Airworthiness Directive

AD No.: 2021-0150 Issued: 21 June 2021

Design Approval Holder’s Name:

Type/Model designation(s):

A319, A320 and A321 aeroplanes

AIRBUS

Effective Date:  TCDS Number(s):    Foreign AD:     Supersedure:

28 June 2021          EASA.A.064     Not applicable    None

ATA – Aircraft Flight Manual / Section Normal Procedures – Amendment

ATA 34 – Navigation – Master Minimum Equipment List – Integrated Standby Instrument System – Amendment

Manufacturer(s):

Airbus

Applicability:

Airbus A319-151N, A319-153N, A319-171N, A320-251N, A320-252N, A320-253N, A320-271N, A320-272N, A320-273N, A321-251N, A321-251NX, A321-252N, A321-252NX, A321-253N, A321-253NX, A321-271N, A321-271NX, A321-272N and A321-272NX aeroplanes, all manufacturer serial numbers.

Definitions:

For the purpose of this AD, the following definitions apply:

The AFM TR: Airbus A319/A320/A321 Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) Temporary Revision (TR) 787 Issue 1.

EASA AD No.: 2021-0150

The MMEL TR: Airbus A318/A319/A320/A321 Master Minimum Equipment List (MMEL) item 34-23-02B update, ident MI-34-23-00008619.0009001 dated 18 June 2021.

Reason:

EASA and Airbus issued various pieces of communication (respectively EASA Safety Information Bulletin (SIB) 2020-14, Airbus Operators Information Transmission (OIT) 999.0048/20, Airbus Operational Training Transmission (OTT) 999.0025/21, and Airbus Flight Operations Transmission (FOT) 999.0020/21) to remind to apply appropriate protection measures when an aeroplane is parked or stored (even for short periods of time), and to follow recognised manufacturer’s procedures to check the Air Data Probes prior to return to service after such parking/storage. Notwithstanding the above, an increasing number of operational disruptions have been reported, due to airspeed discrepancies.

Prompted by investigations performed as part of continuous development, computational simulations identified that the occurrence of ‘consistent erroneous airspeed indications’ (which stands for 2 or 3 pitot probes delivering erroneous speed information within the same speed range) on A320neo family may affect the aeroplane’s response, in particular during the rotation phase. This condition has not been encountered during operations.

This condition, if not corrected, could lead to an unstable flight path after take-off, possibly resulting in reduced control of the aeroplane.

To address this potential unsafe condition, Airbus issued the AFM TR, reinforcing the airspeed check during the take-off phase and providing instructions to abort take-off in case of unreliable airspeed situation is detected, and the MMEL TR, requiring that the Integrated Standby Instrument System (ISIS) Airspeed Indication must be operative. Airbus also issued FOT 999.0042/21 and RED Operations Engineering Bulletin (OEB) 59, providing reinforced aeroplane speed check instructions during take-off.

For the reason described above, this AD requires amendment of the applicable AFM by incorporating the AFM TR, and the implementation of the MMEL TR.

This AD is considered to be an interim action and further AD action may follow.

Required Action(s) and Compliance Time(s):

Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously:

AFM Change:

(1)  Within 7 days after the effective date of this AD, amend the applicable AFM by incorporating the AFM TR, inform all flight crews, and, thereafter, operate the aeroplane accordingly.

(2)  Amending the applicable AFM of an aeroplane by incorporating a later AFM revision, which includes the same content as the AFM TR, is acceptable to comply with the requirements of paragraph (1) of this AD for that aeroplane.

MMEL Change:
(3) Concurrently with the AFM change as required by paragraph (1) of this AD, implement the

instructions of the MMEL TR, as defined in this AD, on the basis of which the operator’s MEL must be amended, inform all flight crews, and, thereafter, operate the aeroplane accordingly.

Ref. Publications:

Airbus A319/A320/A321 AFM TR 787 Issue 1, EASA approval date 14 June 2021.

Airbus A318/A319/A320/A321 MMEL item 34-23-02B update, ident MI-34-23-00008619.0009001, dated 18 June 2021.

The use of later approved revisions of the above-mentioned documents is acceptable for compliance with the requirements of this AD.