EASA PAD No.

: 22-060

Notification of a Proposal to issue

an Airworthiness Directive
PAD No.: 22-060
Issued: 17 May 2022
Note: This Proposed Airworthiness Directive (PAD) is issued by EASA, acting in accordance with
Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 on behalf of the European Union, its Member States and of the
European third countries that participate in the activities of EASA under Article 129 of that
Regulation.

In accordance with the EASA Continuing Airworthiness Procedures, the Executive Director is proposing the issuance of an EASA Airworthiness Directive
(AD), applicable to the aeronautical product(s) identified below.
All interested persons may send their comments, referencing the PAD Number above, to the e-mail address specified in the ‘Remarks’ section, prior to
the consultation date indicated.

Design Approval Holder’s Name: Type/Model designation(s):

AIRBUS S.A.S. A318, A319, A320 and A321 aeroplanes

Effective Date: [TBD - standard: 14 days after AD issue date]

TCDS Number(s): EASA.A.064
Foreign AD: Not applicable
Supersedure: This AD supersedes EASA AD 2019-0067R1 dated 11 September 2019.

ATA 53 – Fuselage – Lateral Cockpit Window Frame Upper Stiffener – Inspection

Manufacturer(s):
Airbus, formerly Airbus Industrie

Applicability:
Airbus A318-111, A318-112, A318-121, A318-122, A319-111, A319-112, A319-113, A319-114,
A319-115, A319-131, A319-132, A319-133, A320-211, A320-212, A320-214, A320-215, A320-216,
A320-231, A320-232, A320-233, A321-111, A321-112, A321-131, A321-211, A321-212, A321-213,
A321-231 and A321-232 aeroplanes, all manufacturer serial numbers, except:
- A318 aeroplanes on which Airbus modification (mod) 39195 was embodied in production, or
Airbus Service Bulletin (SB) A320-00-1219 was embodied in service; and
- A319 aeroplanes on which Airbus mod 28162, mod 28238 and mod 28342 were embodied in
production.

Definitions:
For the purpose of this AD, the following definitions apply:

Affected part: Horizontal upper stiffeners of lateral window frame at fuselage Frame 4 (FR4), both
right-hand (RH) and left-hand (LH) side.

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Groups:
A Group 1 affected part is a part that has Airbus SB A320-53-1337 (RH side) or SB A320-53-1338 (LH
side), as applicable, embodied in service.
A Group 2 affected part is a part that is not Group 1.

The inspection SB: Airbus SB A320-53-1410 Revision 01 (RH side) and SB A320-53-1411 Revision 01
(LH side), as applicable.

Reason:
Several occurrences were reported where, during a maintenance check, cracks were found at the
lateral sliding window of the fuselage FR4 upper attachment on both RH and LH sides.

This condition if not detected and corrected, could reduce the structural integrity of the fuselage.

To address this potential unsafe condition, Airbus developed Airworthiness Limitation Item (ALI)
task 531105, providing instructions for a detailed inspection (DET), or a special detailed inspection
(SDI) using high frequency eddy current method. Following further analysis of the reported events,
Airbus published the inspection SB, providing instructions to accomplish the SDI, with updated
thresholds and intervals, and not allowing accomplishment of the DET as alternative to the SDI.
Consequently, EASA issued AD 2019-0067 to require repetitive SDI of the affected parts and,
depending on findings, accomplishment of applicable corrective action(s).

After that AD was issued, it was determined that some A318 and A319 configurations could be
removed from the Applicability of the AD, as the compliance time for the initial inspection is beyond
the Maintenance Programme Publication Trigger for those configurations. EASA issued AD 2019-
0067R1 accordingly.

Since that AD was issued, it has been determined that embodiment of production mod 161229 does
not provide any benefit versus pre-mod 161229 configuration, and Airbus issued the inspection SB,
as defined in this AD, to remove the credit and higher inspection threshold for post-mod
aeroplanes. In addition, based on new calculations, the inspection interval is increased.

For the reasons described above, this AD retains the inspection requirements of EASA AD 2019-
0067R1, which is superseded, and requires inspection at the amended thresholds and intervals.

Required Action(s) and Compliance Time(s):

Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously:

Inspection(s):
(1) Within the compliance time as defined in Table 1 of this AD and, thereafter, at intervals not to
exceed the values defined in Table 2 of this AD, as applicable, unless otherwise stated in
paragraphs (3) to (5) of this AD, accomplish an SDI of each affected part in accordance with the
instructions of the inspection SB.

