Airworthiness Directives; Airbus SAS Airplanes

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus SAS Model A318, A319, A320, A321, A330-200, A330-200 Freighter, A330-300, A330-800, A330-900, A340-200, A340-300, A340-500, A340-600, and A380-800 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by a determination that repetitive disconnection and reconnection of certain parts manufacturer approval (PMA) nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) batteries during airplane parking or storage could lead to a reduction in capacity of those batteries. This AD requires replacing certain PMA Ni- Cd batteries with serviceable Ni-Cd batteries, or maintaining the electrical storage capacity of those PMA Ni-Cd batteries during airplane storage or parking. This AD corresponds to a previously proposed AD on type design Ni-Cd batteries with the same unsafe condition on the same model airplanes. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.