[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 13 (Friday, January 20, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 4117-4119]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-1428]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. 94-CE-26-AD]
Airworthiness Directives; SOCATA Groupe AEROSPATIALE TBM 700
Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive
(AD) that would apply to certain SOCATA Groupe AEROSPATIALE (Socata)
TBM 700 airplanes. The proposed action would require installing
pneumatic deicers on the elevator horn leading edges. Ice accumulation
on one of the affected airplanes during flight testing in icing
conditions prompted the proposed action. The actions specified in this
[[Page 4118]] proposed AD are intended to prevent ice accumulation on
the elevator horn, which could lead to loss of control of the airplane.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 24, 1995.
ADDRESSES: Service information that applies to the proposed AD may be
obtained from the SOCATA Groupe AEROSPATIALE, Socata Product Support,
Aeroport Tarbes-Ossun-Lourdes, B P 930, 65009 Tarbes Cedex, France;
telephone 62.41.74.26; facsimile 62.41.74.32; or the Product Support
Manager, U.S. AEROSPATIALE, 2701 Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, Texas
75053; telephone (214) 641-3614; facsimile (214) 641-3527. This
information also may be examined at the Rules Docket at the address
below. Send comments on the proposal in triplicate to the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA), Central Region, Office of the Assistant
Chief Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 94-CE-26-AD, Room 1558, 601
E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. Comments may be inspected
at this location between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday,
holidays excepted.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Raymond A. Stoer, Program Officer, Brussels Aircraft Certification
Office, FAA, Europe, Africa, and Middle East Office, c/o American
Embassy, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium; telephone (322) 513.38.30; facsimile
(322) 230.68.99; or Mr. Mike Kiesov, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Small
Airplane Directorate, 1201 Walnut Street, suite 900, Kansas City,
Missouri 64106; telephone (816) 426-6934; facsimile (816) 426-2169.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
Interested persons are invited to participate in the making of the
proposed rule by submitting such written data, views, or arguments as
they may desire. Communications should identify the regulatory docket
number and be submitted in triplicate to the address specified above.
All communications received on or before the closing date for comments,
specified above, will be considered before taking action on the
proposed rule. The proposals contained in this notice may be changed in
light of the comments received.
Comments are specifically invited on the overall regulatory,
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the proposed rule. All
comments submitted will be available, both before and after the closing
date for comments, in the Rules Docket for examination by interested
persons. A report that summarizes each FAA-public contact concerned
with the substance of this proposal will be filed in the Rules Docket.
Availability of NPRMs
Any person may obtain a copy of this NPRM by submitting a request
to the FAA, Central Region, Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel,
Attention: Rules Docket No. 94-CE-26-AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street,
Kansas City, Missouri 64106.
Discussion
The Direction Generale de L'Aviation Civile (DGAC), which is the
airworthiness authority for France, recently notified the FAA that an
unsafe condition may exist on certain Socata TBM 700 airplanes. The
DGAC advises that, during flight testing of one of these airplanes in
icing conditions, ice accumulation on the elevator horn was discovered.
This condition could lead to loss of control of the airplane.
Socata has issued Technical Instruction of Modification No. OPT70
K020-30, dated February 1993, which specifies procedures for installing
pneumatic deicers on the elevator horn leading edges of the affected
airplanes. The DGAC classified this service bulletin as mandatory and
issued DGAC AD 93-041(B), dated March 31, 1993, in order to assure the
airworthiness of these airplanes in France.
This airplane model is manufactured in France and is type
certificated for operation in the United States under the provisions of
section 21.29 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 21.29) and
the applicable bilateral airworthiness agreement. Pursuant to this
bilateral airworthiness agreement, the DGAC has kept the FAA informed
of the situation described above.
The FAA has examined the findings of the DGAC, reviewed all
available information, and determined that AD action is necessary for
products of this type design that are certificated for operation in the
United States.
Since this condition could exist or develop in other Socata TBM 700
airplanes of the same type design, the proposed AD would require
installing pneumatic deicers on the elevator horn leading edges. The
proposed action would be accomplished in accordance with the service
information referenced above.
The FAA estimates that 20 airplanes in the U.S. registry would be
affected by the proposed AD, that it would take approximately 25
workhours per airplane to accomplish the proposed action, and that the
average labor rate is approximately $60 an hour. Parts cost $3,710 per
airplane. Based on these figures, the total cost impact of the proposed
AD on U.S. operators is estimated to be $104,200. This figure is based
upon the assumption that no affected airplane/operator has accomplished
the proposed action. Socata has informed the FAA that it believes all
affected airplane owners/operators have already accomplished the
proposed installation. With this in mind, the proposed action would
impose no cost impact upon U.S. operators.
The regulations proposed herein would not have substantial direct
effects on the States, on the relationship between the national
government and the States, or on the distribution of power and
responsibilities among the various levels of government. Therefore, in
accordance with Executive Order 12612, it is determined that this
proposal would not have sufficient federalism implications to warrant
the preparation of a Federalism Assessment.
For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this action (1) is
not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive Order 12866;
(2) is not a ``significant rule'' under DOT Regulatory Policies and
Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); and (3) if promulgated,
will not have a significant economic impact, positive or negative, on a
substantial number of small entities under the criteria of the
Regulatory Flexibility Act. A copy of the draft regulatory evaluation
prepared for this action has been placed in the Rules Docket. A copy of
it may be obtained by contacting the Rules Docket at the location
provided under the caption ADDRESSES.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Safety.
The Proposed Amendment
Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration proposes to amend
part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) as
follows:
PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. App. 1354(a), 1421 and 1423; 49 U.S.C.
106(g); and 14 CFR 11.89. [[Page 4119]]
Sec. 39.13 [Amended]
2. Section 39.13 is amended by adding a new AD to read as follows:
Socata Groupe Aerospatiale: Docket No. 94-CE-26-AD.
Applicability: TBM 700 airplanes, serial numbers 1 to 49,
certificated in any category.
Compliance: Required within the next 100 hours time-in-service
after the effective date of this AD, unless already accomplished.
To prevent ice accumulation on the elevator horn, which could
lead to loss of control of the airplane, accomplish the following:
(a) Install pneumatic deicers on the elevator horn leading edges
in accordance with Technical Instruction of Modification No. OPT70
K020-30, dated February 1993. This installation is referenced in
Socata TBM Service Bulletin SB 70-020-30, dated February 1993.
(b) Special flight permits may be issued in accordance with
sections 21.197 and 21.199 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14
CFR 21.197 and 21.199) to operate the airplane to a location where
the requirements of this AD can be accomplished.
(c) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the
compliance time that provides an equivalent level of safety may be
approved by the Manager, Brussels Aircraft Certification Office
(ACO), FAA, Europe, Africa, and Middle East Office, c/o American
Embassy, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium. The request shall be forwarded
through an appropriate FAA Maintenance Inspector, who may add
comments and then send it to the Manager, Brussels ACO.
Note: Information concerning the existence of approved
alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be
obtained from the Brussels ACO.
(d) All persons affected by this directive may obtain copies of
the document referred to herein upon request to the SOCATA Groupe
AEROSPATIALE, Socata Product Support, Aeroport Tarbes-Ossun-Lourdes,
B P 930, 65009 Tarbes Cedex, France; or the Product Support Manager,
U.S. AEROSPATIALE, 2701 Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, Texas 75053; or
may examine this document at the FAA, Central Region, Office of the
Assistant Chief Counsel, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City,
Missouri 64106.
Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on January 12, 1995.
Barry D. Clements,
Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 95-1428 Filed 1-19-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U
