 
Service Bulletin A300-78-0022, dated September 27, 2005, which was 
included in the ``Relevant Service Information'' section of the NPRM. 
The NPRM referred to that service bulletin as the appropriate source of 
service information for accomplishing the proposed actions. GE Aviation 
specifically requests that we add the phrase ``installing the electro-
pneumatic locking bar assembly on each thrust reverser half,'' before 
the phrase, ``and installing a dual switcher valve. * * *''
    We agree with the commenter that the requested phrase clarifies our 
description of the service bulletin. However, since that section of the 
preamble does not reappear in the final rule, no change to this AD is 
necessary.

Conclusion

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

[[Page 65046]]

Costs of Compliance

    This AD affects about 30 airplanes of U.S. registry. The following 
table provides the estimated costs for U.S. operators to comply with 
this AD. The average labor rate is $80 per work hour.

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                       Cost per
                          Action                            Work hours   Parts  ($)    airplane     Fleet cost
                                                                                         ($)            ($)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Install third line of defense............................          282      172,744      195,304       5,859,120
Install structural change in the fan cowl (prior/                  328        5,680       31,920         957,600
 concurrent requirement).................................
Install dedicated, shielded electrical circuit (prior/             261       18,320       39,200       1,176,000
 concurrent requirement).................................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 identified in 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

0
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 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) amends Sec.  39.13 by 
adding the following new airworthiness directive (AD):

2006-23-06 Airbus: Amendment 39-14818. Docket No. FAA-2006-24958; 
Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-075-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This AD becomes effective December 12, 2006.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Airbus Model A300 airplanes, certificated 
in any category; equipped with General Electric CF6-50 series 
engines.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from a report that the manufacturer has 
developed a third line of defense against the inadvertent deployment 
of the thrust reverser of Model A300 airplanes that are equipped 
with General Electric CF6-50 series engines (in accordance with FAA 
guidelines). We are issuing this AD to prevent inadvertent 
deployment of the thrust reverser in flight, which could result in 
reduced controllability 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.

Modification

    (f) Within 48 months after the effective date of this AD, modify 
the airplane and the engine/nacelle to install a third line of 
defense against inadvertent deployment of the thrust reverser in 
flight, in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions of Airbus 
Service Bulletin A300-78-0022, dated September 27, 2005.

Prior/Concurrent Installations

    (g) Prior to or concurrently with the modification required by 
paragraph (f) of this AD, do the installations specified in Table 1 
of this AD in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions of the 
service bulletins listed in Table 1 of this AD.

                                       Table 1.--Prior/Concurrent Actions
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  Action                                          Airbus service bulletin
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Install a structural change in the     A300-54-0098, dated September 27, 2005.
 fan cowl to avoid interference between
 the third line of defense hardware
 installed on the thrust reverser and the
 fan cowl.
(2) Install a dedicated, shielded          A300-78-0021, dated September 27, 2005.
 electrical circuit, segregated from the
 current thrust reverser control system.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 65047]]

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (h)(1) The Manager, International Branch, ANM-116, Transport 
Airplane Directorate, FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs for 
this 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

    (i) French airworthiness directive F-2005-206, dated December 
21, 2005, also addresses the subject of this AD.

Material Incorporated by Reference

    (j) You must use the service information specified in Table 2 of 
this AD 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.

              Table 2.--Material Incorporated by Reference
------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Airbus service  bulletin--                     Dated--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A300-54-0098..............................  September 27, 2005.
A300-78-0021..............................  September 27, 2005.
A300-78-0022..............................  September 27, 2005.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Issued in Renton, Washington, on October 25, 2006.
Kalene C. Yanamura,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. E6-18663 Filed 11-6-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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