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/A320/118 Slide Raft Girt Bar 5/2001

Applicability: All Model A319, A320, & A321 aircraft; with Modification 20234 or Airbus Industrie Service Bulletin A320-25-1055 incorporated, and without Modification 28212 in production or Service Bulletin A320-52-1102 Revision 1 in-service.

Requirement: Replace the carbon-steel trigger spring of the slide/raft at each passenger door location in accordance with the instructions contained in Airbus Industrie Service Bulletin A320-52-1102 Revision 1.

Note 1: DGAC AD 2001-063(B) refers.

Note 2: Simultaneous accomplishment of Service Bulletin A320-52-1068 as mentioned in Service Bulletin A320-52-1102 Revision 1 is not mandated by DGAC AD 2001-063(B), or this Airworthiness Directive.

Compliance: Before 3 September 2002 or within 30 months from the Entry into Service of the aircraft, whichever occurs later.

This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 17 May 2001.

Background:  During slide/raft deployment tests, the slide/raft girt detached from the door sill and the slide/raft was unable to deploy. The trigger spring which maintains the telescopic slide bar in the extended position was found broken due to severe corrosion, and the girt bar was incorrectly fixed to the door sill. As a consequence, passenger egress would be delayed in the event of an emergency evacuation.

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.