[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 235 (Tuesday, December 8, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 67629-67631]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-32475]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. 98-CE-76-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; British Aerospace Jetstream Models 3101
and 3201 Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: This document proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive
(AD) that would apply to all British Aerospace Jetstream Model 3101
airplanes that have a certain wheel assembly incorporated and all
Jetstream Model 3201 airplanes that are equipped with Dunlop AH54450
brake units. The proposed AD would require inspecting the main landing
gear brake units for correct setting of the wear indicator pins, and
re-setting the pins if incorrect. The proposed AD is the result of
mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the
airworthiness authority for the United Kingdom. The actions specified
by the proposed AD are intended to prevent failure of the main landing
gear brakes because the wear indicator pins present a false indication
of the remaining wear of the brake units, which could result in loss of
control of the airplane during takeoff, landing, or taxi operations.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 13, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), Central Region, Office of the Regional Counsel,
Attention: Rules Docket No. 98-CE-76-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.
Service information that applies to the proposed AD may be obtained
from British Aerospace Regional Aircraft, Prestwick International
Airport, Ayrshire, KA9 2RW, Scotland; telephone: (01292) 479888;
facsimile: (01292) 479703. This information also may be examined at the
Rules Docket at the address above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. S.M. Nagarajan, Aerospace
Engineer, FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service, 1201 Walnut, suite 900, Kansas City, Missouri 64106;
telephone: (816) 426-6932; 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 Rules 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.
Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments
submitted in response to this notice must submit a self-addressed,
stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: ``Comments
to Docket No. 98-CE-76-AD.'' The postcard will be date-stamped and
returned to the commenter.
Availability of NPRMs
Any person may obtain a copy of this NPRM by submitting a request
to the FAA, Central Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, Attention:
Rules Docket No. 98-CE-76-AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas
City, Missouri 64106.
Discussion
The Civil Airworthiness Authority (CAA), which is the airworthiness
authority for the United Kingdom, recently notified the FAA that an
unsafe condition may exist on all British Aerospace Jetstream Model
3101 airplanes that have Jetstream Kit JK12097 or Jetstream Service
Bulletin 32-JK12097 incorporated and all Jetstream Model 3201 airplanes
that are equipped with Dunlop AH54450 main landing gear brake units.
Kit JK12097 and Service Bulletin 32-JK12097 include the procedures
necessary to incorporate J3200 series wheels with 12-ply rated tires
and brakes for Jetstream Model 3101 airplanes.
The CAA reports an incident of a totally worn brake unit heat pack
found during a routine inspection on one of the affected airplanes. The
wear indicator pins showed 0.1 inch of wear remaining. Further
investigation revealed that these pins were incorrectly set.
This condition, if not corrected in a timely manner, could result
in failure of the main landing gear brakes with possible loss of
control of the airplane during takeoff, landing, or taxi operations.
Relevant Service Information
British Aerospace has issued Jetstream Alert Service Bulletin 32-A-
JA980540, ORIGINAL ISSUE: July 6, 1998, which specifies procedures for
inspecting the main landing gear brake units for correct setting of the
wear indicator pins, and re-setting the pins if incorrect.
The CAA classified this service bulletin as mandatory and issued
British AD 003-07-98, dated July 13, 1998, in order to assure the
continued airworthiness of these airplanes in the United Kingdom.
The FAA's Determination
This airplane model is manufactured in the United Kingdom 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
[[Page 67630]]
agreement. Pursuant to this bilateral airworthiness agreement, the CAA
has kept the FAA informed of the situation described above.
The FAA has examined the findings of the CAA; reviewed all
available information, including the service information referenced
above; and determined that AD action is necessary for products of this
type design that are certificated for operation in the United States.
Explanation of the Provisions of the Proposed AD
Since an unsafe condition has been identified that is likely to
exist or develop in other British Aerospace Jetstream Models 3101 and
3201 airplanes of the same type design that are registered in the
United States, the FAA is proposing AD action. The proposed AD would
require inspecting the main landing gear brake units for correct
setting of the wear indicator pins, and re-setting the pins if
incorrect. Accomplishment of the proposed actions would be required in
accordance with British Aerospace Jetstream Alert Service Bulletin 32-
A-JA980540, ORIGINAL ISSUE: July 6, 1998.
