AD/A320/135 Amdt 1 Main Landing Gear Side-Stay Cuff Lug (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/A320/135 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/A320/135 Amdt 1 Main Landing Gear Side-Stay Cuff Lug 10/2005

Applicability:

All Model A319, A320, and A321 aircraft, without Airbus Modification 30648 incorporated in-production or Service Bulletin A320-32-1223 incorporated in-service.

Requirement:

1.    Perform a visual check of the left and right main landing gear side stay cuff lugs and the downlock spring attachment, in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin A320-32A1224.

2.    For aircraft that have exceeded the compliance threshold of Requirement 1, accomplish a visual check in accordance with the Requirement document.

Note:  DGAC AD F-2002-075 R1 refers.

Compliance:

1.    Within 60 months from first entry into service of the main landing gear or before the accumulation of 9,000 flight hours, whichever occurs first; thereafter at intervals not to exceed 500 flight hours.

2.    Within 500 flight hours after 21 March 2002.

The compliance times remain unchanged by this issue.

This Amendment becomes effective on 29 September 2005.

Background:

The DGAC received a report of failure of a pair of main landing gear side stay cuff lugs, which resulted in the disconnection of the side-stay downlock springs from the lock stay links.  In such a case, during the landing mode, the landing gear may not lock down during an emergency freefall extension, with the consequence of landing gear collapse.

Amendment 1 is issued in response to a revision of the related DGAC AD, which cancels the Requirement statement related to Maintenance Planning Document Task 321119-01-1 because its interval has been increased to 100 days in MPD Revision 28 dated January 2005.

David Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority

8 August 2005