Airworthiness Directive · Amendment 39-23041 · Fuselage
Airbus SAS Airplanes
This AD applies to the Airbus SAS airplanes identified in paragraphs (c)(1) through (7) of this AD, certificated in any category, as identified in European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2024-0097R2, dated July 12, 2024 (EASA AD 2024-0097R2).
(1) Model A318-111, -112, -121, and -122 airplanes.
(2) Model A319-111, -112, -113, -114, -115, -131, -132, and -133 airplanes.
(3) Model A319-151N, -153N, and -171N airplanes.
(4) Model A320-211, -212, -214, -216, -231, -232, and -233 airplanes.
(5) Model A320-251N, -252N, -253N, -271N, -272N, and -273N airplanes.
(6) Model A321-111, -112, -131, -211, -212, -213, -231, and -232 airplanes.
(7) Model A321-251N, -251NX, -252N, -252NX, -253N, -253NX, -271N, -271NX, -272N, and -272NX airplanes.
The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2015-02- 14, which applied to all Airbus SAS Model A318 series airplanes; A319- 111, -112, -113, -114, -115, -131, -132, and -133 airplanes; A320-211, -212, -214, -231, -232, and -233 airplanes; and A321-111, -112, -131, - 211, -212, -213, -231, and -232 airplanes. AD 2015-02-14 required repetitive inspections for cracking, damage, correct installation, and correct adjustment of the main landing gear (MLG) door hinge and actuator fittings on the keel beam, corrective actions if necessary, and revision of the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable. Since the FAA issued AD 2015-02-14, a new design of the MLG door keel beam hinge and actuator fitting was developed. This AD continues to require the actions specified in AD 2015-02-14, adds an optional terminating action, and revises the applicability, 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.
Except as specified in paragraphs (h) and (j) of this AD: Comply with all required actions and compliance times specified in, and in accordance with, EASA AD 2024-0097R2.
(1) Where EASA AD 2024-0097R2 refers to “16 May 2024 [the effective date of the original issue of this AD],” this AD requires using the effective date of this AD.
(2) Where EASA AD 2024-0097R2 refers to “18 July 2012 [the effective date of EASA AD 2012-0118],” this AD requires using April 6, 2015 (the effective date of AD 2015-02-14).
(3) Where EASA AD 2024-0097R2 specifies to “contact Airbus for approved repair instructions and, within the compliance time specified therein, accomplish those instructions accordingly”, replace that text with “all repairs must be done before further flight 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”.
(4) Where paragraph (6) of EASA AD 2024-0097R2 describes an airplane that has been inspected per “ALI task 533154-03-2, 533154-04-2 or 533154-10-1, or in accordance with the instructions of inspection SB 1 (at any Revision) or inspection SB 2 (at any Revision)”, replace that text with “ALI task 533154-03-2, 533154-04-2 or 533154-10-1, or in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A320-53-1195 or SB A320-53-1325 at any Revision, as applicable, or Airbus SB A320-53-1196 or SB A320-53-1326 at any Revision, as applicable”.
(5) This AD does not adopt the “Remarks” section of EASA AD 2024-0097R2.
(6) For airplanes identified in paragraphs (c)(3), (5), and (7) of this AD: Where paragraph (1) of EASA AD 2024-0097R2 specifies accomplishing inspection “in accordance with the instructions of the inspection SB 1, as applicable”, this AD requires replacing that text with “in accordance with the instructions of the inspection SB 1, as applicable, or Airworthiness Limitations task 533154-03-2. As of 3 months after the effective date of FAA AD 2025-10-07, only the inspection SB 1, as applicable, may be used”.
(7) For airplanes identified in paragraphs (c)(3), (5), and (7) of this AD: Where paragraph (2) of EASA AD 2024-0097R2 specifies accomplishing inspection “in accordance with the instructions of the inspection SB 2, as applicable”, this AD requires replacing that text with “in accordance with the instructions of the inspection SB 2, as applicable, or Airworthiness Limitations task 533154-04-2 or task 533154-10-1. As of 3 months after the effective date of FAA AD 2025-10-07, only the inspection SB 2, as applicable, may be used”.
(8) Where the “Inspection SB 2” as defined in EASA AD 2024-0097R2 specifies to do an ultrasonic inspection in addition to a high frequency eddy current (HFEC) inspection, this AD does not require an ultrasonic inspection.
This paragraph restates the requirements of paragraph (k) of AD 2015-02-14 with no changes. For airplanes identified in paragraphs (c)(1), (2), (4), and (6) of this AD: After April 6, 2015 (the effective date of AD 2015-02-14) and before further flight after doing the initial inspections required by paragraph (g) of this AD: Revise the maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to remove Task 533154-02-1 of the Airbus A318/A319/A320/A321 ALS Part 2-Damage Tolerant Airworthiness Limitations Items (DT ALI), Revision 01, dated April 4, 2012; Airbus A318/A319/A320/A321 Airworthiness Limitation Items, Document AI/SE-M4/95A.0252/96, Issue 10, dated October 2009; or Airbus A318/A319/A320/A321 Airworthiness Limitation Items, Document AI/SE-M4/95A.0252/96, Issue 11, dated September 2010. The actions required by this AD take precedence over Task 533154-02-1 of the Airbus A318/A319/A320/A321 ALS Part 2 Damage Tolerant Airworthiness Limitation Items (DT ALI), Revision 01, dated April 4, 2012; Airbus A318/A319/A320/A321 Airworthiness Limitation Items, Document AI/SE-M4/95A.0252/96, Issue 10, dated October 2009; and Airbus A318/A319/A320/A321 Airworthiness Limitation Items, Document AI/SE-M4/95A.0252/96, Issue 11, dated September 2010.
Although the material referenced in EASA AD 2024-0097R2 specifies to submit certain information to the manufacturer, this AD does not include that requirement.
(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 (l) of this AD and email to: AMOC@faa.gov.
(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 2015-02-14 are approved as AMOCs for the corresponding provisions of EASA AD 2024-0097R2 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 DOA. If approved by the DOA, the approval must include the DOA-authorized signature.
(3) Required for Compliance (RC): Except as required by paragraph (k)(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.
For more information about this AD, contact Tim Dowling, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone: 206-231-3667; email: timothy.p.dowling@faa.gov.
The aircraft, engines and makers this AD names, by the model designations in its text. A model listed here may still be outside the AD's serial ranges.
