Proposed Rule2025-03942
Airworthiness Directives; Airbus SAS Airplanes
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
March 13, 2025
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2022-27-01, which applies to certain Airbus SAS Model A350-941 and - 1041 airplanes. AD 2022-27-01 requires replacing affected fasteners and applying additional head nut cap protection at the front and rear spars in the center wing box (CWB). Since the FAA issued AD 2022-27-01, the FAA determined that additional Airbus SAS Model A350 manufacturer serial numbers (MSNs) are affected by the same potential unsafe condition. This proposed AD would continue to require the actions in AD 2022-27-01 and would expand the applicability to include the additional Airbus SAS Model A350 MSNs, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is proposed for incorporation by reference (IBR). The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 48 (Thursday, March 13, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 48 (Thursday, March 13, 2025)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 11916-11918]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-03942]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2025-0345; Project Identifier MCAI-2024-00475-T]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Airbus SAS Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD)
2022-27-01, which applies to certain Airbus SAS Model A350-941 and -
1041 airplanes. AD 2022-27-01 requires replacing affected fasteners and
applying additional head nut cap protection at the front and rear spars
in the center wing box (CWB). Since the FAA issued AD 2022-27-01, the
FAA determined that additional Airbus SAS Model A350 manufacturer
serial numbers (MSNs) are affected by the same potential unsafe
condition. This proposed AD would continue to require the actions in AD
2022-27-01 and would expand the applicability to include the additional
Airbus SAS Model A350 MSNs, as specified in a European Union Aviation
Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is proposed for incorporation by
reference (IBR). The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe
condition on these products.
DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this proposed AD by April 28,
2025.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
<bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a>. Follow
the instructions for submitting comments.
<bullet> Fax: 202-493-2251.
<bullet> 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.
<bullet> Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> Docket
No. FAA-2025-0345; 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 NPRM, the mandatory continuing airworthiness information
(MCAI), any comments received, and other information. The street
address for Docket Operations is listed above.
Material Incorporated by Reference:
<bullet> For EASA material identified in this proposed AD, contact
EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221
8999 000; email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#36777245765357455718534344594657185343"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a6e7e2d5e6c3c7d5c788c3d3d4c9d6c788c3d3">[email protected]</span></a>; website easa.europa.eu. You may
find this material on the EASA website at ad.easa.europa.eu. It is also
available at <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> under Docket No. FAA-2025-0345.
<bullet> You may view this material at the FAA, Airworthiness
Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des
Moines, WA. For information on the availability of this material at the
FAA, call 206-231-3195.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan Rodina, Aviation Safety Engineer,
FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; telephone 206-231-
3225; email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2064414e0e724f44494e41604641410e474f56"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3377525d1d615c575a5d52735552521d545c45">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed
under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2025-0345;
Project Identifier MCAI-2024-00475-T'' at the beginning of your
comments. The most helpful comments reference a specific portion of the
proposal, explain the reason for any recommended change, and include
supporting data. The FAA will consider all comments received by the
closing date and may amend this proposal because of those comments.
Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in
the following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR
11.35, the FAA will post all comments received, without change, to
<a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a>, including any personal information you provide. The
agency will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal
contact received about this NPRM.
Confidential Business Information
CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily
and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public
disclosure. If your comments responsive to this NPRM contain commercial
or financial information that is customarily treated as private, that
you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to
this NPRM, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted
comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission containing
CBI as ``PROPIN.'' The FAA will treat such marked submissions as
confidential under the FOIA, and they will not be placed in the public
docket of this NPRM. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Dan
Rodina, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des
Moines, WA 98198; telephone 206-231-3225; email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fbbf9a95d5a9949f92959abb9d9a9ad59c948d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="db9fbab5f589b4bfb2b5ba9bbdbabaf5bcb4ad">[email protected]</span></a>. Any
commentary that the FAA receives which is not specifically designated
as CBI will be placed in the public docket for this rulemaking.
Background
The FAA issued AD 2022-27-01, Amendment 39-22286 (87 FR 80026,
December 29, 2022) (AD 2022-27-01), for certain Airbus SAS Model A350-
941 and -1041 airplanes. AD 2022-27-01 was prompted by an MCAI
originated by EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States
of the European Union. EASA issued AD 2022-0080, dated May 9, 2022, to
correct an unsafe condition.
