AD 2022-19-02 Prompted By A Determination That New Or More Restrictive Airworthiness Limitations Are Necessary

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2016-10-08, AD 2017-05-10, and AD 2019-01-05, which applied to certain Airbus SAS Model A330-200, -200 Freighter, and -300 series airplanes; and AD 2019-20-13, which applied to certain Airbus SAS Model A330-200, A330-200 Freighter, A330-300, A340-200, A340-300, A340-500, and A340-600 series airplanes.

AD 2016-10-08 required determining the flight cycles accumulated on certain trimmable horizontal stabilizer actuators (THSAs), and replacing the THSA if necessary. AD 2017-05-10, AD 2019-01-05, and AD 2019-20-13 required revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable. This AD was prompted by a determination that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. This AD requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate additional new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations, 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. This AD is effective December 22, 2022.

Supplementary Information: EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union, has issued EASA AD 2021-0250, dated November 17, 2021 (EASA AD 2021-0250) (also referred to as the MCAI), to correct an unsafe condition for all Airbus SAS Model A330-201, -202, -203, -223, and -243 airplanes; Model A330-223F and -243F airplanes; Model A330-301, -302, -303, -321, -322, -323, -341, -342, and -343 airplanes; Model A330-841 airplanes; and Model A330-941 airplanes.

The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 to supersede AD 2016-10-08, Amendment 39-18519 (81 FR 31844, May 20, 2016) (AD 2016-10-08); AD 2017-05-10, Amendment 39-18821 (82 FR 13379, March 13, 2017) (AD 2017-05-10); AD 2019-01-05, Amendment 39-19544 (84 FR 4310, February 15, 2019) (AD 2019-01-05); and AD 2019-20-13, Amendment 39-19766 (84 FR 56378, October 22, 2019) (AD 2019-20-13). AD 2016-10-08, AD 2017-05-10, and AD 2019-01-05, applied to certain Airbus SAS Model A330-200, -200 Freighter, and -300 series airplanes, and AD 2019-20-13 applied to certain Airbus SAS Model A330-200, A330-200 Freighter, A330-300, A340-200, A340-300, A340-500, and A340-600 series airplanes. The NPRM published in the Federal Register on June 23, 2022 (87 FR 37454). The NPRM was prompted by a determination that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. The NPRM proposed to require revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate additional new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations, as specified in EASA AD 2021-0250.

The FAA is issuing this AD to address the failure of system components, which could reduce the controllability of the airplane. See the MCAI for additional background information.

FMI: www.regulations.gov