AD 2020-04-17

Recurring final rule

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus SAS Airplanes

AD Number: 2020-04-17
Status: final_rule
Effective Date: May 4, 2020
Product Category: aircraft
Docket: Docket No. FAA-2019-0865
FR Citation: 85 FR 17478

Applicability

Type	Manufacturer	Model	Details
aircraft	Airbus SAS	A350-1041	Airworthiness Directives; Airbus SAS Airplanes
aircraft	Airbus SAS	A350-941	Airworthiness Directives; Airbus SAS Airplanes

Unsafe Condition

Passenger door girt bar fitting assembly safety hooks being stuck in the upward position, which could lead to girt bar disengagement from the girt bar fitting assembly and consequent failure of the passenger door slide deployment during an emergency, possibly preventing safe evacuation of the airplane.

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Required Actions

Repetitive detailed inspections of girt bar fitting assemblies, repetitive greasing of girt bar fitting assembly bushes, and, depending on findings, accomplishment of applicable corrective actions, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD.

AI-generated summary from the source AD text. Verify against the official source before acting.

Compliance Time

Before further flight

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Affected Aircraft

All Airbus SAS Model A350-941 and -1041 airplanes.

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Federal Register Abstract

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus SAS Model A350-941 and -1041 airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of passenger door girt bar fitting assembly safety hooks being stuck in the upward position. This AD requires repetitive detailed inspections of girt bar fitting assemblies, repetitive greasing of girt bar fitting assembly bushes, and, depending on findings, accomplishment of applicable corrective actions, 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.

Applicability Source Text

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(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to all Airbus SAS Model A350-941 and -1041 
airplanes, certificated in any category.

Document Text

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[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 61 (Monday, March 30, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 17478-17480]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2020-06480]

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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2019-0865; Product Identifier 2019-NM-158-AD; Amendment
39-19854; AD 2020-04-17]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus SAS Airplanes

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

ACTION: Final rule.

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

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all
Airbus SAS Model A350-941 and -1041 airplanes. This AD was prompted by
reports of passenger door girt bar fitting assembly safety hooks being
stuck in the upward position. This AD requires repetitive detailed
inspections of girt bar fitting assemblies, repetitive greasing of girt
bar fitting assembly bushes, and, depending on findings, accomplishment
of applicable corrective actions, 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 May 4, 2020.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of May 4, 2020.

ADDRESSES: For the material incorporated by reference (IBR) in this AD,
contact the EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany;
telephone +49 221 89990 1000; email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9edfdaeddefbffedffb0fbebecf1eeffb0fbeb">[email&#160;protected]</a>; internet
www.easa.europa.eu. You may find this IBR material on the EASA website
at <a href="https://ad.easa.europa.eu">https://ad.easa.europa.eu</a>. You may view this IBR material at the
FAA, Transport Standards 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 on the internet at
<a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> by searching for and locating Docket No.
FAA-2019-0865.

Examining the AD Docket

You may examine the AD docket on the internet at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2019-
0865; 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 regulatory evaluation, 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathleen Arrigotti, Aerospace
Engineer, International Section, Transport Standards Branch, FAA, 2200
South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; telephone and fax 206-231-3218;
email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f49f95809c9891919ada9586869d939b80809db4929595da939b82">[email&#160;protected]</a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

The EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the
European Union, has issued EASA AD 2019-0207, dated August 22, 2019
(``EASA AD 2019-0207'') (also referred to as the Mandatory Continuing
Airworthiness Information, or ``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe
condition for all Airbus SAS Model A350-941 and -1041 airplanes.
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
A350-941 and -1041 airplanes. The NPRM published in the Federal
Register on November 15, 2019 (84 FR 62485). The NPRM was prompted by
reports of passenger door girt bar fitting assembly safety hooks being
stuck in the upward position. The NPRM proposed to require repetitive
detailed inspections of girt bar fitting assemblies, repetitive
greasing of girt bar fitting assembly bushes, and, depending on
findings, accomplishment of applicable corrective actions.
The FAA is issuing this AD to address passenger door girt bar
fitting assembly safety hooks being stuck in the upward position, which
could lead to girt bar disengagement from the girt bar fitting assembly
and consequent failure of the passenger door slide deployment during an
emergency, possibly preventing safe evacuation of the airplane. See the
MCAI for additional background information.

