Summary
This document revises an earlier proposed airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to certain Airbus Model A320 series airplanes, that would have required repetitive inspections to detect cracking and delamination of the containers in which the off-wing emergency evacuation slides are stored, and corrective actions, if necessary. If cracking and delamination in excess of certain limits are found, the proposed AD would have required replacement of the slide with a modified slide, which would have terminated the inspection requirement. This new action revises the proposed rule by requiring an additional modification of the slides; accomplishment of both modifications of the slides would terminate the requirement for repetitive inspections. This proposal is prompted by issuance of mandatory continuing airworthiness information by a foreign civil airworthiness authority. The actions specified by this new proposed AD are intended to prevent the loss of the escape slides during flight, which could make the emergency exits located over each wing unusable and result in damage to the fuselage.