AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE
For the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below revokes Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/A330/3 Amdt 1 and issues the following AD under subregulation 39.1 (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 A330 Series Aeroplanes
AD/A330/3
Amdt 2
Escape Slide Girt Bar Slider Mechanism 6/2004
Applicability: All Model A330-201, -202, -203, -223, -243, -301, -321, -322, -323, -341, -342, and
-343 aircraft.
Requirement: Action in accordance with the requirements of DGAC AD F-2001-053 R1.
Note: Airbus Industrie All Operator Telex (AOT) A330-52A3063 and AOT A330- 52A3063 R1 refer.
Compliance: As specified in the Requirement document for the initial inspection requirement, with a revised effective date of 20 March 2003.
Repeat the inspection at intervals not to exceed 18 months in accordance with AOT A330-52A3063 Revision 1; or,
As an equivalent means of compliance, repeat the inspection in accordance with MPD task 521000-07-1 for Type A doors and MPD task 522200-09-1 for Type 1 doors.
The revised effective date for the initial inspection requirement was established by the previous issue of this Directive.
This Amendment becomes effective on 10 June 2004.
Background: An escape slide deployment test revealed an unserviceable girt bar slider mechanism.
If not corrected, an unserviceable slider mechanism could lead to slide detachment from the door once the slide is inflated.
Amendment 1 introduced the related DGAC AD as the Requirement document because the original issue of this Directive did not require compliance with Revision 1 of the referenced AOT.
Airbus Industrie A330 Series Aeroplanes
AD/A330/3 Amdt 2 (continued)
Amendment 2 is issued in response to a revision of the related DGAC AD, which introduces repetitive MPD tasks for Type A and Type 1 doors as an equivalent means of compliance to the repeat inspection requirements of this Directive.
The original issue of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on 26 December 2002.
David Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 27 April 2004
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 19 May 2004.
Overview
The Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/A330/3 Amdt 2, enacted by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) in 2004, addresses a safety issue identified in Airbus Industrie A330 Series Aeroplanes concerning the girt bar slider mechanism of escape slide deployment systems. This directive was introduced in response to a test revealing an unserviceable girt bar slider mechanism, which could potentially lead to slide detachment from the aircraft door once inflated. The aim of this AD is to ensure the safety of passengers by mandating corrective action to prevent such unsafe conditions. The directive applies to all specified models of A330 aircraft and requires compliance with the DGAC AD F-2001-053 R1, with inspections to be repeated at intervals not exceeding 18 months. This AD became effective on 10 June 2004, following its notification in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 19 May 2004.
Scope and Application
The Airworthiness Directive AD/A330/3 Amdt 2 applies to all Airbus Industrie A330 Series aeroplanes, specifically the models A330-201, -202, -203, -223, -243, -301, -321, -322, -323, -341, -342, and -343. This directive is issued under the authority of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and mandates corrective action regarding the escape slide girt bar slider mechanism to ensure airworthiness and safety compliance. The requirement is for the action to be taken in accordance with the French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) AD F-2001-053 R1, which includes compliance with Airbus Industrie All Operator Telex (AOT) A330-52A3063 and its revision R1, or alternatively, through Maintenance Programme Directive (MPD) tasks 521000-07-1 for Type A doors and MPD task 522200-09-1 for Type 1 doors. The initial inspection must be carried out by 20 March 2003, with subsequent inspections at intervals not exceeding 18 months. This directive extends across the Commonwealth of Australia, ensuring that all relevant aircraft operators and maintenance entities within Australia adhere to the specified safety measures.
Key Provisions
The Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/A330/3 Amdt 2 applies to all Airbus Industrie A330 Series Aeroplanes models A330-201, -202, -203, -223, -243, -301, -321, -322, -323, -341, -342, and -343. This directive mandates that specific actions be taken regarding the escape slide girt bar slider mechanism to rectify an unsafe condition identified in a deployment test. The corrective action is detailed in the Requirement section (subsection (a)) of the AD and must be carried out in accordance with DGAC AD F-2001-053 R1. The directive notes that Airbus Industrie All Operator Telex (AOT) A330-52A3063 and AOT A330-52A3063 R1 provide further information on the compliance requirements.
The AD imposes several obligations on the operators of the specified aircraft models. Operators must ensure that the required inspections and corrective actions are conducted as outlined in the directive. Specifically, the initial inspection must be completed by 20 March 2003, and subsequent inspections must occur at intervals not exceeding 18 months. Operators have the flexibility to comply with either the revised AOT or the Maintenance Planning Document (MPD) tasks 521000-07-1 for Type A doors and 522200-09-1 for Type 1 doors, both of which are identified as equivalent means of compliance. Failure to adhere to these inspection and maintenance requirements may result in the aircraft being deemed unairworthy.
The AD outlines potential civil and criminal consequences for non-compliance with its provisions. While the specific penalties are not detailed within the text of this AD, non-compliance with airworthiness directives generally attracts stringent measures under the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) regulations. This may include fines, enforcement actions, and in severe cases, criminal charges for individuals or corporations responsible for the non-compliance. The severity of the penalties can vary depending on the nature and extent of the non-compliance, but the overarching intent is to ensure that all regulated aircraft remain airworthy and safe for operation.