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: Information on the future evolution of the Manufacturer Serial Number (MSN) format

AIRCRAFT TYPE: A318,A319,A320,A321

OUR REF.: 999.0120/15 Rev 03 dated 26-FEB-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:
OIT 999.0120/15 Rev 00 dated 14-SEP-2015
Ref. 1: List of impacted Structured Documentation.

0. REASON FOR REVISION

**BEG REV**
This OIT is revised to inform our Customers on the deployment planning of the MSN format change.
**END REV**

1. PURPOSE
The purpose of this OIT is to inform A320 Family Customers about the change of the Manufacturer Serial
Number (MSN) from 4 numerical digits to 5 numerical digits and its impact on Technical Data Products
and Services.

2. BACKGROUND
**BEG REV**
Thanks to our Customers’ renewed confidence, the A320 Family is a best-selling and fast-growing
programme with nearly 8,000 aircraft in service and more than 6,000 aircraft backlog. In view of this
success and the A320neo (new engine option) upgrades introduction, Airbus expects a substantial
increase of the A320 Family fleet in the coming years.
**END REV**
The Manufacturer Serial Number (MSN) of the A320 Family aircraft type is likely to become higher than
9999 in the coming years. As a consequence, Airbus will change the format of MSN data from 4
numerical digits to 5 numerical digits.

3. DESCRIPTION
**BEG REV**
This change will apply to data delivered to Customers by Airbus.
Airbus has ensured compatibility of Airbus Services with this evolution.
This 5-digit MSN format will also apply to aircraft before MSN 10000.

OIT ref: 999.0120/15 Rev 03 Page 1 of 3 Date: 26-FEB-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

The structured documentation listed in appendix (Ref. 1) will be impacted by this change starting from
November 2018.
MSN format will change to 5-digit according to the revision cycle of the applicable manuals.
**END REV**

Airbus recommends Customers to check the compatibility of their Information Systems with such a
change and to plan system upgrades in case of non-compliance with the new 5-digit format.
Special care must be taken by Airbus raw data users.

An aircraft MSN is a sequence that can be written equally in 4 or 5 digits format (with possibly “0” at the
beginning to complete) or in numerical format (without “0” at the beginning).
Therefore MSN “123” is equivalent to “0123” and equivalent to “00123”.

The Airbus Airworthiness Office informed National Aviation Authorities about the absence of
consequences of this change on the existing regulatory records or documents.
Airbus do not expect any update of airworthiness document (e.g.: Certificate of Airworthiness, Certificate
of Registration, etc.) or physical plate for aircraft identification.

Other Airbus aircraft families will not be impacted by this change.

Airbus is providing SGML/XML test data for the MSN format change.
Data samples are available on the AirbusWorld portal (HELP/Contacts > HELP documents > MSN
Format Change).

**BEG REV**
To help Customers use these data samples, four documents (one “Read me” and three specifications
files) are available at the same place:
- MSN format change – Read me – Introduction to Data samples
- MSN format change – Maintenance – Technical specifications
- MSN format change – Flight Operations – Technical specifications
- MSN format change – Engineering – Technical specifications
**END REV**

You will also find at the same place a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) document: MSN Format Change
- FAQ Library.

4. FOLLOW UP
**BEG REV**
No follow-up of this OIT is planned.
**END REV**

5. CONTACTS
Questions about the technical content of this OIT are to be addressed to Airbus Customer Services
through TechRequest on AirbusWorld, selecting the « Software & Services » form, and then the « MSN
format change» product.

Best Regards,

OIT ref: 999.0120/15 Rev 03 Page 2 of 3 Date: 26-FEB-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

Klaus WOLF Jean-Pierre GOMEZ
Vice-President Technical Data Support & Services Vice-President A320 Programme
Customer Services Customer Services

OIT ref: 999.0120/15 Rev 03 Page 3 of 3 Date: 26-FEB-2018

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