{"id":"F2008L01500","name":"AD/A320/217 - Emergency Exit Door 2 and 3 - Hold Open Mechanism","slug":"ad-a320-217-emergency-exit-door-2-and-3-hold-open-mechanism","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":119864,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2008L01500-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","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/A320/217 | Emergency Exit Door 2 and 3 - HoldOpen Mechanism | 6/2008 |\n| ----------- | ------------------------------------------------ | ------ |\n\n| Applicability: | All Airbus A321 aircraft, except aircraft that have received Airbus modification 33426 in production or Airbus Service Bulletin (SB) A320-52-1121 in service.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |\n| -------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |\n| Requirement:   | Modify the four emergency exit door release mechanism rods, in accordance with SB A320-52-1121.Note: DGAC F-2004-040 refers.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |\n| Compliance:    | Within 30 days of the Effective Date of this Airworthiness Directive.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |\n|                | This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 5 June 2008.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |\n| Background:    | During normal maintenance operation on an A321, one operator has reported that it was impossible to lock the emergency doors 2 and 3 in the open position. Investigations revealed that the actuating rod length increases with water absorption and can prevent the door from locking in the open position. The door failing to lock in the open position could impair passenger evacuation. |\n\n![](image.001.png)  \nDavid Villiers  \nDelegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority\n\n16 April 2008","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"AD/A320/217","sectionType":"part","heading":"AD/A320/217","content":"## AD/A320/217","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"Emergency Exit Door 2 and 3 - HoldOpen M","sectionType":"part","heading":"Emergency Exit Door 2 and 3 - HoldOpen Mechanism","content":"## Emergency Exit Door 2 and 3 - Hold  \nOpen Mechanism","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"6/2008","sectionType":"part","heading":"6/2008","content":"## 6/2008","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"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This AD maintains its original narrow scope: addressing a specific mechanical defect in a specific aircraft type. There is no evidence of scope creep or expansion beyond the original safety purpose."},"complexity_factors":["Single, clearly defined applicability (one aircraft model with two explicit exceptions)","One straightforward compliance action (modify four rods per specified service bulletin)","Simple deadline structure (30 days from effective date)","No nested definitions, cross-references to other legislation, or conditional sub-requirements","Background explanation is concise and plain-language","Total length is approximately 200 words of substantive content"],"plain_english_summary":"This CASA Airworthiness Directive orders operators of Airbus A321 aircraft to fix a defect in emergency-exit doors 2 and 3: moisture can swell the door-release rods so doors may not lock open during evacuations. Unless already modified per manufacturing change 33426 or Service Bulletin A320-52-1121, operators must replace or modify four rods following Airbus instructions within 30 days of 5 June 2008."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The directive as published targets a specific corrective action for A321 emergency exit door rods and excludes aircraft already modified by Airbus mod 33426 or SB A320‑52‑1121; the text contains no statement that it broadens or narrows scope beyond that targeted applicability."},"complexity_factors":["Technical specificity: requires physical modification of four emergency exit door release mechanism rods (Requirement).","Narrow applicability with exclusions: applies to all A321 aircraft except those with Airbus modification 33426 in production or SB A320‑52‑1121 already applied (Applicability).","Short compliance window: mandatory completion within 30 days of the AD's effective date (Compliance).","External dependencies: work must follow Airbus Service Bulletin A320‑52‑1121, creating reliance on manufacturer documentation (Requirement).","Safety-critical consequence: background cites risk of doors failing to lock open and impaired evacuation, raising inspection and repair urgency (Background).","Operator cost and scheduling burden: operators must fund and arrange the modification within the timeframe (implicit in Compliance and Requirement).","Regulatory certainty and limited discretion: Civil Aviation Safety Authority issued a fixed effective date and compliance term, leaving little operational discretion (Compliance; Effective date).","Cross-reference note: document records that DGAC F‑2004‑040 is related (Requirement note), indicating prior regulatory coordination."],"plain_english_summary":"This Airworthiness Directive requires operators of Airbus A321 aircraft (except those that received Airbus modification 33426 in production or Service Bulletin A320‑52‑1121 in service) to modify the four emergency exit door release mechanism rods in accordance with SB A320‑52‑1121, within 30 days. Operators pay and schedule the work; the Civil Aviation Safety Authority set the requirement effective 5 June 2008. The modification addresses rod swelling from water absorption that can prevent doors 2 and 3 locking open and impair passenger evacuation."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-a320-217-emergency-exit-door-2-and-3-hold-open-mechanism","history":"/api/acts/ad-a320-217-emergency-exit-door-2-and-3-hold-open-mechanism/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-a320-217-emergency-exit-door-2-and-3-hold-open-mechanism/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-a320-217-emergency-exit-door-2-and-3-hold-open-mechanism/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-a320-217-emergency-exit-door-2-and-3-hold-open-mechanism/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-a320-217-emergency-exit-door-2-and-3-hold-open-mechanism/documents"}}