Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company CF6-80A1/A3 and CF6-80C2A Series Turbofan Engines, Installed on Airbus Industrie A300-600 and A310 Series Airplanes

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) that is applicable to General Electric Company CF6-80A1/A3 and CF6-80C2A series turbofan engines, installed on Airbus Industrie A300-600 and A310 series airplanes. This action requires, prior to further flight, one of the following: performing a DPV pressure check for leakage, and, if necessary, replacing the DPV assembly with a serviceable assembly and performing an operational check of the thrust reverser, or deactivating the thrust reverser; or replacing the directional pilot valve (DPV) assembly with a serviceable assembly and performing an operational check of the thrust reverser. Thereafter, this AD requires one of these actions on a repetitive basis. If a thrust reverser is deactivated, this action requires, prior to further flight, revising the FAA-approved airplane flight manual (AFM) to require performance penalties to be applied for certain takeoff conditions. The AD also requires a revision to the Emergency Procedures Section of the FAA approved AFM to include a flightcrew operational procedure in the event of any indication of an in-flight thrust reverser deployment. This amendment is prompted by review of thrust reverser safety analyses following a report of inadvertent thrust reverser deployment on another make and model engine. The actions specified in this AD are intended to prevent inadvertent thrust reverser deployment, which, if it occurred in-flight, could result in loss of control of the airplane.