AD NUMBER: 2017-18-17

PRODUCT: Certain Airbus Model A300, A300 B4-600, and A300 B4-600R series airplanes; and Model A300 F4- 605R and A300 C4-605R Variant F airplanes.

ACTION: Final Rule.

SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2004-23-20, which applied to the aircraft listed above.

AD 2004-23-20 required, for certain airplanes, repetitive inspections for cracking around certain attachment holes, installation of new fasteners for certain airplanes, and follow-on corrective actions if necessary. AD 2004-23-20 also required modifying certain fuselage frames, which terminated certain repetitive inspections.

This new AD reduces certain compliance times, expands the applicability, and requires an additional repair on certain modified airplanes.

This AD was prompted by a report indicating that the material used to manufacture the upper frame feet was changed and negatively affected the fatigue life of the frame feet.

COST: The FAA estimates this AD affects 65 airplanes of U.S. registry.

The actions that were required by AD 2004-23-20 and retained in this AD take about 90 workhours per product, at an average labor rate of $85 per work-hour. Required parts cost about $4,000 per product. Based on these figures, the estimated cost of the actions that were required by AD 2004- 23-20 is $11,650 per product.

The agency also estimates that it will take up to 109 work-hours per product to comply with the new basic requirements of this AD. The average labor rate is $85 per work-hour. Required parts will cost up to $6,070 per product. Based on these figures, it estimates the cost of this AD on U.S. operators to be up to $996,775, or up to $15,335 per product.

The FAA has received no definitive data that will enable us to provide cost estimates for the on-condition actions specified in this AD.

DATES: This AD is effective October 19, 2017.

FMI: AD