{"id":"F2009L03391","name":"AD/A330/108 - Thales Pitot Probes","slug":"ad-a330-108-thales-pitot-probes","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":140976,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2009L03391-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"Airbus Industrie A330 Series Aeroplanes","sectionType":"division","heading":"Airbus Industrie A330 Series Aeroplanes","content":"### Airbus Industrie A330 Series Aeroplanes\n\n| AD/A330/108 | Thales Pitot Probes | 11/2009 DM |\n| ----------- | ------------------- | ---------- |\n\n| Applicability: | Airbus A330-201, A330-202, A330-203, A330-223, A330-243, A330-301,A330-302, A330-303, A330-321, A330-322, A330-323, A330-341, A330-342 and A330-343 aeroplanes, all serial numbers, if Thales part number (P/N) C16195AA are installed (at any position), or P/N C16195BA pitot probes are installed at positions 1 (Captain) and 3 (Stand by). |\n| -------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |\n| Requirement: | 1. For aeroplanes with Thales Avionics P/N C16195AA pitot probes installed at any position - Replace the pitot probes in accordance with the instructions of Airbus Service Bulletin (SB) A330-34-3206 Revision 01 dated 12 November 2008 or Airbus SB A330-34-3231 dated 12 August 2009, as applicable to aeroplane model. |\n| | 2. For aeroplanes with Thales Avionics P/N C16195BA pitot probes installed at positions 1 and 3 - Remove the P/N C16195BA pitot probes from positions 1 and 3 and install Goodrich P/N 0851HL pitot probes at positions 1 and 3, in accordance with the instructions of SB A330-34-3231. |\n| | The resulting configuration of the aeroplane after compliance with Requirement 1 or 2 must be that a Thales Avionics P/N C16195BA pitot probe is installed at position 2 and Goodrich P/N 0851HL pitot probes at positions 1 and 3. |\n| | Replacement of Thales Avionics P/N C16195BA pitot probes at all three positions with Goodrich P/N 0851HL pitot probes in accordance with the instructions of Airbus approved data is an alternative method to comply with the requirements of this Directive. |\n| | 3. Thales Avionics P/N C16195AA pitot probe may not be installed at any position on an aeroplane. |\n| | 4. Thales Avionics P/N C16195BA pitot probe may not be installed at position 1 or 3 on an aeroplane. |\n| | The use of later revisions of the above service bulletins approved by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is acceptable for compliance with the requirements of this Directive. |\n| | Note: EASA AD 2009-0195 refers. |\n| Compliance: | For Requirements 1 and 2 - Within the next four months after the effective date of this Directive. |\n| | For Requirements 3 and 4 - After 7 January 2010. |\n| | This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 7 September 2009. |\n| Background: | Occurrences have been reported on A330/340 family aeroplanes of airspeed indication discrepancies while flying at high altitudes in inclement weather conditions. Investigation results indicate that A330/A340 aeroplanes equipped with Thales Avionics pitot probes appear to have a greater susceptibility to adverse environmental conditions than aeroplanes equipped with Goodrich pitot probes. |\n| | A new Thales pitot probe P/N C16195BA has been designed which improves A320 aeroplane airspeed indication behaviour in heavy rain conditions. This same pitot probe standard has been made available as optional installation on A330/A340 aeroplanes and, although this has shown an improvement over the previous P/N C16195AA standard, it has not yet demonstrated the same level of robustness to withstand high-altitude ice crystals as the Goodrich P/N 0851HL probe. At this time, no other pitot probes are approved for installation on the A330/A340 family of aeroplanes. |\n| | Airspeed discrepancies may lead in particular to disconnection of the autopilot and / or auto-thrust functions, and reversion to Flight Control Alternate law. Depending on the prevailing aeroplane altitude and weather environment, this condition could result in increased difficulty for the crew to control the aeroplane. |\n| | Preliminary results of additional wind tunnel testing conducted with the C16195BA probe during August 2009 are consistent with the qualification data of the probe and have not identified any safety issue regarding the probe behaviour within the icing envelope as defined in Appendix C of EASA Certification Specification (CS) 25. However, for the reasons described above, this Directive is a precautionary measure and requires the removal from service of all Thales Avionics P/N C16195AA pitot probes, the replacement of Thales Avionics P/N C16195BA pitot probes at positions 1 (Captain) and 3 (Stand by) with Goodrich P/N 0851HL probes and the installation at position 2 (First Officer) of a Thales Avionics pitot probe P/N C16195BA. These actions are considered to be an interim measure and further rulemaking cannot be excluded. |\n\n![](image.001.png) \nJames