AD NUMBER: 2017-22-03

PRODUCT: All Airbus Model A318 and 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) 2015-05-02, which applied to the aircraft listed above.

AD 2015-05- 02 required revising the maintenance or inspection program to incorporate new, more restrictive airworthiness limitations.

This new AD requires revising the maintenance or inspection program to incorporate new or revised structural inspection requirements and adds airplanes to the applicability.

This AD was prompted by an evaluation by the design approval holder (DAH), which indicates that principal structural elements and certain life-limited parts are subject to widespread fatigue damage (WFD).

COST: The FAA estimates  that this AD affects 1,182 airplanes of U.S. registry.

The actions required by AD 2015-05-02, and retained in this AD, take about 2 work-hours per product, at an average labor rate of $85 per work-hour. Based on these figures, the estimated cost of the actions that are required by AD 2015-05-02 is $170 per product.

The FAA also estimates that it will take about 2 work-hours per product to comply with the basic requirements of this AD. The average labor rate is $85 per work-hour. Based on these figures, the estimated cost of this AD on U.S. operators to be $200,940, or $170 per product.

DATES: This AD is effective November 28, 2017.

FMI: AD