Airworthiness Directive · Amendment 39-11806 · Airbus Model A330 and A340 Series Airplanes
Airbus Model A330 and A340 Series Airplanes
Model A330 and A340 series airplanes, certificated in any category, except those on which Airbus Modifications 47487, 47500, 47701, and 47787 have been installed in production.
Note 1: This AD applies to each airplane identified in the preceding applicability provision, regardless of whether it has been otherwise modified, altered, or repaired in the area subject to the requirements of this AD. For airplanes that have been modified, altered, or repaired so that the performance of the requirements of this AD is affected, the owner/operator must request approval for an alternative method of compliance in accordance with paragraph (k) of this AD. The request should include an assessment of the effect of the modification, alteration, or repair on the unsafe condition addressed by this AD; and, if the unsafe condition has not been eliminated, the request should include specific proposed actions to address it.
This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to certain Airbus Model A330 and A340 series airplanes. This AD requires repetitive detailed visual and ultrasonic inspections of the main landing gear (MLG) to detect fatigue cracks, and repair if necessary; replacement of certain nose landing gear (NLG) handwheel controllers and certain placards with new placards; installation of steering angle recording software; and corrective action for exceeding certain steering angles. This AD also requires an AFM revision to limit the nose wheel steering angle for pushback and towing and to limit the nose wheel steering for powered turns. This amendment is prompted by issuance of mandatory continuing airworthiness information by a foreign civil airworthiness authority. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent MLG failure due to fatigue cracking, which could result in reduced structural capability of the airplane and collapse of the MLG.
To prevent main landing gear (MLG) failure due to fatigue cracking, which could result in reduced structural capability of the airplane and collapse of the MLG, accomplish the following:
(a) Prior to the accumulation of 800 total landings on the MLG, or within 120 landings after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later, perform detailed visual and ultrasonic inspections of the MLG to detect fatigue cracks, as specified in either paragraph (a)(1) or (a)(2) of this AD, as applicable.
(1) For Model A330 series airplanes: Accomplish the detailed visual and ultrasonic inspections in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin A330-32A3088, Revision 02, dated June 10, 1999.
Note 2: For the purposes of this AD, a detailed visual inspection is defined as: “An intensive visual examination of a specific structural area, system, installation, or assembly to detect damage, failure, or irregularity. Available lighting is normally supplemented with a direct source of good lighting at intensity deemed appropriate by the inspector. Inspection aids such as mirror, magnifying lenses, etc., may be used. Surface cleaning and elaborate access procedures may be required.”
Note 3: Detailed visual and ultrasonic inspections accomplished prior to the effective date of this AD in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin A330-32A3088, dated October 16, 1998; or Revision 01, dated November 20, 1998; are acceptable methods of compliance for the inspection requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of this AD.
(2) For Model A340 series airplanes: Accomplish the detailed visual and ultrasonic inspections in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin A340-32A4124, Revision 01, dated November 20, 1998.
Note 4: Detailed visual and ultrasonic inspections accomplished prior to the effective date of this AD in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin A340-32A4124, dated October 16, 1998, are acceptable methods of compliance for the inspection requirements of paragraph (a)(2) of this AD.
(b) If no crack is detected during the inspection required by paragraph (a)(1) or (a)(2) of this AD: Repeat the detailed visual and ultrasonic inspections thereafter at intervals not to exceed 120 landings.
(c) If any cracking is detected during any inspection required by paragraph (a) or (b) of this AD: Prior to further flight, perform a detailed magnetic particle inspection of the MLG to detect fatigue cracks, in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin A330-32A3088, Revision 02, dated June 10, 1999, or Airbus Service Bulletin A340-32A4124, Revision 01, dated November 20, 1998, as applicable; and repair in accordance with a method approved by the Manager, International Branch, ANM-116, FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, or the Direction Générale de l'Aviation Civile (DGAC) (or its delegated agent). For a repair method to be approved by the Manager, International Branch, ANM-116, as required by this paragraph, the Manager's approval letter must specifically reference this AD.
(d) Within 10 days after accomplishing any inspection required by paragraph (a), (b), or (c) of this AD, report the inspection results (both positive and negative) to Airbus Industrie at fax 33(0) 5 61 93 32 73. Information collection requirements contained in this regulation have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and have been assigned OMB Control Number 2120-0056.
(e) Within 20 days after the effective date of this AD, replace the nose wheel steering handwheel controllers with new controllers, or modify the functional software of the brake steering and control unit (BSCU), as specified in either paragraph (e)(1) or (e)(2) of this AD, as applicable.
