COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY

SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

Airbus Industrie A319, A320 and A321 Series Aeroplanes

AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

For the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below issues the following Airworthiness Directive (AD) under subregulation 39.1 (1) of CAR 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.

AD/A320/117 Elevator Honeycomb Core Structure 5/2001

Applicability: All Model A320 and A321 aircraft having been delivered with elevator part numbers and serial numbers listed in Airbus Industrie Service Bulletin A320-55-1024, and without the incorporation of Modification 23558 in production or Service Bulletin A320-55-1024 in service.

Requirement: Accomplish the requirements of Airbus Industrie Service Bulletin A320-55-1024.

Note: DGAC AD 2001-062(B) refers.

Compliance: Within 10 years from Entry into Service or before 3 September 2002, whichever occurs later.

This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 17 May 2001.

Background:  Sampling inspections have revealed water ingress in the elevator honeycomb core structure. This condition could lead to debonding of the elevator skin and degradation of the initial protection and consequent effect on the structural integrity of the aircraft.

David Alan Villiers

Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 2 April 2001

The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 18 April 2001.