Comments

The FAA gave the public the opportunity to participate in
developing this final rule. The following presents the comments
received on the NPRM and the FAA's response to each comment.

Support for the NPRM

The Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) indicated its
support for the NPRM.

Request To Remove or Revise Reporting Requirement

Delta Air Lines (Delta) requested that the proposed AD be revised
to either not require reporting or to require reporting only in the
case of discrepant findings. Delta noted that only 5 discrepant safety
hooks were found during its inspection of 1,408 fittings. Delta added
that the final fix will include a retrofit of the girt bar fittings,
which should occur regardless of the number of reported failures.
The FAA disagrees with the commenter's request. Reporting is
necessary for the girt bar fitting assembly manufacturer to determine
the extent of the discrepancies and to ascertain any necessary follow-
on actions. The FAA has not changed this AD in this regard.

Request To Revise Reporting Compliance Time

Delta requested that paragraph (h)(3)(i) of the proposed AD be
reworded to state that inspection report must be submitted within 90
days after the end of the maintenance visit/check during which the
inspection was performed, rather than within 90 days after the
inspection. Delta noted that maintenance personnel often do not report
findings to engineering until closure of the maintenance visit/check,
which usually happens several days or weeks after the inspection was
actually performed. Delta suggested that the revised reporting time
would remove restrictive time constraints while still meeting the
intent of the proposed AD.
The FAA agrees with the commenter's request for the reasons
provided. The FAA has revised paragraph (h)(3)(i) of this AD to specify
that a report of findings must be submitted within 90 days after the
conclusion of the maintenance visit or check where the inspection was
completed.

Conclusion

The FAA reviewed the relevant data, considered the comments
received, and determined that air safety and the public interest
require adopting this final rule with the change described previously
and minor editorial changes. The FAA has determined that these minor
changes:

[[Page 17479]]

<bullet> Are consistent with the intent that was proposed in the
NPRM for addressing the unsafe condition; and
<bullet> Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was
already proposed in the NPRM.
The FAA also determined that these changes will not increase the
economic burden on any operator or increase the scope of this final
rule.

Related IBR Material Under 1 CFR Part 51

EASA AD 2019-0207 describes procedures for repetitive detailed
inspections of girt bar fitting assemblies, repetitive greasing of girt
bar fitting assembly bushes, and, depending on findings, accomplishment
of applicable corrective actions. Corrective actions include rework and
replacement. EASA AD 2019-0207 also describes procedures for sending
inspection results to Airbus. 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.

Interim Action

The FAA considers this AD interim action. If final action is later
identified, the FAA might consider further rulemaking then.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD affects 13 airplanes of U.S.
registry. The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this AD:

Estimated Costs for Required Actions *
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cost per Cost on U.S.
Labor cost Parts cost product operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 work-hour x $85 per hour = $85............................. $0 $85 $1,105
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Table does not include estimated costs for reporting.

The FAA estimates that it would take about 1 work-hour per product
to comply with the reporting requirement in this AD. The average labor
rate is $85 per hour. Based on these figures, the FAA estimates the
cost of reporting the inspection results on U.S. operators to be
$1,105, or $85 per product.
The FAA estimates the following costs to do any necessary on-
condition actions that would be required based on the results of any
required actions. The FAA has no way of determining the number of
aircraft that might need these on-condition actions:

Estimated Costs of On-Condition Actions
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cost per
Labor cost Parts cost product
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Up to 3 work-hours x $85 per hour = (\*\) $255 \*\
$255.................................
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* The FAA has received no definitive data that would enable the agency
to provide parts cost estimates for the on-condition actions specified
in this AD.

Paperwork Reduction Act

A federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not
required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to penalty for
failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the
requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of
information displays a current valid OMB control number. The control
number for the collection of information required by this AD is 2120-
0056. The paperwork cost associated with this AD has been detailed in
the Costs of Compliance section of this document and includes time for
reviewing instructions, as well as completing and reviewing the
collection of information. Therefore, all reporting associated with
this AD is mandatory. Comments concerning the accuracy of this burden
and suggestions for reducing the burden should be directed to
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Federal Aviation
Administration, 10101 Hillwood Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76177-1524.

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.

Adoption of the Amendment

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the FAA amends 14 CFR part 39 as follows:

[[Page 17480]]

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 (AD):

2020-04-17 Airbus SAS: Amendment 39-19854; Docket No. FAA-2019-0865;
Product Identifier 2019-NM-158-AD.

