AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

CAA-AD-070/2002

Date of issue: July 04, 2002

AIRCRAFT - RAM AIR TURBINE (ATA 29, 57) - INSPECTION/REPAIR

Applicability: AIRBUS A310 aircraft, all certified models and all serial numbers which were not inspected in accordance with AIRBUS INDUSTRIE Service Bulletin (SB) A310-57-2084, original issue or any later approved revision.

Effective date: August 08, 2002

Compliance: Required as indicated in DGAC AD 2002-263(B).

Remarks: The compliance of this AD must be recorded in Aircraft Logbook, where applicable the requirements of this AD must be integrated into Aircraft Technical Documentation. Address inquiries concerning this AD to: Civil Aviation Authority, Airworthiness Division, Ruzyne Airport, 160 08 Prague 6, Czech Republic, tel.: 420 2 33320922, fax: 420 2 20562270.

Ing. Pavel MATOUŠEK

Director of Airworthiness Division

CAA CZ

DGAC AD No.: 2002-263(B)

AIRBUS

A310 aircraft

RAT (Ram Air Turbine) ejection jack gimbals assembly (ATA 29, 57)

APPLICABILITY:

AIRBUS A310 aircraft, all certified models and all serial numbers which were not inspected in accordance with AIRBUS INDUSTRIE Service Bulletin (SB) A310-57-2084, original issue or any later approved revision.

REASONS:

An A310 aircraft operator reported during a scheduled check that the two half fittings holding the RAT ejection jack were found cracked at the two forks located at the RH and LH ends of the fittings, along the stiffener. Investigation has shown that these cracks were due to stress corrosion. Conductivity test revealed that the heat treatment of the half fittings aluminum alloy was T6 in place of T7351. This incorrect heat treatment decreases drastically the material behaviour against stress corrosion and was identified as the cause of the damage.

This situation, if not corrected, could lead to a decreased structural integrity of the gimbal half fittings and to the loss of the RAT during its extension.

COMPLIANCE:

At latest within 600 flight hours following the effective date of this Airworthiness Directive, unless already accomplished, inspect the two RAT gimbal half fittings in accordance with the instructions of SB A310-57-2084. Depending on the results of this inspection, perform the potential corrective actions as per above-mentioned SB.

Note: Once the inspection and corrective action have been performed in accordance with SB A310-57-2084, no additional or repetitive inspections are required.

In case of replacement of the half fittings is necessary, the new half fittings should be P/N A5721023800000 and should either have been ordered after November 2001 or should pass successfully the conductivity test as prescribed per SB A310-57-2084.

REF.: AIRBUS INDUSTRIE SB A310-57-2084 (Any later approved revision of this SB is acceptable)

EFFECTIVE DATE:

MAY 25, 2002