AD NUMBER: 2019-12-04

PRODUCT: Certain Airbus SAS Model A300 B4-603, B4-620, and B4-622 airplanes; Model A300 B4-600R series airplanes; Model A300 C4-605R Variant F airplanes; and Model A300 F4-605R airplanes.

ACTION: Final Rule.

SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2018-19-18, which applied to the aircraft listed above.

AD 2018-19-18 required, depending on airplane configuration, a modification of certain angle fitting attachment holes; repetitive inspections for cracking of certain holes of the internal lower angle fitting web, certain holes of the internal lower angle fitting horizontal splicing, the aft bottom panel, and a certain junction area; and related investigative and corrective actions if necessary.

This new AD retains those actions, expands the applicability, and, for certain airplanes, requires repetitive inspections for cracking of certain holes of the center wing box (CWB) lower angle fittings and the CWB lower panel, and corrective actions if necessary, as specified in an European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference.

This AD was prompted by reports of cracking of a certain frame (FR) angle fitting.

DATES: This AD is effective August 7, 2019.

COST: The FAA estimates that this AD affects 65 airplanes of U.S. registry. Operators may incur the following costs in order to comply with this AD:

The FAA estimates that it would take about 1 work-hour per product to comply with the reporting requirement in this AD. The average labor rate is $85 per hour. Based on these figures, the FAA estimates the cost of reporting the inspection results on U.S. operators to be $5,525, or $85 per product.

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

FMI: AD