AD 2022-27-01 requires replacing affected fasteners and applying
additional head nut cap protection at the front and rear spars in the
CWB, as
[[Page 11917]]
specified in EASA AD 2022-0080. The FAA issued AD 2022-27-01 to address
fasteners installed in the CWB rotating inside their fastener holes.
The unsafe condition, if not addressed, could lead to loss of a
fastener clamping and cracking of the nut sealant cover, possibly
resulting, in case of lightning strike, in a fuel tank explosion and
consequent loss of the airplane.
Actions Since AD 2022-27-01 Was Issued
Since the FAA issued AD 2022-27-01, EASA superseded AD 2022-0080,
dated May 9, 2022, and issued EASA AD 2024-0161, dated August 19, 2024
(EASA AD 2024-0161) (also referred to as the MCAI), to correct an
unsafe condition for certain Airbus SAS Model A350-941 and -1041
airplanes. The MCAI states that additional Airbus SAS Model A350 MSNs
are affected by the same potential unsafe condition, and the service
information referenced in the MCAI has been revised to identify the
additional airplanes. EASA AD 2024-0161 retains the requirements of
EASA AD 2022-0080 and expands the applicability to include additional
Airbus SAS Model A350 MSNs.
The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on
these products. You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at
<a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> under Docket No. FAA-2025-0345.
Explanation of Retained Requirements
Although this proposed AD does not explicitly restate the
requirements of AD 2022-27-01, this proposed AD would retain all the
requirements of AD 2022-27-01. Those requirements are referenced in
EASA AD 2024-0161, which, in turn, is referenced in paragraph (g) of
this proposed AD.
Material Incorporated by Reference Under 1 CFR Part 51
EASA 2024-0161 specifies procedures for replacing affected
fasteners installed on the left-hand and right-hand CWB at the front
and rear spar areas and for adding head nut cap protection at the front
and rear spars in the CWB. 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.
FAA's Determination
This product has been approved by the aviation authority of another
country and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to
the FAA's bilateral agreement with this State of Design Authority, it
has notified the FAA of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI
referenced above. The FAA is issuing this NPRM after determining that
the unsafe condition described previously is likely to exist or develop
in other products of the same type design.
Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM
This proposed AD would retain all requirements of AD 2022-27-01.
This proposed AD would expand the applicability to include additional
Airbus SAS Model A350 MSNs. This proposed AD would require
accomplishing the actions specified in EASA AD 2024-0161 described
previously, except for any differences identified as exceptions in the
regulatory text of this proposed AD.
Explanation of Required Compliance Information
In the FAA's ongoing efforts to improve the efficiency of the AD
process, the FAA developed a process to use some civil aviation
authority (CAA) ADs as the primary source of information for compliance
with requirements for corresponding FAA ADs. The FAA has been
coordinating this process with manufacturers and CAAs. As a result, the
FAA proposes to incorporate EASA AD 2024-0161 by reference in the FAA
final rule. This proposed AD would, therefore, require compliance with
EASA AD 2024-0161 in its entirety through that incorporation, except
for any differences identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of
this proposed AD. Using common terms that are the same as the heading
of a particular section in EASA AD 2024-0161 does not mean that
operators need comply only with that section. For example, where the AD
requirement refers to ``all required actions and compliance times,''
compliance with this AD requirement is not limited to the section
titled ``Required Action(s) and Compliance Time(s)'' in EASA AD 2024-
0161. Material required by EASA AD 2024-0161 for compliance will be
available at <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> under Docket No. FAA-2025-0345 after the
FAA final rule is published.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 34 airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following
costs to comply with this proposed AD:
Estimated Costs for Required Actions
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Action Labor cost Parts cost Cost per product Cost on U.S. operators
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Replace fasteners.................. Up to 83 work-hours x $85 Up to $17,716......... Up to $24,771......... Up to $842,214.
per hour = $7,055.
