Action
Final rule.
Summary
We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Model A319, A320, and A321 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports that on airplanes equipped with sharklets, discretes (used to activate the load alleviation function) are connected on various flight computers using the same ground point. In these cases, the ground point segregation is no longer effective, and a single failure could lead to loss of sharklet identification by flight computers causing a return to the wing tip fence (no sharklet configuration) performance. This AD requires modification of the sharklet ground connection. We are issuing this AD to prevent loss of sharklet identification by the flight computers and subsequent reduced control of the airplane.