CUSTOMER SERVICES DIRECTORATE

1 ROND POINT MAURICE BELLONTE

31707 BLAGNAC CEDEX FRANCE
TELEPHONE + 33 (0)5 61 93 33 33

OPERATORS INFORMATION TRANSMISSION - OIT

SUBJECT: ATA 27 – THSA life limit on A320 family CEO and NEO aircraft

AIRCRAFT TYPE: A318,A319,A320,A321

OUR REF.: 999.0116/17 Rev 00 dated 12-MAR-2018

OIT CATEGORY: GENERAL INFORMATION

NOTICE: This OIT provides general Maintenance and Engineering information. It is left to each
Operator’s discretion whether to distribute this OIT, or to distribute the information contained in this OIT,
to all of their applicable Maintenance and Engineering organizations for information.

REFERENCED DOCUMENTS:

Ref 1: OIT 999.0032/15 Rev 00 dated 02-APR-2015 “ATA 27 – THSA life limit and No-Back Brake”
Ref 2: UTAS SB 47145-27-19 dated 15-DEC-2015 “Flight Controls – THSA life extension”
Ref 3: AD 2016-0184 dated 13-SEP-2016 “ATA27 – Flight Controls – THSA – Inspection / Replacement
(life limitation)”
Ref 4: ALS part 4 Rev 5 Section 3 – Systems life-limited components - ATA 27-44-00 THS hydraulic
actuation
Ref 5: ISI 27.44.00048 “Sum up of mandated inspections or modifications applicable to A320 family
THSA”

1. PURPOSE

The purpose of this OIT is to provide an update of THSA (Trimmable Horizontal Stabilizer Actuator) Life
limit on A320 family CEO and NEO aircraft and to inform of THSA life limit extension possibility for each
aircraft type.

2. BACKGROUND

Different THSA life limit values are published for A320 family CEO and NEO aircraft.
Moreover, for CEO aircraft, a THSA overhaul is proposed to extend its life. However, to date, this life limit
extension is not applicable to NEO aircraft.
Due to many different THSA life limits, this OIT aims at clarifying the current situation and providing
information regarding the future harmonization between CEO and NEO aircraft.

3. DESCRIPTION

3.1. THSA life limit on CEO and NEO

On A320 family CEO aircraft, the THSA life limit, mandated by the AD 2016-0184 [Ref 3], is 67500 FH /
48000 FC. This life limit is applicable for all THSA Part Numbers.

OIT ref: 999.0116/17 Rev 00 Page 1 of 3 Date: 12-MAR-2018

© AIRBUS S.A.S. 2018. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY DOCUMENT
CUSTOMER SERVICES DIRECTORATE
1 ROND POINT MAURICE BELLONTE
31707 BLAGNAC CEDEX FRANCE
TELEPHONE + 33 (0)5 61 93 33 33

OPERATORS INFORMATION TRANSMISSION - OIT

On A320 family NEO aircraft, the THSA life limit, mandated by the ALS part 4 [Ref 4], is 67500 FH /
35000 FC. This life limit is applicable for the THSA Part Numbers allowed for NEO (at 1st March 2018, PN
47145-248 and 47145-268).

The different life limit values for each aircraft type are due to new duty cycles with higher loads applied on
THSA installed on A320 family NEO aircraft compared to CEO aircraft.
A THSA endurance test will be performed by UTAS between January 2018 and December 2021 with the
objective to validate a THSA life limit on NEO up to 67500 FH / 48000 FC (same life limit for CEO and
NEO).
Pending test completion by December 2021, the THSA installed on NEO aircraft remain limited to 67500
FH / 35000 FC.

Note: The methodology for THSA remaining life computation for CEO and NEO is done in accordance
with A320 Fam ALS part 4 – System Equipment Maintenance Requirements (SEMR) section 1 § 5.4
Transfer of fatigue related components/items between aircraft applications / aircraft configuration change.

3.2. THSA life limit extension

On A320 family CEO aircraft, a THSA reaching 67500 FH or 48000 FC can be overhauled by applying
UTAS SB 47145-27-19 [Ref 2], permitting a life extension of additional 52500 FH / 27000 FC (Time Since
Overhaul / Cycles Since Overhaul), in the limit of 120000 FH / 75000 FC (Time Since New / Cycles Since
New).

Note: No PN change nor Amendment is associated with the embodiment of this Vendor SB 47145-27-19.
A THSA post VSB 47145-27-19 can be identified with the shop history of the unit.

On A320 family NEO aircraft:

- a THSA reaching its limit cannot be overhauled, and
- an overhauled THSA post VSB 47145-27-19 cannot be installed.

The installation of an overhauled THSA post VSB 47145-27-19 on NEO aircraft is under review with
UTAS and will need additional analysis and potential additional tests. The objective is to have the same
life extension (52500 FH / 27000 FC) on CEO and NEO.

4. FOLLOW UP

Follow up of this topic will be provided in the In Service Information ref. 27.44.00048 [Ref 5].

5. CONTACTS

Questions about the technical content of this OIT are to be addressed to Airbus Customer Services
through TechRequest on Airbus World, selecting Maintenance & Engineering Domain, Engineering
Support Section and ATA 27-44.

Best Regards,

OIT ref: 999.0116/17 Rev 00 Page 2 of 3 Date: 12-MAR-2018

© AIRBUS S.A.S. 2018. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY DOCUMENT
CUSTOMER SERVICES DIRECTORATE
1 ROND POINT MAURICE BELLONTE
31707 BLAGNAC CEDEX FRANCE
TELEPHONE + 33 (0)5 61 93 33 33

OPERATORS INFORMATION TRANSMISSION - OIT

R. SAVOIE
SENIOR DIRECTOR
Hydraulics, Landing Gear,
& Flight Controls Systems
CUSTOMER SERVICES

OIT ref: 999.0116/17 Rev 00 Page 3 of 3 Date: 12-MAR-2018

© AIRBUS S.A.S. 2018. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY DOCUMENT