Federal Aviation Administration February 7, 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Model A321-211 and -231 airplanes. This AD requires contacting the FAA to obtain instructions for addressing the unsafe condition on these products, and doing the actions specified in those instructions. This AD was prompted by a determination that the flat-headed pin at the upper attachment point of the overhead stowage compartments at a certain frame may not sustain the maximum weight load for each flight phase. We are issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

We are superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2005-19-28, which applied to certain Airbus Model A330-301, -321, -322, -341, and - 342 airplanes; and Model A340-200 and A340-300 series airplanes. AD 2005-19-28 required repetitive inspections for cracks in the aft face of the rear spar at the area adjacent to the bolt holes and the end of the build slot, and repair if necessary. AD 2005-19-28 also provided an optional terminating action for the repetitive inspections. This new AD was prompted by the results of a new fatigue and damage tolerance assessment, which determined that several compliance thresholds and intervals needed to be reduced. This AD requires contacting the FAA to obtain instructions for addressing the unsafe condition on these products, and doing the actions specified in those instructions. We are issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.