[Federal Register: December 7, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 234)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 70537-70539]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07de04-1]
========================================================================
Rules and Regulations
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents
having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed
to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published
under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.
The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by the Superintendent of Documents.
Prices of new books are listed in the first FEDERAL REGISTER issue of each
week.
========================================================================
[[Page 70537]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2004-19817; Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-237-AD;
Amendment 39-13896; AD 2004-25-08]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model A318, A319, A320, and A321
Series Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for
certain Airbus Model A318, A319, A320, and A321 series airplanes. This
AD requires regularly performing a complete electrical shutdown of the
airplane to reset the integrated standby instrument system (ISIS). This
AD is prompted by reports indicating that an airplane lost the ISIS,
then, during the same flight, lost all electronic instrument system
(EIS) display units. We are issuing this AD to prevent loss of the
ISIS, which, if combined with loss of all EIS display units, could
reduce the flightcrew's situational awareness and contribute to loss of
control of the airplane or impact with obstacles or terrain.
DATES: Effective December 22, 2004.
We must receive comments on this AD by February 7, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Use one of the following addresses to submit comments on
this AD.
DOT Docket Web site: Go to http://dms.dot.gov and follow
the instructions for sending your comments electronically.
Government-wide rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov
and follow the instructions for sending your
comments electronically.
Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-401,
Washington, DC 20590.
Fax: (202) 493-2251.
Hand Delivery: Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the
Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m.
and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
For service information identified in this AD, contact Airbus, 1
Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex, France. You can
examine this information at the National Archives and Records
Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this
material at NARA, call (202) 741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html
.
You can examine the contents of this 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., Room PL-401,
on the plaza level of the Nassif Building, Washington, DC. This docket
number is FAA-2004-19817; the directorate identifier for this docket is
2004-NM-237-AD.
Docket Management System (DMS)
The FAA has implemented new procedures for maintaining AD dockets
electronically. As of May 17, 2004, new AD actions are posted on DMS
and assigned a docket number. We track each action and assign a
corresponding directorate identifier. The DMS AD docket number is in
the form ``Docket No. FAA-2004-99999.'' The Transport Airplane
Directorate identifier is in the form ``Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-
999-AD.'' Each DMS AD docket also lists the directorate identifier
(``Old Docket Number'') as a cross-reference for searching purposes.
Examining the Docket
You can examine the 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 DOT
street address stated in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be
available in the AD docket shortly after the DMS receives them.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Technical information: Tim Dulin,
Aerospace Engineer, International Branch, ANM-116, FAA, Transport
Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98055-
4056; telephone (425) 227-2141; fax (425) 227-1149.
Plain language information: Marcia Walters, marcia.walters@faa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Direction Generale de l'Aviation Civile
(DGAC), which is the airworthiness authority for France, notified the
FAA that an unsafe condition may exist on certain Airbus Model A318,
A319, A320, and A321 series airplanes. The DGAC advises that an Airbus
Model A340 series airplane lost the integrated standby instrument
system (ISIS), then, during the same flight, lost all electronic
instrument system (EIS) display units. Investigation revealed that the
ISIS failure is caused by a time-counter fault that occurs after 145
hours of continuous power supply to the ISIS. Loss of the ISIS, if
combined with loss of all EIS display units, could reduce the
flightcrew's situational awareness and contribute to loss of control of
the airplane or impact with obstacles or terrain.
The subject ISIS on certain Airbus Model A340 series airplanes is
also installed on certain Airbus Model A318, A319, A320, and A321
series airplanes. Therefore, airplanes of all of these models may be
subject to the identified unsafe condition.
The DGAC has issued French Emergency Airworthiness Directive UF-
2004-168, dated October 20, 2004, to ensure the continued airworthiness
of these airplanes in France.
FAA's Determination and Requirements of This AD
These airplane models are manufactured in France and are type
certificated for operation in the United States under the provisions of
section 21.29 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 21.29) and
the applicable bilateral airworthiness agreement. According to this
bilateral airworthiness agreement, the DGAC has kept us informed of the
situation described above. We have examined the DGAC's findings,
evaluated all pertinent information, and determined that we
[[Page 70538]]
need to issue an AD for products of this type design that are
certificated for operation in the United States.
Therefore, we are issuing this AD to prevent loss of the ISIS,
which, if combined with loss of all EIS display units, could reduce the
flightcrew's situational awareness and contribute to loss of control of
the airplane or impact with obstacles or terrain. This AD requires
regularly performing a complete electrical shutdown of the airplane to
reset the ISIS.
