[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 24 (Thursday, February 5, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 5898-5900]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-2773]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. 97-CE-42-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; SOCATA--Groupe AEROSPATIALE Model TBM
700 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 certain SOCATA--Groupe AEROSPATIALE Model TBM
700 airplanes. The proposed action would require modifying the
airplane's left-hand (LH) front side lower panel. The proposed AD is
the result of mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI)
issued by the airworthiness authority for France. The actions specified
by the proposed AD are intended to prevent interference between the
side trim of the LH front side lower panel and the roll control compass
on the LH wheel assembly, which, if not corrected, could result in loss
of directional control of the airplane.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 3, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), Central Region, Office of the Regional Counsel,
Attention: Rules Docket No. 97-CE-42-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 SOCATA--Groupe AEROSPATIALE, Support Client/Customer Support,
Aerodrome Tarbes-Ossun-Lourdes, B P 930, F65009 Tarbes Cedex, France;
telephone (33) 62.41.73.00; facsimile (33) 62.41.76.54, or the Product
Support Manager, SOCATA--Groupe AEROSPATIALE, North Perry Airport, 7501
Pembroke Road, Pembroke Pines, Florida 33023; telephone (954) 964-6877;
facsimile: (954) 964-1668. This
[[Page 5899]]
information also may be examined at the Rules Docket at the address
above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Karl Schletzbaum, 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 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. 97-CE-42-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. 97-CE-42-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 Model TBM 700 airplanes.
The DGAC reports that there have been incidents involving interference
between the roll control compass on the left-hand (LH) wheel assembly
and the LH front side lower trim panel on these airplanes. This
condition, if not corrected, could result in loss of directional
control of the airplane.
Relevant Service Information
SOCATA has issued Service Bulletin No. SB 70-061-25, dated June
1995, which specifies procedures for checking the trim panel for
correct position, performing a preflight inspection, and modifying the
LH front side lower panel.
The DGAC classified this service bulletin as mandatory and issued
French AD 95-166(B), dated September 13, 1995, in order to assure the
continued airworthiness of these airplanes in France.
The FAA's Determination
The SOCATA Model TBM 700 airplane 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, 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 SOCATA Model TBM 700 airplanes of the same
type design registered in the United States, the proposed AD would
require modifying the LH front side lower trim panel. The FAA is not
proposing that this action require the specified check for correct
position of the trim panel or the preflight inspection of the trim
panel. Instead, the FAA is proposing that the operators of the
airplanes registered in the United States accomplish only the
modification portion that is required by the SOCATA service bulletin
and the DGAC AD. Accomplishment of the proposed modification would be
in accordance with the service bulletin previously referenced.
Cost Impact
The FAA estimates that 40 airplanes in the U.S. registry would be
affected by the proposed AD, that it would take approximately 4 hours
per airplane to accomplish the proposed action, and that the average
labor rate is approximately $60 an hour. Parts cost approximately $15
per airplane. Based on these figures, the total cost impact of the
proposed AD on U.S. operators is estimated to be $10,200 or $255 per
airplane.
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:
Socata--Groupe Aerospatiale: Docket No. 97-CE-42-AD.
Applicability: Model TBM-700 airplanes, serial numbers 24, 26,
27, 29 to 32, 34, 36 to 106, and all serial numbers equipped with
modification MOD 70-019-25, or
[[Page 5900]]
supplemental type certificate (STC) SA2786CE, certificated in any
category.
Note 1: 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 within the next 100 hours time-in-service
(TIS) after the effective date of this AD, unless already
accomplished.
To prevent interference between the side trim of the left-hand
(LH) side lower panel and the roll control compass on the LH wheel
assembly, which, if not corrected, could result in loss of
directional control of the airplane, accomplish the following:
(a) Modify the LH front side lower panel in accordance with part
``B. MODIFICATION'' of the ACCOMPLISHMENT INSTRUCTIONS section of
SOCATA Service Bulletin No. SB70-061-25, dated June, 1995.
(b) The instructions in this AD take precedence over part ``A.
CHECK: DURING EACH PREFLIGHT INSPECTION'' of the ACCOMPLISHMENT
INSTRUCTIONS section in SOCATA Service Bulletin No. SB70-061-25,
dated June, 1995.
(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 time that provides an equivalent level of safety may be
approved by the Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Airplane
Certification Service, FAA, 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 2: 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 SOCATA Service
Bulletin No. SB 70-061-25, dated June 1995, should be directed to
SOCATA--Groupe AEROSPATIALE, Support Client/Customer Support,
Aerodrome Tarbes-Ossun-Lourdes, B P 930, F65009 Tarbes Cedex,
France; telephone (33) 62.41.73.00; facsimile (33) 62.41.76.54, or
the Product Support Manager, SOCATA--Groupe AEROSPATIALE, North
Perry Airport, 7501 Pembroke Road, Pembroke Pines, Florida 33023;
telephone (954) 964-6877; facsimile: (954) 964-1668. 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 3: The subject of this AD is addressed in the French AD 95-
166(B), dated September 13, 1995.
Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on January 28, 1998.
Terry L. Chasteen,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 98-2773 Filed 2-4-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U
