AD 2022-04-08 Prompted By Reports Of Low Halon Concentration In The Forward And Aft Cargo Compartments

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2020-16-01, which applied to all Airbus SAS Model A318, A319, A320, and A321 series airplanes.

AD 2020-16-01 required repetitive cleaning and greasing of affected cargo door seals (both original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and parts manufacturer approval (PMA) parts). This AD was prompted by reports of low halon concentration in the forward and aft cargo compartments due to air leakage through cargo compartment door seals, and the FAA's determination that improved cargo door seals must be installed and that certain flight operations must be limited until the improved cargo door seals are installed. This AD retains certain actions required by AD 2020-16-01 and requires replacing certain forward and aft cargo compartment door seals with new seals and installing a placard on the cargo compartment doors; and for certain airplanes, revising the existing airplane flight manual (AFM) to implement an operational limitation for certain routes. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. This AD is effective April 11, 2022.

Supplementary Information: The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 to supersede AD 2020-16-01, Amendment 39-21185 (85 FR 47013, August 4, 2020) (AD 2020-16-01). AD 2020-16-01 applied to all Airbus SAS Model A318, A319, A320, and A321 series airplanes. AD 2020-16-01 required repetitive cleaning and greasing of affected cargo door seals (both OEM and PMA parts). The NPRM published in the Federal Register on October 22, 2021 (86 FR 58597). The NPRM was prompted by reports of low halon concentration in the forward and aft cargo compartments due to air leakage through cargo compartment door seals, and the FAA's determination that additional rulemaking is necessary to require replacement of PMA part number (P/N) D5237106020400S with improved cargo door seals and to limit certain flight operations until the improved cargo door seals are installed. In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to retain certain actions required by AD 2020-16-01; require replacing certain forward and aft cargo compartment door seals with new seals and installing a placard on the cargo compartment doors; and for certain airplanes, implement an operational limitation for certain routes. In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to limit the applicability to airplanes that have certain PMA parts installed because the FAA issued AD 2021-18-04, Amendment 39-21705 (86 FR 51265, September 15, 2021) (AD 2021-18-04) to address the OEM parts.

The FAA is issuing this AD to address low halon concentration. This condition, if not corrected, could affect the fire extinguishing system efficiency in the cargo compartments, possibly resulting in failure of the system to contain a cargo compartment fire.

FMI: www.regulations.gov