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Airbus A318-A321 Hydraulic Power System Airworthiness Bulletin


This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin advises registered owners and operators, repair stations, and mechanics holding inspection authorizations, of all Airbus Model A318, A319, A320 and A321 series airplanes of an airworthiness concern regarding overheating of the power transfer unit (PTU) of the hydraulic system.

Hydraulic Power System: Power Transfer Unit
There have been several reports of loss of a single hydraulic system due to leakage, and subsequent failure of a second hydraulic system from overheating. Airbus determined that overheating of the second hydraulic system is caused when the PTU is not de-activated by the flight crew within two minutes after the fault annunciation (AMBER CAUTION) alert on the electronic centralized aircraft monitoring (ECAM) system. Consequently the airplane is left with only one functional hydraulic system. The subject airplanes require at least one functional hydraulic system for continuous safe flight and landing.
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    FAA Asks for Public Input on UAS Test Site

    WASHINGTON– The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today asked for public input on the agency’s selection process for six unmanned aircraft system (UAS) test sites. Once the pilot program is established, the agency expects it will provide valuable data to help the FAA safely and efficiently integrate UAS into the same airspace with manned airplanes.

    “Unmanned aircraft can help us meet a number of challenges, from spotting wildfires to assessing natural disasters,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “But these test sites will help us ensure that our high safety standards are maintained as the use of these aircraft becomes more widespread.”

    Through the National Defense Authorization Act and the 2012 FAA Reauthorization bill, Congress mandated that the FAA establish UAS test sites. In order to ensure that all factors are taken into consideration when choosing the six sites, the FAA has asked for comments from the UAS user community and the public at large. Specifically, the request for comment asks for input on several important questions, such as public versus private management of the sites, research activities and capabilities of the test areas, the requirements for test site operators, and the geographic and climate factors that should influence site selection.

    The feedback obtained through this transparent process will help the FAA develop UAS test site requirements, designation standards and oversight activity. This will help the FAA design the process and criteria prior to issuing a request for proposals to select UAS test areas that will allow integration of these innovative aircraft into the National Airspace System by 2015. The FAA will accept comments for the next 60 days.

    “The FAA has a proven track record of safely introducing new technology and aircraft into the NAS, and I am confident we will successfully meet the challenges posed by UAS technology,” said FAA Acting Administrator Michael Huerta.
    The UAS pilot program mandates the FAA select six test sites to do the following:
    Safely designate airspace for integrated manned and unmanned flight operations in the national airspace system

    • Develop certification standards and air traffic requirements for unmanned flight operations at test ranges
    • Coordinate with and leverage the resources of the NASA and the Department of Defense
    • Address both civil and public unmanned aircraft systems
    • Ensure that the program is coordinated with the Next Generation Air Transportation System
    • Ensure the safety of unmanned aircraft systems and related navigation procedures before they are integrated into the national airspace system.

    As part of the process, the FAA will consult with the Defense Department and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which already operate their own test ranges. The Defense and FAA reauthorizations do not provide any funding for these test sites.

    Since 2005, the FAA has completed more than 50 research studies on UAS. The agency has access to hands-on experience with the various types of UAS and has partnerships with other government agencies, industry, and academia.

    The FAA is working toward publication of a proposed rule on small UAS this year. The agency also has convened an Aviation Rulemaking Committee that includes a number of aviation and industry experts studying a wide range of UAS integration issues.

    The request for comments, including instructions for filing comments, will be published in the Federal Register on Friday, March 9.

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    MCDonnell Douglas MD 11 Recommendations

      From the NTSB to the FAA to an MD-11 near you:

      • Work with Boeing to (1) assess the effectiveness of flare cueing systems to assist MD-11 pilots in making timely and appropriate inputs during the landing flare
      • (2) provide a formal report on the findings of the assessment, and
      • (3) if the assessment shows that flare cueing systems could be useful to MD-11 pilots, provide copies of the report to all US operators of MD-11 airplanes and encourage them to install such a system on these airplanes.
      • Work with Boeing to (4) assess methods for providing weight-on-wheels cueing to MD-11 pilots to enhance pilot awareness of bounced landings and facilitate proper pilot reaction and effective control inputs when bounced landings occur,
      • (5) provide a formal report on the findings of the assessment, and
      • (6) if the assessment shows that the weight-on-wheels cueing methods could be useful to MD-11 pilots, provide copies of the report to all US operators of MD-11 airplanes and encourage them to provide a means for weight-on-wheels cueing for these airplanes. (A-14-005)
      • Work with Boeing to (7) evaluate the effect of brief power increases on simulated MD-11 landing distances, adjust the values in published MD-11 landing distance tables accordingly, andprovide the adjusted values to MD-11 operators. (A-14-006)

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  • FAA: Cockpit distractions

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    FAA Press Release: New Certification Rule for Small Airplanes Becomes Effective


    New Certification Rule for Small Airplanes Becomes Effective

    On August 30, the final rule overhauling airworthiness standards for general aviation airplanes published in December of 2016 officially went into effect. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) expects this rule will enable faster installation of innovative, safety-enhancing technologies into small airplanes, while reducing costs for the aviation industry.

    With these performance-based standards, the FAA delivers on its promise to implement forward-looking, flexible rules that encourage innovation. Specifically, the new part 23 revolutionizes standards for airplanes weighing 19,000 pounds or less and with 19 or fewer passenger seats by replacing prescriptive requirements with performance-based standards coupled with consensus-based compliance methods for specific designs and technologies. The rule also adds new certification standards to address GA loss of control accidents and in-flight icing conditions.

