[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 47 (Monday, March 13, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 13405-13407]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-03032]
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Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 47 / Monday, March 13, 2017 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 13405]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2016-9572; Directorate Identifier 2016-NM-151-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: We propose to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2014-08-
02 for certain Airbus Model A300 B4-600 and A300 B4-600R series
airplanes. AD 2014-08-02 requires modifying the profile of stringer
run-outs of both wings, including a high frequency eddy current (HFEC)
inspection of the fastener holes for defects, and repairs if necessary.
Since we issued AD 2014-08-02, further analysis in the context of
widespread fatigue damage (WFD) concluded that a shorter compliance
time is necessary to meet specified requirements to address WFD. This
proposed AD would retain the actions required by AD 2014-08-02 and
would revise the compliance times. We are proposing this AD to address
the unsafe condition on these products.
DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by April 27, 2017.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
Fax: 202-493-2251.
Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590.
Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
For service information identified in this NPRM, contact Airbus
SAS, Airworthiness Office--EAW, 1 Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 31707
Blagnac Cedex, France; telephone +33 5 61 93 36 96; fax +33 5 61 93 44
51; email [email protected]; Internet: http://www.airbus.com. You may view this referenced service information at the
FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA.
For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call
425-227-1221.
Examining the AD Docket
You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2016-
9572; or in person at the Docket Management Facility between 9 a.m. and
5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket
contains this proposed AD, the regulatory evaluation, any comments
received, and other information. The street address for the Docket
Operations office (telephone 800-647-5527) is in the ADDRESSES section.
Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan Rodina, Aerospace Engineer,
International Branch, ANM-116, Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA,
1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057-3356; telephone 425-227-2125;
fax 425-227-1149.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or
arguments about this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address
listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2016-9572;
Directorate Identifier 2016-NM-151-AD'' at the beginning of your
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory,
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed AD. We
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend
this proposed AD based on those comments.
We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We
will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we
receive about this proposed AD.
Discussion
Fatigue damage can occur locally, in small areas or structural
design details, or globally, in widespread areas. Multiple-site damage
is widespread damage that occurs in a large structural element such as
a single rivet line of a lap splice joining two large skin panels.
Widespread damage can also occur in multiple elements such as adjacent
frames or stringers. Multiple-site damage and multiple-element damage
cracks are typically too small initially to be reliably detected with
normal inspection methods. Without intervention, these cracks will
grow, and eventually compromise the structural integrity of the
airplane. This condition is known as widespread fatigue damage. It is
associated with general degradation of large areas of structure with
similar structural details and stress levels. As an airplane ages, WFD
will likely occur, and will certainly occur if the airplane is operated
long enough without any intervention.
The FAA's WFD final rule (75 FR 69746, November 15, 2010) became
effective on January 14, 2011. The WFD rule requires certain actions to
prevent structural failure due to WFD throughout the operational life
of certain existing transport category airplanes and all of these
airplanes that will be certificated in the future. For existing and
future airplanes subject to the WFD rule, the rule requires that design
approval holders (DAHs) establish a limit of validity (LOV) of the
engineering data that support the structural maintenance program.
Operators affected by the WFD rule may not fly an airplane beyond its
LOV, unless an extended LOV is approved.
The WFD rule (75 FR 69746, November 15, 2010) does not require
identifying and developing maintenance actions if the DAHs can show
that such actions are not necessary to prevent WFD before the airplane
reaches the LOV. Many LOVs, however, do depend on accomplishment of
future maintenance actions. As stated in the WFD rule, any maintenance
actions necessary to reach the LOV will be mandated by airworthiness
directives through separate rulemaking actions.
[[Page 13406]]
In the context of WFD, this action is necessary to enable DAHs to
propose LOVs that allow operators the longest operational lives for
their airplanes, and still ensure that WFD will not occur. This
approach allows for an implementation strategy that provides
flexibility to DAHs in determining the timing of service information
development (with FAA approval), while providing operators with
certainty regarding the LOV applicable to their airplanes.
On April 2, 2014, we issued AD 2014-08-02, Amendment 39-17826 (79
FR 21392, April 16, 2014) (``AD 2014-08-02''), for certain Airbus Model
A300 B4-600 and A300 B4-600R series airplanes. AD 2014-08-02 was
prompted by reports of cracks found in certain bottom wing skin
stringers during full-scale fatigue testing and in service. AD 2014-08-
02 requires modifying the profile of stringer run-outs of both wings,
including a high frequency eddy current inspection of the fastener
holes for defects, and repairs if necessary. We issued AD 2014-08-02 to
prevent cracking in the bottom wing skin stringers, which could result
in reduced structural integrity of the wings.
