AD/A320/120 Amdt 4 Slide Raft Telescopic Girt Bar (Cth)

AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

On the effective date specified below, and for the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below revokes Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/A320/120 Amdt 3 and issues the following AD under subregulation 39.001(1) of CASR 1998.  The AD requires that the action set out in the requirement section (being action that the delegate considers necessary to correct the unsafe condition) be taken in relation to the aircraft or aeronautical product mentioned in the applicability section: (a) in the circumstances mentioned in the requirement section; and (b) in accordance with the instructions set out in the requirement section; and (c) at the time mentioned in the compliance section.

Airbus Industrie A319, A320 and A321 Series Aeroplanes

AD/A320/120 Amdt 4 Slide Raft Telescopic Girt Bar 6/2005

Applicability:

All A320, A319, and A321 aircraft with Airbus Modification 20234 incorporated in production, or with either Service Bulletins A320-25-1055 or A320-25-1218 incorporated in service; except aircraft with Modification 31708 incorporated in production or Service Bulletin A320-52-1112 Revision 05 incorporated in service.

Requirement:

1.    Action in accordance with the instructions contained in Airbus AOT 52A1111, dated 5 July 2001.

2.    Inspect, in accordance with Airbus AOT 52A1111, all telescopic girt bars modified in accordance with Requirement 1; and apply all necessary corrective actions.

3.    Modify the girt bar in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin A320-52-1112 Revision 05.

Note 1:  Accomplishment of Requirement 3 constitutes terminating action for the requirements of this Directive.

Note 2:  DGAC AD F-2005-057 refers.

Compliance:

1.    Within 1,500 flight hours after 6 September 2001.

2.    Within 18 months after accomplishment of Requirement 1, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 18 months, until accomplishment of Requirement 3.

3.    Before 31 December 2006.

The compliance times remain unchanged by this issue.

This Amendment becomes effective on 9 June 2005.

Background:

Operators have reported several cases of the slide raft telescopic girt bar detaching from the door sill fittings.  Investigation revealed that the trigger mechanism was not functioning due to an incorrectly machined chamfer on the girt bar.  This condition, if not corrected, could result in failure of the slide raft to deploy in the event of an emergency evacuation.

Amendment 1 required the installation of a temporary repair pending a terminating modification.

Amendment 2 introduced a terminating modification for the on-going repetitive inspection requirements.

Amendment 3 added compliance information for aircraft previously modified.

Amendment 4 is issued in response to a new DGAC AD, which recalls the requirements of the previous Directive and mandates the installation of the sticker for the bars modified by SB A320-52-1112 original issue, Revision 01, 02, 03, or 04.

The original issue of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on 9 May 2001.

David Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority

27 April 2005