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Table 1 – Initial Inspection of Affected Parts (Group 1 and Group 2)

Compliance Time (whichever occurs later)

Before exceeding 21 100 flight cycles (FC) since aeroplane first flight
Within 890 FC after last accomplishment of ALI task 531105-01-1 or
531105-01-2, as applicable
Within 3 150 FC after last accomplishment of ALI task 531105-02-1 or
531105-02-2, as applicable
Before exceeding 17 300 FC since accomplishment of Airbus SB A320-
53-1337 or A320-53-1338, as applicable
Before exceeding 21 100 FC since accomplishment of Airbus SB A320-
53-1336 or SB A320-53-1335, as applicable

Table 2 - Repetitive Inspections of Affected Parts

Affected Part Interval

Group 1 3 150 FC
Group 2 5 200 FC

Corrective Action(s):
(2) If, during any inspection as required by paragraph (1) of this AD, discrepancies are detected, as
identified in the inspection SB, before next flight, accomplish the applicable corrective action(s)
in accordance with the instructions of the inspection SB.

(3) After accomplishment of a first rework of an affected part on an aeroplane in accordance with
the instructions of the inspection SB, accomplish the next SDI of that affected part on that
aeroplane, as required by paragraph (1) of this AD, before exceeding 3 150 FC after that rework.
Subsequent post-rework SDI, as required by paragraph (1) of this AD, must be accomplished at
intervals not to exceed 3 150 FC.

(4) After accomplishment of a second or third rework of an affected part on an aeroplane in

accordance with the instructions of the inspection SB, as applicable depending on the findings
of the post rework inspection, accomplish the next SDI of that affected part on that aeroplane,
as required by paragraph (1) of this AD, before exceeding 12 400 FC after that rework.
Subsequent post-rework SDI, as required by paragraph (1) of this AD, must be accomplished at
intervals not to exceed 2 400 FC.

(5) For an affected part of an aeroplane that, before the effective date of this AD, has been
inspected per ALI task 531105 and repaired in accordance with an Airbus approved instructions,
accomplish the next inspections of that repaired affected part in accordance with, and within
the compliance time as specified in, the Airbus approved instructions.

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Terminating Action(s):
(6) None.

Reporting:
(7) If, during any inspection as required by paragraph (1) of this AD, discrepancies are detected, as
identified in the inspection SB, within 90 days after that inspection, report the results to Airbus.
Using the instructions of the inspection SB is an acceptable method to comply with this
reporting requirement.

Note 1: Accomplishment of inspections and corrective actions on an aeroplane, as applicable and as

required by this AD, previously allowed cancellation of ALI task 531105 from the approved Aircraft
Maintenance Program, on the basis of which the operator or the owner ensures the continuing
airworthiness of that aeroplane. That ALI task has meanwhile been deleted from ALS Part 2 through
Variation 7.3 (issue 02 dated 06 June 2019).

Ref. Publications:
Airbus SB A320-53-1410 original issue dated 05 June 2018, or Revision 01 dated 26 January 2022.

Airbus SB A320-53-1411 original issue dated 05 June 2018, or Revision 01 dated 26 January 2022.

Airbus SB A320-53-1335 original issue dated 12 March 2019.

Airbus SB A320-53-1336 original issue dated 12 March 2019.

Airbus SB A320-53-1337 original issue dated 05 June 2018, or Revision 01 dated 24 June 2020.

Airbus SB A320-53-1338 original issue dated 05 June 2018, or Revision 01 dated 24 June 2020.

The use of later approved revisions of the above-mentioned documents is acceptable for
compliance with the requirements of this AD.

Remarks:
1. This Proposed AD will be closed for consultation on 14 June 2022.

2. Enquiries regarding this PAD should be referred to the EASA Safety Information Section,
Certification Directorate. E-mail: ADs@[Link].

3. Information about any failures, malfunctions, defects or other occurrences, which may be
similar to the unsafe condition addressed by this PAD, and which may occur, or have occurred
on a product, part or appliance not affected by this PAD, can be reported to the EU aviation
safety reporting system. This may include reporting on the same or similar components, other
than those covered by the design to which this PAD applies, if the same unsafe condition can
exist or may develop on an aircraft with those components installed. Such components may be
installed under an FAA Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA), Supplemental Type Certificate
(STC) or other modification.

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4. For any question concerning the technical content of the requirements in this PAD, please
contact: AIRBUS S.A.S. – Airworthiness Office – IIASA;
E-mail: [Link]-eas@[Link].

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