Compliance Time of This AD
Although failure of the main landing gear brakes would only be
unsafe while the airplane was in operation, the cause of this condition
is not a result of the number of times the airplane is operated. The
chance of the brake wear pin being incorrectly set is the same for an
airplane with 10 hours time-in-service (TIS) as it would be for an
airplane with 1,000 hours TIS. For this reason, the FAA has proposed a
compliance based on calendar time in order to assure that the unsafe
condition is addressed on all airplanes in a reasonable time period.
Cost Impact
The FAA estimates that 296 airplanes in the U.S. registry would be
affected by the proposed AD, that it would take approximately 3
workhours per airplane to accomplish the proposed inspection, and that
the average labor rate is approximately $60 an hour. Based on these
figures, the total cost impact of the proposed inspection on U.S.
operators is estimated to be $53,280, or $180 per airplane.
The FAA has no way of determining the number of wear indicator pins
that would be found incorrectly set, and would require re-setting.
Therefore, the above figures only represent the inspection costs of the
proposed AD.
Regulatory Impact
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. 106(g), 40113, 44701.
Sec. 39.13 [Amended]
2. Section 39.13 is amended by adding a new airworthiness directive
(AD) to read as follows:
British Aerospace: Docket No. 98-CE-76-AD.
Applicability: The following aircraft, certificated in any
category:
--Jetstream Model 3101 airplanes, all serial numbers, that have
Jetstream Kit JK12097 or Jetstream Service Bulletin 32-JK12097
incorporated; and
--Jetstream Model 3201 airplanes, all serial numbers, that are
equipped with Dunlop AH54450 brake units.
Note 1: Jetstream Kit JK12097 and Jetstream Service Bulletin 32-
JK12097 include the procedures necessary to incorporate J3200 series
wheels with 12-ply rated tires and brakes for Jetstream Model 3101
airplanes.
Note 2: This AD applies to each airplane identified in the
preceding applicability provision, regardless of whether it has been
modified, altered, or repaired in the area subject to the
requirements of this AD. For airplanes that have been modified,
altered, or repaired so that the performance of the requirements of
this AD is affected, the owner/operator must request approval for an
alternative method of compliance in accordance with paragraph (d) of
this AD. The request should include an assessment of the effect of
the modification, alteration, or repair on the unsafe condition
addressed by this AD; and, if the unsafe condition has not been
eliminated, the request should include specific proposed actions to
address it.
Compliance: Required as indicated in the body of this AD, unless
already accomplished.
To prevent failure of the main landing gear brakes because the
wear indicator pins present a false indication of the remaining wear
of the brake units, which could result in loss of control of the
airplane during takeoff, landing, or taxi operations, accomplish the
following:
(a) Within the next 30 calendar days after the effective date of
this AD, inspect the main landing gear brake units for correct
setting of the wear indicator pins, in accordance with the
instructions in PART 2 of British Aerospace Jetstream Alert Service
Bulletin 32-A-JA980540, ORIGINAL ISSUE: July 6, 1998. Prior to
further flight, re-set the pins if the existing setting is
incorrect, in accordance with the service bulletin.
(b) As of the effective date of this AD, no person may install
Dunlop AH54450 brake units on any Jetstream Model 3201 airplane or
incorporate Jetstream Kit JK12097 and Jetstream Service Bulletin 32-
JK12097 on any Jetstream 3101 airplane, unless the inspection and
possible follow-up requirements of paragraph (a) of this AD have
been accomplished on the parts.
(c) 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.
(d) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the
compliance times that provides an equivalent level of safety may be
approved by the Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft
Certification Service, 1201 Walnut, suite 900, Kansas City, Missouri
64106. The request shall be forwarded through an appropriate FAA
Maintenance Inspector, who may add comments and then send it to the
Manager, Small Airplane Directorate.
Note 3: Information concerning the existence of approved
alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be
obtained from the Small Airplane Directorate.
(e) Questions or technical information related to British
Aerospace Jetstream Alert Service Bulletin 32-A-JA980540, ORIGINAL
ISSUE: July 6, 1998, should be directed to
[[Page 67631]]
British Aerospace Regional Aircraft, Prestwick International
Airport, Ayrshire, KA9 2RW, Scotland; telephone: (01292) 479888;
facsimile: (01292) 479703. This service information may be examined
at the FAA, Central Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, Room
1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106.
Note 4: The subject of this AD is addressed in British AD 003-
07-98, dated July 13, 1998.
Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on December 1, 1998.
James E. Jackson,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 98-32475 Filed 12-7-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U