Coyne \nDelegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority\n\n2 September 2009","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"AD/A330/108","sectionType":"part","heading":"AD/A330/108","content":"## AD/A330/108","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"Thales Pitot Probes","sectionType":"part","heading":"Thales Pitot Probes","content":"## Thales Pitot Probes","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"11/2009 DM","sectionType":"part","heading":"11/2009 DM","content":"## 11/2009 DM","sortOrder":3}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is a standard Airworthiness Directive with a focused, single-purpose scope: mandating replacement of specific pitot probe models on A330 aircraft. The scope remains tightly constrained to aviation safety equipment replacement and has not expanded beyond its original technical safety intent."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple conditional requirements based on specific part numbers (C16195AA vs C16195BA) and installation positions (1, 2, 3)","Cross-references to external technical documents: Airbus Service Bulletins A330-34-3206 and A330-34-3231","Alternative compliance method permitted (replacing all three probes with Goodrich units)","Different compliance deadlines for different requirements (4 months vs fixed date of 7 January 2010)","Reference to European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2009-0195 and EASA Certification Specification CS 25","Nested applicability criteria: applies to specific aircraft models AND specific probe configurations"],"plain_english_summary":"Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority mandates removal of Thales C16195AA pitot probes from Airbus A330-200/300 fleets, limits C16195BA probes to the First Officer’s position only, and requires Goodrich 0851HL probes at Captain and standby positions. Operators must comply within four months.\n\nThe AD responds to pitot icing that can give unreliable airspeed, risking autopilot/auto‑thrust loss; it’s a precautionary, interim safety measure prompted by investigations including Air France Flight 447."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The Directive’s scope is consistent with its safety objective as stated in the Background: it targets listed A330 variants fitted with specified Thales pitot probe part numbers and prescribes replacements and installation bans for those probes (Applicability; Requirement). There is no text in the instrument indicating an expansion or narrowing of scope beyond that expressed in the Background and Applicability sections."},"complexity_factors":["Technical specificity: precise applicability tied to multiple A330 sub-models and exact part numbers and cockpit positions (Applicability).","Multiple corrective pathways: mandatory partial replacement, an alternative full replacement option, and positional bans create conditional compliance choices (Requirement 1–4).","Regulatory cross-references and approvals: compliance requires following Airbus Service Bulletins and accepts later EASA‑approved revisions, introducing reliance on external approvals (Requirement; note on later revisions).","Time pressure: short mandatory compliance window for replacements (four months) and a later effective ban date for installations (Compliance).","Operational burden on operators: direct costs for parts, installation and scheduling; requirement applies to “all serial numbers” meeting the part conditions (Applicability; Requirement; Compliance).","Regulatory uncertainty: measure described as interim with possible further rulemaking, indicating potential future changes to obligations (Background).","Interagency linkage: references EASA AD and CS25 icing definitions, so interpretation may depend on non‑domestic certification material (Background; Note)."],"plain_english_summary":"This Airworthiness Directive requires operators of specified Airbus A330 models fitted with particular Thales pitot probes (P/N C16195AA or certain installations of P/N C16195BA) to replace those probes with approved alternatives (Goodrich P/N 0851HL or restrict Thales P/N C16195BA to position 2) within set deadlines and bans reinstalling the excluded Thales probes in specified positions. The rule aims to reduce airspeed indication discrepancies in certain weather/altitude conditions; operators must follow Airbus service bulletins or approved revisions and bear the cost and scheduling impact."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-a330-108-thales-pitot-probes","history":"/api/acts/ad-a330-108-thales-pitot-probes/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-a330-108-thales-pitot-probes/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-a330-108-thales-pitot-probes/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-a330-108-thales-pitot-probes/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-a330-108-thales-pitot-probes/documents"}}