    This regulatory approach recognizes there is more than one way to deliver on safety. It offers a way for industry and the FAA to collaborate on new technologies and to keep pace with evolving aviation designs and concepts.

    The new rule responds to Congressional mandates that direct the FAA to streamline approval of safety advancements for small GA airplanes. It also addresses recommendations from the FAA’s 2013 Part 23 Reorganization Aviation Rulemaking Committee, which suggested a more streamlined approval process for safety equipment on those airplanes.

    The new part 23 also promotes regulatory harmonization among the FAA’s foreign partners, including the European Aviation Safety Agency, Transport Canada Civil Aviation, and Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Authority. Harmonization may help minimize certification costs for airplane and engine manufacturers, and operators of affected equipment, who want to certify their products for the global market.

    This regulatory change is a leading example of how the FAA is transforming its Aircraft Certification Service into an agile organization that can support aviation industry innovation in the coming years. AIR Transformation improves the efficiency and effectiveness of the Aircraft Certification Safety System by focusing FAA resources on up-front planning, the use of performance based standards, and a robust risk-based systems oversight program, while leveraging Industry’s responsibility to comply with regulations.

    Additional Resources:
    FAA Press Conference: Part 23 Rule Announcement
    Revitalizing General Aviation: The New Part 23 (video)
    New Part 23 for Aircraft Certification Changes for Designees (video)

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    FAA Reauthorization Critical to Civil Challenges

    ARLINGTON, Va., Feb. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Next Generation Air Transportation System is at the nexus of accomplishing two significant goals facing the U.S. civil aviation industry today—expanding our national airspace system and addressing growing environmental and energy concerns, said AIA President and CEO Marion C. Blakey in testimony today.
    “Our industry has employed the people, developed the technology and manufactured the products that have helped make the U.S. air transportation system the world’s gold standard for more than half a century,” Blakey said at a hearing of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation. “But to remain so, we need to bring our system into the 21st Century.”

    One of the challenges to realizing the benefits of NextGen is establishing a sound business case for equipping aircraft with upgraded avionics systems. AIA recommends equipage-funding legislation that encourages private-sector investment capital and government-guaranteed loan arrangements, including outcome-based performance metrics to reduce investment risk. This will allow for innovative ways to incentivize retrofitting of commercial and general aviation aircraft with NextGen compatible equipment.

    “Equipping aircraft is, as I’ve said before, the long pole in the tent,” said Blakey. “It’s an expensive undertaking, but it’s as much a part of the infrastructure as GPS satellites. Quite frankly, without equipage there is no NextGen.”

    Blakey also recommended that the existing environmental review process—the National Environmental Policy Act or NEPA process—be streamlined. The certification of thousands of new terminal area procedures are required for full NextGen implementation and including procedure development and certification in the Vision 100 Aviation Streamlining process will simplify that process.

    Other areas addressed by Blakey in her testimony included establishing integration of unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace system, commercialization of sustainable fuels and foreign repair station oversight. T

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    Press Release – FAA Proposes Civil Penalty Against American Airlines

    For Immediate Release
    August 26, 2010

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a $24.2 million civil penalty against American Airlines Inc. for failing to correctly follow an Airworthiness Directive involving the maintenance of its McDonnell Douglas MD-80 aircraft. This civil penalty is the largest ever proposed by the FAA.

    “We put rules and regulations in place to keep the flying public safe,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “We expect operators to perform inspections and conduct regular and required maintenance in order to prevent safety issues. There can be no compromises when it comes to safety.”

    The FAA alleges American did not follow steps outlined in a 2006 Airworthiness Directive requiring operators to inspect wire bundles located in the wheel wells of MD-80 aircraft. The Airworthiness Directive, AD 2006-15-15, required a one-time general visual inspection by March 5, 2008 for chafing or signs of arcing of the wire bundle for the auxiliary hydraulic pump. It also required operators to perform corrective actions in accordance with the instructions of the applicable manufacturer’s Service Bulletin.

    The purpose of the Airworthiness Directive was to prevent the shorting of wires or arcing at the auxiliary hydraulic pump, which could result in loss of auxiliary hydraulic power or a fire in the wheel well of the aircraft. The Airworthiness Directive also sought to reduce the potential of an ignition source adjacent to the fuel tanks, which, in combination with the flammable vapors, could result in a fuel tank explosion.

    The FAA first detected the violations on March 25, 2008, during an inspection of two aircraft. The FAA informed American’s management that the aircraft did not comply with the AD, prompting a series of re-inspections and additional maintenance work that occurred during the following two weeks. On March 26, after American performed additional maintenance on its MD-80 fleet, the FAA inspected eight aircraft at American’s Tulsa maintenance base and found that seven did not comply with the Airworthiness Directive. On April 7, the FAA inspected another nine MD-80 aircraft at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and found that eight of them still did not comply with the AD. A tenth aircraft inspected by American mechanics also did not comply. On April 8, American began grounding its MD-80 fleet to conduct new inspections and redo work as necessary.

    The FAA subsequently determined that 286 of the airline’s MD-80s were operated on a combined 14,278 passenger flights while the aircraft were not in compliance with Federal Regulations. American ultimately completed the work required by the 2006 Airworthiness Directive.

    Over the last year and a half, FAA safety officials have reported progress in working with American Airlines to help improve the airline’s maintenance culture. The FAA is committed to continuing that work.

    American has 30 days from the receipt of the FAA’s civil penalty letter to respond to the agency.

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