Differences Between the AD and French Emergency Airworthiness Directive
This AD differs from the French Emergency Airworthiness Directive
in that this AD does not allow resetting the circuit breaker as a means
of resetting the ISIS. This AD instead requires a complete electrical
shutdown of the airplane, which the French Emergency Airworthiness
Directive provides as an alternative means of resetting the ISIS. The
decision to not allow resetting the circuit breaker is based on FAA
policy that pulling circuit breakers is not an acceptable means of
routinely removing electrical power from airplane systems. This policy
is based on the fact that use of a circuit breaker as a switch will
degrade the ability of the circuit breaker to trip at its rated current
trip point.
Interim Action
We consider this AD interim action. We are currently considering
requiring the installation of an upgraded ISIS standard, which would
eliminate the need to regularly perform a complete electrical shutdown
of the airplane. However, the planned compliance time for this
installation would allow enough time to provide notice and opportunity
for public comment on the merits of the modification.
FAA's Determination of the Effective Date
An unsafe condition exists that requires the immediate adoption of
this AD; therefore, providing notice and opportunity for public comment
before the AD is issued is impracticable, and good cause exists to make
this AD effective in less than 30 days.
Comments Invited
This AD is a final rule that involves requirements that affect
flight safety and was not preceded by notice and an opportunity for
public comment; however, we invite you to submit any relevant written
data, views, or arguments regarding this AD. Send your comments to an
address listed under ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2004-19817;
Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-237-AD'' at the beginning of your
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory,
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the AD. We will consider
all comments received by the closing date and may amend the AD in light
of those comments.
We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://dms.dot.gov
, including any personal information you provide. We will
also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact with FAA
personnel concerning this AD. Using the search function of our docket
Web site, anyone can find and read the comments in any of our dockets,
including the name of the individual who sent the comment (or signed
the comment on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.).
You can review the DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal
Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78), or you can visit
http://dms.dot.gov.
We are reviewing the writing style we currently use in regulatory
documents. We are interested in your comments on whether the style of
this document is clear, and your suggestions to improve the clarity of
our communications with you. You can get more information about plain
language at http://www/faa.gov/language and http://www.plainlanguage.gov.Authority
for This Rulemaking
The FAA's authority to issue rules regarding aviation safety is
found in Title 49 of the United States Code. 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.
This rulemaking is promulgated under the authority described in
subtitle VII, part A, subpart III, section 44701, ``General
requirements.'' Under that section, the FAA is charged 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 AD.
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 the 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); 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. 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, 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 FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness
directive (AD):
2004-25-08 Airbus: Amendment 39-13896. Docket No. FAA-2004-19817;
Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-237-AD.
Effective Date
(a) This AD becomes effective December 22, 2004.
Affected ADs
(b) None.
Applicability
(c) This AD applies to Airbus Model A318, A319, A320, and A321
series airplanes, certificated in any category; on which Airbus
Modification 27620 (reference Airbus Service Bulletin A320-34-1261)
has been done.
Unsafe Condition
(d) This AD was prompted by a report indicating that an airplane
lost the integrated standby instrument system (ISIS), then, during
the same flight, lost all electronic instrument system (EIS) display
units. The FAA is issuing this AD to prevent loss of the ISIS,
which, if combined with loss of all EIS display units, could reduce
the flightcrew's situational awareness and contribute to loss of
control of the airplane or impact with obstacles or terrain.
[[Page 70539]]
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.
Requirement for Complete Electrical Shutdown
(f) Within 3 days after the effective date of this AD, or within
5 days after the last ISIS reset or complete electrical shutdown of
the airplane, whichever is first, perform a complete electrical
shutdown of the airplane to reset the ISIS. Repeat the electrical
shutdown of the airplane at intervals not to exceed 5 days.
Note 1: This AD does not allow resetting the circuit breaker as
a means of resetting the ISIS.
Note 2: There is no terminating action available at this time
for the requirement to regularly perform a complete electrical
shutdown of the airplane.
Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
(g) 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.
Related Information
(h) French Emergency Airworthiness Directive UF-2004-168, dated
October 20, 2004, also addresses the subject of this AD.
Material Incorporated by Reference
(i) None.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on November 30, 2004.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 04-26790 Filed 12-6-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P