AD 2020-21-11 Required Revising The Existing Maintenance Or Inspection Program

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2015-22-08, which applied to all Airbus SAS Model A318 series airplanes; Model A319-111, -112, -113, -114, -115, -131, -132, and -133 airplanes; and Model A320-211, -212, -214, -231, -232, and -233 airplanes.

The FAA is also superseding AD 2018-17-19, which applied to certain Airbus SAS Model A318 series airplanes; Model A319-111, -112, -113, -114, -115, -131, -132, and -133 airplanes; Model A320-211, -212, -214, -216, -231, -232, -233, -251N, and -271N airplanes; and Model A321-111, -112, -131, -211, -212, -213, -231, -232, -251N, -253N, and -271N airplanes. The FAA is also superseding AD 2019-19-15, which applied to certain Airbus SAS Model A318 series airplanes; Model A319-111, -112, -113, -114, -115, -131, -132, and -133 airplanes; Model A320-211, -212, -214, -216, -231, -232, -233, -251N, and -271N airplanes; and Model A321 series airplanes. AD 2019-19-15 required revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations. This AD requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. This AD was prompted by a determination that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. This AD is effective November 20, 2020.

Supplementary Information: The EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union, has issued EASA AD 2020-0080, dated April 1, 2020 (“EASA AD 2020-0080”) (also referred to as the Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information, or “the MCAI”), to correct an unsafe condition for all Model A318-111, -112, -121, and -122 airplanes; Model A319-111, -112, -113, -114, -115, -131, -132, -133, -151N, and -153N airplanes; Model A320-211, -212, -214, -215, -216, -231, -232, -233, -251N, -252N, -253N, -271N, -272N, and -273N airplanes; and Model A321-111, -112, -131, -211, -212, -213, -231, -232, -251N, -252N, -253N, -271N, -272N, -251NX, -252NX, -253NX, -271NX, and -272NX airplanes. Model A320-215 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 FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 to supersede AD 2015-22-08, Amendment 39-18313 (80 FR 68434, November 5, 2015) (“AD 2015-22-08”). AD 2015-22-08 applied to all Airbus SAS Model A318 series airplanes; Model A319-111, -112, -113, -114, -115, -131, -132, and -133 airplanes; Model A320-211, -212, -214, -231, -232, and -233 airplanes.

The FAA also proposed to supersede AD 2018-17-19, Amendment 39-19373 (83 FR 44460, August 31, 2018) (“AD 2018-17-19”). AD 2018-17-19 applied to certain Airbus SAS Model A318 series airplanes; Model A319-111, -112, -113, -114, -115, -131, -132, and -133 airplanes; Model A320-211, -212, -214, -216, -231, -232, -233, -251N, and -271N airplanes; and Model A321-111, -112, -131, -211, -212, -213, -231, -232, -251N, -253N, and -271N airplanes.

The FAA also proposed to supersede AD 2019-19-15, Amendment 39-19751 (84 FR 54480, October 10, 2019) (“AD 2019-19-15”). AD 2019-19-15 applied to certain Airbus SAS Model A318 series airplanes; Model A319-111, -112, -113, -114, -115, -131, -132, and -133 airplanes; Model A320-211, -212, -214, -216, -231, -232, -233, -251N, and -271N airplanes; and Model A321 series airplanes.

The NPRM published in the Federal Register on July 17, 2020 (85 FR 43499). The NPRM was prompted by a determination that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. The NPRM proposed to require revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations, as specified in an EASA AD. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the failure of certain life-limited parts, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the airplane. See the MCAI for additional background information.

FMI: www.regulations.gov