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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
The FAA 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) Would not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
(3) Would not have a significant economic impact, positive or
negative, on a substantial number of small entities
[[Page 11918]]
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:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 40113, 44701.
Sec. 39.13 [Amended]
0
2. The FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by:
0
a. Removing Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2022-27-01, Amendment 39-22286
(87 FR 80026, December 29, 2022); and
0
b. Adding the following new AD:
Airbus SAS: Docket No. FAA-2025-0345; Project Identifier MCAI-2024-
00475-T.
(a) Comments Due Date
The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive
(AD) by April 28, 2025.
(b) Affected ADs
This AD replaces AD 2022-27-01, Amendment 39-22286 (87 FR 80026,
December 29, 2022) (AD 2022-27-01).
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to Airbus SAS Model A350-941 and -1041
airplanes, certificated in any category, as identified in European
Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2024-0161, dated August 19,
2024 (EASA AD 2024-0161).
(d) Subject
Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 57, Wings.
(e) Unsafe Condition
This AD was prompted a report that during flight and fatigue
testing it was detected that some fasteners installed in the center
wing box (CWB) rotated inside their fastener holes. The FAA is
issuing this AD to address fasteners installed in the CWB rotating
inside their fastener holes. The unsafe condition, if not addressed,
could lead to loss of a fastener clamping and cracking of the nut
sealant cover, possibly resulting, in case of lightning strike, in a
fuel tank explosion and consequent loss 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, EASA AD 2024-0161.
(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2024-0161
(1) Where EASA AD 2024-0161 refers to ``23 May 2022 [the
effective date of EASA AD 2022-0080],'' this AD requires using
February 2, 2023 (the effective date of AD 2022-27-01).
(2) This AD does not adopt the ``Remarks'' section of EASA AD
2024-0161.
(i) Additional AD Provisions
The following provisions also apply to this AD:
(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, AIR-
520, Continued Operational Safety 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 responsible Flight Standards Office,
as appropriate. If sending information directly to the manager of
the Continued Operational Safety Branch, send it to the attention of
the person identified in paragraph (j) of this AD and email to:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a4e5e9ebe7e4c2c5c58ac3cbd2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="692824262a290f0808470e061f">[email protected]</span></a>.
(i) Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate
principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager
of the responsible Flight Standards Office.
(ii) AMOCs approved previously for AD 2022-27-01 are approved as
AMOCs for the corresponding provisions of EASA AD 2024-0161 that are
required by paragraph (g) of this AD.
(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, AIR-520,
Continued Operational Safety 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): Except as required by
paragraph (i)(2) of this AD, if any material 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.
(j) Additional Information
For more information about this AD, contact Dan Rodina, Aviation
Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198;
telephone 206-231-3225; email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#aaeecbc484f8c5cec3c4cbeacccbcb84cdc5dc"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0246636c2c506d666b6c63426463632c656d74">[email protected]</span></a>.
(k) Material Incorporated by Reference
(1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the
incorporation by reference of the material listed in this paragraph
under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
(2) You must use this material as applicable to do the actions
required by this AD, unless this AD specifies otherwise.
(i) European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2024-0161,
dated August 19, 2024.
(ii) [Reserved]
(3) For EASA material identified in this AD, contact EASA,
Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221
8999 000; email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d19095a291b4b0a2b0ffb4a4a3bea1b0ffb4a4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3475704774515547551a5141465b44551a5141">[email protected]</span></a>; website easa.europa.eu. You may
find this material on the EASA website at ad.easa.europa.eu.
(4) You may view this material at the FAA, Airworthiness
Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South 216th St.,
Des Moines, WA. For information on the availability of this material
at the FAA, call 206-231-3195.
(5) You may view this material at the National Archives and
Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability
of this material at NARA, visit <a href="http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations">www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations</a>, or email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#eb8d99c58285989b8e889f828485ab858a998ac58c849d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="ddbbaff3b4b3aeadb8bea9b4b2b39db3bcafbcf3bab2ab">[email protected]</span></a>.
Issued on March 7, 2025.
Victor Wicklund,
Deputy Director, Integrated Certificate Management Division, Aircraft
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-03942 Filed 3-12-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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