(1) For Model A330 series airplanes: Replace the controllers in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin A330-32-3091, Revision 01, dated December 2, 1998, or modify the functional software of the BSCU in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin A330-32-3092, Revision 02, dated June 10, 1999.
Note 5: Replacement of nose wheel steering handwheel controllers with new controllers accomplished prior to the effective date of this AD in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin A330-32-3091, dated November 19, 1998, is an acceptable method of compliance for the replacement requirements of paragraph (e)(1) of this AD.
Note 6: Modification of the functional software of the BSCU accomplished prior to the effective date of this AD in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin A330-32-3092, dated December 18, 1998; or Revision 01, dated February 24, 1999; is an acceptable method of compliance for the software modification requirements of paragraph (e)(1) of this AD.
(2) For Model A340 series airplanes: Replace the controllers in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin A340-32-4128, Revision 01, dated December 2, 1998, or modify the functional software of the BSCU in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin A340-32-4131, Revision 01, dated June 10, 1999.
Note 7: Replacement of nose wheel steering handwheel controllers with new controllers accomplished prior to the effective date of this AD in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin A340-32-4128, dated November 19, 1998, is an acceptable method of compliance for the replacement requirements of paragraph (e)(2) of this AD.
Note 8: Modification of the functional software of the BSCU accomplished prior to the effective date of this AD in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin A340-32-4131, dated February 24, 1999, is an acceptable method of compliance for the software modification requirements of paragraph (e)(2) of this AD.
(f) Within 20 days after the effective date of this AD, replace the placards on the left-and right-hand sides of the aft mechanically-operated nose landing gear doors with new placards, as specified in either paragraph (f)(1) or (f)(2) of this AD, as applicable.
(1) For Model A330 series airplanes: Replace placards in accordance with
Airbus Service Bulletin A330-32-3089, dated November 2, 1998.
(2) For Model A340 series airplanes: Replace placards in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin A340-32-4126, dated November 2, 1998.
(g) Within 20 days after the effective date of this AD, accomplish either paragraph (g)(1) or (g)(2) of this AD, as applicable.
(1) For Model A330-200 series airplanes: Install a software program that automatically records all nose wheel steering angle exceedance above 63 degrees into the Aircraft Condition Monitoring System (ACMS) [ i.e., modify the new setup database software by adding the existing operator customized version; and upload the setup database software to the data management unit (DMU)] in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin A330-31-3033, dated September 13, 1999.
(2) For Model A330-300 and Model A340 series airplanes: Install a software program that automatically records all nose wheel steering angle exceedance above 67 degrees into the ACMS (i.e., modify the new setup database software by adding the existing operator customized version; and upload the setup database software to the DMU) in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin A330-31-3033, dated September 13, 1999 (for Model A330-300 series airplanes), or Airbus Service Bulletin A340-31-4047, dated September 13, 1999 (for Model A340 series airplanes); as applicable.
(h) Within 20 days after the effective date of this AD, revise the Limitations Section of the FAA-approved Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) by inserting the procedures to incorporate ground operating procedures to limit the nose wheel steering angle for pushback and towing and to limit nose wheel steering for powered turns, in accordance with Flight Operations TELEX (FOT) 999.0099/98, Revision 5, dated May 21, 1999.
(i) For Model A330-200 series airplanes: If, after 20 days from the effective date of this AD, a 63-degree hand wheel steering is exceeded, a 63 degrees is recorded on the ACMS, or a 60-degree steering is exceeded during towing or pushback, within 4 landings after each occurrence, accomplish the actions required by paragraph (a) of this AD.
(j) For Model A330-300 and Model A340 series airplanes: If, after 20 days from the effective date of this AD, a 65-degree hand wheel steering is exceeded, a 67 degrees is recorded on the ACMS, or a 60-degree steering is exceeded during towing or pushback; within 4 landings after each occurrence, accomplish paragraph (j)(1) and (j)(2) of this AD, as applicable.
(1) Accomplish the actions required by paragraph (a) of this AD.
(2) For airplanes on which Airbus Modification 46804 has been accomplished:
Reinstall a positive stop and re-rig the tiller as specified in either paragraph (j)(2)(i) or (j)(2)(ii) of this AD, as applicable.
(i) For Model A330-300 series airplanes: Reinstall a stop and re-rig in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin A330-32-3091, Revision 01, dated December 2, 1998.
(ii) For Model A340 series airplanes: Reinstall a stop and re-rig in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin A340-32-4128, Revision 01, dated December 2, 1998.
