AD NUMBER: 2019-18-07

PRODUCT: All Airbus SAS Model A319 series airplanes; Model A320-211, -212, -214, -231, -232, and -233 airplanes, and Model A321-111, -112, -131, -211, -212, -213, -231, and -232 airplanes.

ACTION: Final Rule.

SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2015-17-14, which applied to the aircraft listed above.

AD 2015-17- 14 required repetitive rototest inspections of the open tack holes and rivet holes at the cargo floor support fittings of the fuselage, including doing all applicable related investigative actions, and repair if necessary.

This AD continues to require the actions of AD 2015-17-14, adds actions for certain airplanes, and reduces the compliance times for certain airplanes, as specified in an European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference.

This AD also reduces the applicability. This AD was prompted by further analysis and widespread fatigue damage (WFD) evaluations which identified the need to reduce the initial compliance times and repetitive intervals for the inspections for certain airplanes, and to add work for certain airplanes.

DATES: This AD is effective October 31, 2019.

COST: The FAA estimates that this AD affects 1,009 airplanes of U.S. registry. Operators may incur the following costs in order to comply with this AD:

• Retained actions from AD 2015-17-14: Up to 471 work-hours × $85 per hour = Up to $40,035 per aircraft.
• New actions:  Up to 474 work-hours × 85 per hour = Up to $40,290 labor. Parts: $13,000.  Cost per airplane: Up to $53,290.

FMI: AD