Federal Aviation Administration February 5, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are revising an earlier proposed airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Model A330-200 and -300 series airplanes; and Model A340-200 and -300 series airplanes. The NPRM proposed to supersede AD 2009-15-17 to continue to require inspections for damage to the protective treatments or any corrosion of all main landing gear (MLG) bogie beams, application of protective treatments, and corrective action if necessary. The NPRM also proposed to require modification of the MLG bogie beams, to allow optional methods of compliance for certain actions, and to add airplanes to the applicability. The first supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNPRM) proposed to revise the compliance times and add a one-time inspection for certain airplanes. The NPRM was prompted by reports of thin paint coats and paint degradation on enhanced MLG bogie beams. This second SNPRM proposes to clarify the required actions and the specific configurations to which the actions must be applied. We are proposing this second SNPRM to detect and correct damage or corrosion of the MLG bogie beams, which could cause a runway excursion event, bogie beam detachment from the airplane, or MLG collapse, and could result in damage to the airplane and injury to the occupants. Since these actions impose an additional burden over those proposed in the first SNPRM, we are reopening the comment period to allow the public the chance to comment on these proposed changes.