AD 2024-24-09

This AD is effective January 13, 2025.

The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of January 13, 2025.

AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2024-1890; or in person at Docket Operations between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains this final rule, the mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI), any comments received, and other information. The address for Docket Operations is U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.

Material Incorporated by Reference:

• For EASA material identified in this AD, contact EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221 8999 000; email ADs@easa.europa.eu; website easa.europa.eu. You may find this material on the EASA website at ad.easa.europa.eu

• You may view this material at the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 206-231-3195. It is also available at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2024-1890.

Timothy Dowling, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; phone: 817-222-5102; email: Timothy.P.Dowling@faa.gov.

The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 to supersede AD 2022-24-05, Amendment 39-22245 (87 FR 74291, December 5, 2022) (AD 2022-24-05). AD 2022-24-05 applied to all Airbus SAS Model A318-111, -112, -121, and -122 airplanes; Model A319-111, -112, -113, -114, -115, -131, -132, -133, -151N, -153N, and -171N airplanes; Model A320-211, -212, -214, -216, -231, -232, -233, -251N, -252N, -253N, -271N, -272N, and -273N airplanes; and Model A321-111, -112, -131, -211, -212, -213, -231, -232, -251N, -251NX, -252N, -252NX, -253N, -253NX, -271N, -271NX, -272N, and -272NX airplanes. AD 2022-24-05 required repetitive inspections of certain galleys for corrosion of trolley retainer aluminum blocks and delamination of the upper panel of the trolley compartment, and applicable corrective actions. The FAA issued AD 2022-24-05 to address damage that could affect the galley's capability to hold the trolley under emergency landing loads, which could lead to trolley detachment, possibly resulting in blocking of an escape path during an emergency exit.

The NPRM published in the Federal Register on July 17, 2024 (89 FR 58086). The NPRM was prompted by AD 2024-0038, dated February 5, 2024, issued by EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union (EASA AD 2024-0038) (also referred to as the MCAI). The MCAI states that the list of affected galleys has been revised, and Airbus and the galley manufacturer have developed a modification to restore the design integrity of the affected galleys.

In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to continue to require the actions in AD 2022-24-05, provide optional terminating action for the repetitive inspections, revise the list of affected parts, and prohibit the installation of affected parts under certain conditions, as specified in EASA AD 2024-0038. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2024-1890.

The FAA received a comment from Airbus. The following presents the comment received on the NPRM and the FAA's response.

Airbus requested 1 that the FAA revise the NPRM to include a missing forward-facing galley part number. Airbus stated that the missing part number is 601891-006801, which is derived from the delivered part number 601891-001501 by the optional vendor service bulletin 601891-25-001501-002, as specified in Airbus Service Bulletin 25-1BK4.

1 Airbus' comment on this AD was submitted directly to the FAA but has been placed into the rulemaking docket.

The FAA agrees to include forward-facing galley, part number 601891-006801, in this AD. Part number 601891-006801 is derived from the unsafe part number 601891-001501; therefore, part number 601891-006801 has the same unsafe condition. The FAA confirmed with EASA that part number 601891-006801 is an affected part. The FAA has added paragraph (h)(5) of this AD to include part number 601891-006801 as an affected part.

This product has been approved by the aviation authority of another country and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to the FAA's bilateral agreement with this State of Design Authority, it has notified the FAA of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI referenced above. The FAA reviewed the relevant data, considered the comment received, and determined that air safety requires adopting this AD as proposed. Accordingly, the FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on this product. Except for minor editorial changes, and any other changes described previously, this AD is adopted as proposed in the NPRM. None of the changes will increase the economic burden on any operator.

EASA AD 2024-0038 includes the following provisions:

• Procedures for repetitive general visual inspections of certain galleys for discrepancies including corrosion of trolley retainer aluminum blocks and delamination of upper panel of trolley compartment;

• Corrective actions including repeating the inspection at an earlier interval, repairing the trolley compartment upper panel, and limiting the trolley weight;

• Procedures for modifying the affected galleys as optional terminating action for the repetitive inspections;

• A revised the list of affected galleys; and

• Prohibition of the installation of affected parts unless the parts are inspected and corrected.

This material is reasonably available because the interested parties have access to it through their normal course of business or by the means identified in the ADDRESSES section.

The FAA estimates that this AD affects 1,425 airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this AD:

The FAA estimates the following costs to do any necessary on-condition action that would be required based on the results of any required actions. The FAA has no way of determining the number of aircraft that might need this on-condition action:

The FAA has included all known costs in its cost estimate. According to the manufacturer, however, some or all of the costs of this AD may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost impact on affected operators.

Title 49 of the United States Code specifies the FAA's authority to issue rules on aviation safety. Subtitle I, section 106, describes the authority of the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII: Aviation Programs, describes in more detail the scope of the Agency's authority.

The FAA is issuing this rulemaking under the authority described in Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart III, Section 44701: General requirements. Under that section, Congress charges the FAA with promoting safe flight of civil aircraft in air commerce by prescribing regulations for practices, methods, and procedures the Administrator finds necessary for safety in air commerce. This regulation is within the scope of that authority because it addresses an unsafe condition that is likely to exist or develop on products identified in this rulemaking action.

This AD will not have federalism implications under Executive Order 13132. This AD will not have a substantial direct effect on the States, on the relationship between the national government and the States, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the various levels of government.

For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this AD:

(1) Is not a “significant regulatory action” under Executive Order 12866,

(2) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and

(3) Will not have a significant economic impact, positive or negative, on a substantial number of small entities under the criteria of the Regulatory Flexibility Act.

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the FAA amends 14 CFR part 39 as follows:

1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:

2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by:

a. Removing Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2022-24-05, Amendment 39-22245 (87 FR 74291, December 5, 2022); and

b. Adding the following new AD: