{"id":"F2005L01056","name":"AD/A320/120 Amdt 4 - Slide Raft Telescopic Girt Bar","slug":"ad-a320-120-amdt-4-slide-raft-telescopic-girt-bar","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":34650,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2005L01056-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-01","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"Airbus Industrie A319, A320 and A321 Ser","sectionType":"division","heading":"Airbus Industrie A319, A320 and A321 Series Aeroplanes","content":"### Airbus Industrie A319, A320 and A321 Series Aeroplanes\n\n| AD/A320/120 Amdt 4 | Slide Raft Telescopic Girt Bar | 6/2005 |\n| ------------------ | ------------------------------ | ------ |\n\n| Applicability: | All A320, A319, and A321 aircraft with Airbus Modification 20234 incorporated in production, or with either Service Bulletins A320-25-1055 or A320-25-1218 incorporated in service; except aircraft with Modification 31708 incorporated in production or Service Bulletin A320-52-1112 Revision 05 incorporated in service.                                                                                                                                                                                   |\n| -------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |\n| Requirement:   | 1. Action in accordance with the instructions contained in Airbus AOT 52A1111, dated 5 July 2001.2. Inspect, in accordance with Airbus AOT 52A1111, all telescopic girt bars modified in accordance with Requirement 1; and apply all necessary corrective actions.3. Modify the girt bar in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin A320-52-1112 Revision 05.Note 1: Accomplishment of Requirement 3 constitutes terminating action for the requirements of this Directive.Note 2: DGAC AD F-2005-057 refers. |\n| Compliance:    | 1. Within 1,500 flight hours after 6 September 2001.2. Within 18 months after accomplishment of Requirement 1, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 18 months, until accomplishment of Requirement 3.3. Before 31 December 2006.The compliance times remain unchanged by this issue.                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |\n|                | This Amendment becomes effective on 9 June 2005.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |\n| Background:    | Operators have reported several cases of the slide raft telescopic girt bar detaching from the door sill fittings. Investigation revealed that the trigger mechanism was not functioning due to an incorrectly machined chamfer on the girt bar. This condition, if not corrected, could result in failure of the slide raft to deploy in the event of an emergency evacuation.                                                                                                                                |\n\n|     | Amendment 1 required the installation of a temporary repair pending a terminating modification.Amendment 2 introduced a terminating modification for the on-going repetitive inspection requirements.Amendment 3 added compliance information for aircraft previously modified.Amendment 4 is issued in response to a new DGAC AD, which recalls the requirements of the previous Directive and mandates the installation of the sticker for the bars modified by SB A320-52-1112 original issue, Revision 01, 02, 03, or 04.The original issue of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on 9 May 2001. |\n| --- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |\n\n![](image.001.png)  \nDavid Villiers  \nDelegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority\n\n27 April 2005","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"AD/A320/120 Amdt 4","sectionType":"part","heading":"AD/A320/120 Amdt 4","content":"## AD/A320/120 Amdt 4","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"Slide Raft Telescopic Girt Bar","sectionType":"part","heading":"Slide Raft Telescopic Girt Bar","content":"## Slide Raft Telescopic Girt Bar","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"6/2005","sectionType":"part","heading":"6/2005","content":"## 6/2005","sortOrder":3}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Amendment 4 does not broaden the AD's primary safety objective (preventing girt-bar detachment and slide raft non-deployment). It restates and recalls earlier requirements and adds a limited, targeted requirement (installation of a sticker on bars modified under earlier SB revisions). This is a corrective/clarifying refinement rather than a significant expansion of scope beyond the original purpose."