Since we issued AD 2014-08-02, further analysis in the context of
WFD concluded that a shorter compliance time is necessary to meet
specified requirements to address WFD.
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical
Agent for the Member States of the European Union, has issued EASA
Airworthiness Directive 2016-0174, dated August 30, 2016 (referred to
after this as the Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information, or
``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition for certain Airbus Model
A300 B4-600 and A300 B4-600R series airplanes. The MCAI states:
During full-scale fatigue testing, cracks were detected in the
bottom wing skin stringers at Rib 14. In addition, operators have
also reported finding cracks in the same area on in-service
aeroplanes.
This condition, if not detected and corrected, could impair the
structural integrity of the wings.
Additional analysis results showed that the improved design of
the stringer run-out was necessary for aeroplanes operating beyond
the Extended Service Goal 1.
To address this unsafe condition, Airbus issued Service Bulletin
(SB) A300-57-6046 Revision 01 to provide modification instructions,
and EASA issued AD 2013-0008 (later revised) [which corresponds to
FAA AD 2014-08-02], to require the removal of the stringer end run-
out plate at stringer 19 on the bottom wing skin and a re-profiling
modification of the stringers 10, 11, 12, 17 and 19.
Since that [EASA] AD was issued, further analysis in the context
of Widespread Fatigue Damage (WFD), concluded that a threshold
reduction is necessary to meet the WFD requirements. Consequently,
Airbus revised SB A300-57-6046 accordingly (now at Revision 03).
For the reasons described above, this [EASA] AD retains the
requirements of EASA AD 2013-0008R1, which is superseded, but
reduces the modification threshold, and introduces a pre-mod High
Frequency Eddy Current (HFEC) inspection.
You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2016-
9572.
Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51
Airbus has issued Service Bulletin A300-57-6046, Revision 03,
including Appendix 01, dated February 4, 2015. The service information
describes procedures to modify the profile of stringer run-outs of both
wings, including a HFEC inspection of the fastener holes for defects,
and repairs. It also describes new compliance times for completing the
modifications. This service information 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.
FAA's Determination and Requirements of This Proposed AD
This product has been approved by the aviation authority of another
country, and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant
to our bilateral agreement with the State of Design Authority, we have
been notified of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI and service
information referenced above. We are proposing this AD because we
evaluated all pertinent information and determined an unsafe condition
exists and is likely to exist or develop on other products of these
same type designs.
Costs of Compliance
We estimate that this proposed AD affects 29 airplanes of U.S.
registry.
The actions required by AD 2014-08-02, and retained in this
proposed AD, take about 63 work-hours per product, at an average labor
rate of $85 per work-hour. Required parts cost about $2,360 per
product. Based on these figures (accounting for updated work-hour and
parts cost estimates), the estimated cost of this proposed AD on U.S.
operators is $7,715 per product.
We have received no definitive data that would enable us to provide
cost estimates for any on-condition actions specified in this proposed
AD. We have no way of determining the number of aircraft that might
need this repair.
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 determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism
implications under Executive Order 13132. This proposed AD would 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 this proposed
regulation:
1. Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive Order
12866;
2. Is not a ``significant rule'' under the DOT Regulatory Policies
and Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979);
3. Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska; and
4. 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 Proposed Amendment
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the FAA proposes to amend 14 CFR part 39 as follows:
PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
0
1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:
[[Page 13407]]
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.
Sec. 39.13 [Amended]
0
2. The FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by removing Airworthiness Directive (AD)
2014-08-02, Amendment 39-17826 (79 FR 21392, April 16, 2014), and
adding the following new AD:
Airbus: Docket No. FAA-2016-9572; Directorate Identifier 2016-NM-
151-AD.
(a) Comments Due Date
We must receive comments by April 27, 2017.
(b) Affected ADs
This AD replaces AD 2014-08-02, Amendment 39-17826 (79 FR 21392,
April 16, 2014) (``AD 2014-08-02'').
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to Airbus Model A300-B4-601, B4-603, B4-620, and
B4-622 airplanes, and Model A300-B4-605R and B4-622R airplanes,
certificated in any category, except airplanes on which Airbus
Modification 10324 or 10325 has been embodied in production.
(d) Subject
Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 57, Wings.