(a) Effective Date

This AD is effective May 4, 2020.

(b) Affected ADs

None.

This AD applies to all Airbus SAS Model A350-941 and -1041
airplanes, certificated in any category.

(d) Subject

Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 52, Doors.

(e) Reason

This AD was prompted by reports of passenger door girt bar
fitting assembly safety hooks being stuck in the upward position.
The FAA is issuing this AD to address this condition, which could
lead to girt bar disengagement from the girt bar fitting assembly
and consequent failure of the passenger door slide deployment during
an emergency, possibly preventing safe evacuation of 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
2019-0207, dated August 22, 2019 (``EASA AD 2019-0207'').

(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2019-0207

(1) Where EASA AD 2019-0207 refers to its effective date, this
AD requires using the effective date of this AD.
(2) The ``Remarks'' section of EASA AD 2019-0207 does not apply
to this AD.
(3) Paragraph (4) of EASA AD 2019-0207 specifies to report
inspection results to Airbus within a certain compliance time. For
this AD, report inspection results at the applicable time specified
in paragraph (h)(3)(i) or (ii) of this AD.
(i) If the inspection was done on or after the effective date of
this AD: Submit the report within 90 days after the conclusion of
the maintenance visit or check where the inspection was completed.
(ii) If the inspection was done before the effective date of
this AD: Submit the report within 90 days after the effective date
of this AD.

(i) Other FAA AD Provisions

The following provisions also apply to this AD:
(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager,
International Section, Transport Standards 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 local Flight
Standards District Office, as appropriate. If sending information
directly to the International Section, send it to the attention of
the person identified in paragraph (j) of this AD. Information may
be emailed to: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fac3d7bbb4b7d7cbcbccd7bbb7b5b9d7a8bfabafbfa9aea9ba9c9b9bd49d958c">[email&#160;protected]</a>. 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, International
Section, Transport Standards 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): For any service information
referenced in EASA AD 2019-0207 that contains RC procedures and
tests: Except as required by paragraph (i)(2) of this AD, RC
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.
(4) Paperwork Reduction Act Burden Statement: A federal agency
may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond
to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply
with a collection of information subject to the requirements of the
Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of information
displays a current valid OMB Control Number. The OMB Control Number
for this information collection is 2120-0056. Public reporting for
this collection of information is estimated to be approximately 1
hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions,
completing and reviewing the collection of information. All
responses to this collection of information are mandatory as
required by this AD. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or
any other aspect of this collection of information, including
suggestions for reducing this burden to: Information Collection
Clearance Officer, Federal Aviation Administration, 10101 Hillwood
Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76177-1524.

(j) Related Information

For more information about this AD, contact Kathleen Arrigotti,
Aerospace Engineer, International Section, Transport Standards
Branch, FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; telephone
and fax 206-231-3218; email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#85eee4f1ede9e0e0ebabe4f7f7ece2eaf1f1ecc5e3e4e4abe2eaf3">[email&#160;protected]</a>.

(k) Material Incorporated by Reference

(1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the
incorporation by reference (IBR) 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 2019-0207,
dated August 22, 2019.
(ii) [Reserved]
(3) For information about EASA AD 2019-0207, contact the EASA,
Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221
89990 6017; email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3372774073565240521d5646415c43521d5646">[email&#160;protected]</a>; internet www.easa.europa.eu.
You may find this EASA AD on the EASA website at <a href="https://ad.easa.europa.eu">https://ad.easa.europa.eu</a>.
(4) You may view this material at the FAA, Transport Standards
Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA. For information on the
availability of this material at the FAA, call 206-231-3195. This
material may be found in the AD docket on the internet at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-
2019-0865.
(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
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f1979495839496df9d9496909db19f908390df969e87">[email&#160;protected]</a>, or go to: <a href="https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html">https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html</a>.

Issued on February 25, 2020.
Gaetano A. Sciortino,
Deputy Director for Strategic Initiatives, Compliance & Airworthiness
Division, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-06480 Filed 3-27-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

Source: Official FAA Source ↗

Retrieved: Apr 4, 2026

Rights: U.S. Government Public Domain

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Airworthiness Directives; Airbus SAS Airplanes

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Unsafe Condition

Required Actions

Compliance Time

Affected Aircraft

Federal Register Abstract

Applicability Source Text

Document Text

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