},"complexity_factors":["Applicability uses multiple positive and negative conditions (production incorporation of Mod 20234 OR incorporation of SB A320-25-1055 or A320-25-1218 in service; EXCEPT aircraft with Mod 31708 or SB A320-52-1112 Rev 05).","Three distinct required actions (initial AOT action, repetitive inspections/corrective actions, terminating SB modification).","Multiple compliance timeframes: 1,500 flight hours; 18‑month inspection intervals; final modification deadline (before 31 December 2006).","Cross-references to external technical documents (Airbus AOT 52A1111 and Service Bulletin A320-52-1112 Rev 05) and to a DGAC AD (F-2005-057).","Notes that change legal effect (Note 1: terminating action removes inspection obligations; Note 2: DGAC AD reference), requiring readers to reconcile AD text with notes.","Amendment history that recalls and re-states prior requirements and adds a sticker requirement for items modified under earlier SB revisions."],"plain_english_summary":"Operators and maintainers of certain Airbus A319/A320/A321s must inspect, repair as needed, and implement a mandatory terminating modification to telescopic girt bars that attach slide rafts to door sills; earlier revisions also require a sticker. The rule addresses a machining defect that can let the girt bar trigger fail and a slide raft detach, risking evacuation, and the terminating Service Bulletin ends the need for recurring inspections."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The original directive (May 2001) was a straightforward safety fix for a mechanical defect. Over four amendments, the scope expanded significantly: Amendment 1 added temporary repairs, Amendment 2 added terminating modifications, Amendment 3 added compliance for previously-modified aircraft, and Amendment 4 (this version) adds administrative requirements (sticker installation for tracking) in response to French regulatory action. The directive evolved from a simple inspection order into a complex, multi-stage compliance regime with international regulatory coordination."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple amendment history (Amendment 4 of an ongoing directive) with layered requirements","Complex applicability clause with double-negative logic ('except aircraft with...')","Three-tiered compliance structure with interdependent deadlines (Requirement 1 triggers Requirement 2, Requirement 3 terminates both)","Cross-references to four external technical documents (Airbus AOT, two Service Bulletins, French DGAC AD)","Specific modification numbers and service bulletin revisions requiring technical aviation knowledge to interpret"],"plain_english_summary":"This is an **Airworthiness Directive (AD)** — a mandatory safety order issued by Australia's aviation regulator (CASA) requiring specific repairs or inspections on certain aircraft.\n\n**What it does:**\nOrders airlines and aircraft operators to fix a dangerous defect in the emergency slide systems on specific Airbus planes (A319, A320, and A321 models).\n\n**The problem:**\nThe telescopic girt bar — a metal component that connects the emergency inflatable slide to the aircraft door frame — can detach because of a manufacturing defect (an incorrectly cut angle/chamfer on the metal). If this happens during an emergency evacuation, the slide might not inflate or deploy, trapping passengers inside the aircraft.\n\n**Who must act:**\nOperators of Airbus A319, A320, and A321 aircraft that have a specific factory modification (Mod 20234) or were repaired using specific service bulletins (A320-25-1055 or A320-25-1218). \n\n**Who is exempt:**\nAircraft that already have a later factory modification (Mod 31708) or were repaired using Service Bulletin A320-52-1112 Revision 05.\n\n**What operators must do:**\n1. **Immediate action:** Follow Airbus technical instructions (Alert Operators Transmission 52A1111) to inspect and fix the girt bars — must be done within 1,500 flight hours after September 2001.\n2. **Ongoing inspections:** Re-inspect every 18 months until the permanent fix is done.\n3. **Permanent fix:** Install the redesigned girt bar per Service Bulletin A320-52-1112 Revision 05 before 31 December 2006. This permanent modification ends the need for further inspections.\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThis directive prevents a potentially catastrophic failure where emergency slides don't deploy during an evacuation. The repeated amendments show regulators tracking the problem over several years as better solutions became available."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-a320-120-amdt-4-slide-raft-telescopic-girt-bar","history":"/api/acts/ad-a320-120-amdt-4-slide-raft-telescopic-girt-bar/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-a320-120-amdt-4-slide-raft-telescopic-girt-bar/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-a320-120-amdt-4-slide-raft-telescopic-girt-bar/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-a320-120-amdt-4-slide-raft-telescopic-girt-bar/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-a320-120-amdt-4-slide-raft-telescopic-girt-bar/documents"}}