(e) Reason
This AD was prompted by an evaluation by the design approval
holder (DAH) indicating that the wing skin stringers are subject to
widespread fatigue damage (WFD). We are issuing this AD to prevent
cracking in the bottom wing skin stringers, which could result in
reduced structural integrity of the wings.
(f) Compliance
Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified,
unless already done.
(g) Retained Modification of Rib 14, With Revised Compliance Time and
Service Information
This paragraph restates the requirements of paragraph (g) of AD
2014-08-02, with revised compliance time and service information. At
the time specified in paragraph (g)(1) or (g)(2) of this AD,
whichever occurs earlier, modify the profile of stringer run-outs at
rib 14 of both wings, including a high frequency eddy current
inspection of the fastener holes for defects and all applicable
repairs, in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions of
Airbus Service Bulletin A300-57-6046, Revision 02, dated June 21,
2013; or Revision 03, including Appendix 01, dated February 4, 2015;
except as required by paragraph (h) of this AD. Do all applicable
repairs before further flight. As of the effective date of this AD,
only Airbus Service Bulletin A300-57-6046, Revision 03, including
Appendix 01, dated February 4, 2015, may be used.
(1) Before the accumulation of 42,500 total flight cycles, or
within 2,000 flight cycles after May 21, 2014 (the effective date of
AD 2014-08-02), whichever occurs later.
(2) Before the accumulation of 30,000 total flight cycles, or
within 2,000 flight cycles after the effective date of this AD,
whichever occurs later.
(h) Retained Exception to the Service Information, With Revised Service
Information
This paragraph restates the requirements of paragraph (h) of AD
2014-08-02, with revised service information.
(1) Where Airbus Mandatory Service Bulletin A300-57-6046,
Revision 02, dated June 21, 2013, specifies to contact Airbus for
repair instructions, this AD requires contacting the Manager, ANM-
116, International Branch, Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, or
the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) (or its delegated agent)
for repair instructions and doing those repairs before further
flight.
(2) Where Airbus Service Bulletin A300-57-6046, Revision 03,
including Appendix 01, dated February 4, 2015, specifies to contact
Airbus for appropriate action: Before further flight, accomplish
corrective actions in accordance with the procedures specified in
paragraph (j)(2) of this AD.
(i) Credit for Previous Actions
This paragraph provides credit for actions required by paragraph
(g) of this AD, if those actions were performed before the effective
date of this AD using the service information specified in paragraph
(i)(1), (i)(2), or (i)(3) of this AD.
(1) Airbus Service Bulletin A300-57-6046, Revision 01, dated
April 18, 2011, which is not incorporated by reference in this AD.
(2) Airbus Service Bulletin A300-57-6046, dated January 18,
1994, which is not incorporated by reference in this AD.
(3) Airbus Service Bulletin A300-57-6046, Revision 02, dated
June 21, 2013, which was incorporated by reference in AD 2014-08-02.
(j) Other FAA AD Provisions
The following provisions also apply to this AD:
(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager,
International Branch, ANM-116, Transport Airplane Directorate, 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 local Flight
Standards District Office, as appropriate. If sending information
directly to the International Branch, send it to ATTN: Dan Rodina,
Aerospace Engineer, International Branch, ANM-116, Transport
Airplane Directorate, FAA, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057-
3356; telephone 425-227-2125; fax 425-227-1149. 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: As of the effective date of
this AD, for any requirement in this AD to obtain corrective actions
from a manufacturer, the action must be accomplished using a method
approved by the Manager, International Branch, ANM-116, Transport
Airplane Directorate, FAA; or the European Aviation Safety Agency
(EASA); or Airbus'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 (h) 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
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.
(k) Related Information
(1) Refer to Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information
(MCAI) EASA Airworthiness Directive 2016-0174, dated August 30,
2016, for related information. This MCAI may be found in the AD
docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching
for and locating Docket No. FAA-2016-9572.
(2) For service information identified in this AD, contact
Airbus SAS, Airworthiness Office--EAW, 1 Rond Point Maurice
Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex, France; telephone +33 5 61 93 36 96;
fax +33 5 61 93 44 51; email [email protected];
Internet: http://www.airbus.com. You may view this service
information at the FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind
Avenue SW., Renton, WA. For information on the availability of this
material at the FAA, call 425-227-1221.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on January 12, 2017.
Michael Kaszycki,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-03032 Filed 3-10-17; 8:45 am]
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