Summary
The FAA is revising an earlier NPRM for an airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain Airbus Model A300 B2 and A300 B4 series airplanes, and A300-600 series airplanes. The original NPRM would have superseded an existing AD that currently requires repetitive inspections to detect cracks in Gear Rib 5 of the main landing gear (MLG) attachment fittings at the lower flange, and repair, if necessary. That AD also requires modification of Gear Rib 5 of the MLG attachment fittings, which constitutes terminating action for the repetitive inspections. The original NPRM proposed to reduce the compliance times for all inspections, and require doing the inspections in accordance with new revisions of the service bulletins. The original NPRM resulted from new service information that was issued by the manufacturer and mandated by the French airworthiness authority. This new action revises the original NPRM by proposing new repetitive inspections of certain areas of the attachmentfittings that were repaired in accordance with the actions specified in both the existing AD and the original NPRM. We are proposing this supplemental NPRM to prevent fatigue cracking of the MLG attachment fittings, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the airplane.