AD/A320/144 Amdt 2 Elevator (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/A320/144 Amdt 1 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/A320/144 Amdt 2 Elevator 8/2007

Applicability:

All Model A318, A319, A320, and A321 aircraft, all serial numbers.

Requirement:

Action in accordance with the requirements of DGAC AD 2007-0163.

Note:  Airbus Service Bulletins A320-27-1132 Revision 01, and A320-27-1114 Revision 05, or later EASA approved revisions, refer.

Compliance:

As specified in the Requirement document, with a revised effective date of
2 August 2007.

This Amendment becomes effective on 2 August 2007.

Background:

Several operators reported airframe vibrations originating from the elevator surfaces.  Investigation, including flight test analysis, revealed that these vibrations may occur with current elevator neutral setting combined with backlash at elevator servo attachments.

Amendment 1 modified the compliance conditions.

Amendment 2 is issued in response to a new EASA AD, which extends applicability to include Model A318 aircraft, and increases the inspection interval from 18 to 20 months.

The original issue of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on
28 November 2002.

David Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority

22 June 2007