E7-3990. Airworthiness Directives; EADS SOCATA Model TBM 700 Airplanes

AGENCY:

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as the finding of an improper geometry of some pulley brackets, which can offset the cable in the sheave. We are issuing this AD to require actions to correct the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES:

This AD becomes effective April 12, 2007.

The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in this AD as of April 12, 2007.

ADDRESSES:

You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov or in person at the Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-401, Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Albert J. Mercado, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone: [phone]; fax: [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Streamlined Issuance of AD

The FAA is implementing a new process for streamlining the issuance of ADs related to MCAI. The streamlined process will allow us to adopt MCAI safety requirements in a more efficient manner and will reduce safety risks to the public. This process continues to follow all FAA AD issuance processes to meet legal, economic, Administrative Procedure Act, and Federal Register requirements. We also continue to meet our technical decision-making responsibilities to identify and correct unsafe conditions on U.S.-certificated products.

This AD references the MCAI and related service information that we considered in forming the engineering basis to correct the unsafe condition. The AD contains text copied from the MCAI and for this reason might not follow our plain language principles.

Discussion

We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 to include an AD that would apply to the specified products. That NPRM was published in the Federal Register on December 7, 2006 (71 FR 70908). That NPRM proposed to require a detailed inspection of the aileron control cable pulleys and brackets, and apply corrective actions as necessary.

Comments

We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing this AD. We have considered the comments received.

EADS SOCATA believes the FAA should reference the changes in the NPRM of the compliance time from 10 hours time-in-service (TIS) in the MCAI and service bulletin to 50 hours TIS in the NPRM in the “FAA AD Differences” section.

The FAA sometimes needs to change compliance times for enforceability reasons. We normally do not include that as an FAA AD Difference in an AD action, unless it affects the actions being done. However, since this compliance time change was significant, we will note it as a difference. The difference will state that the MCAI and service bulletin requires the action at 10 hours TIS. Typically, this short of a compliance time would indicate an unsafe condition requiring urgent action. However, we did not consider this unsafe condition to be an urgent safety of flight condition and issued this action through the normal notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) AD process. The time of 50 hours TIS is an adequate compliance for this AD action and met the FAA requirements of an NPRM followed by a final rule.

EADS SOCATA comments that EADS SOCATA TBM Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 70-134, dated July 2005, is not an Alert.

The FAA agrees and changes the reference to the service information in the final rule.

EADS SOCATA states that the costs of the required parts is about $450 per product and not the $8,600 per product that is in the Costs of Compliance section of the NPRM. EADS SOCATA also estimates that it would take 2.5 work-hours to inspect and 8.5 work-hours to replace the nonconforming parts, if necessary. This total of 11 work-hours is less than the 12 work-hours that the FAA estimates in the NPRM.

The FAA agrees and has changed the Costs of Compliance section in the final rule to reflect the above costs.

Conclusion

We reviewed the available data, including the comments received, and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD with the changes described previously. We determined that these changes will not increase the economic burden on any operator or increase the scope of the AD.

Differences Between This AD and the MCAI or Service Information

We have reviewed the MCAI and related service information and, in general, agree with their substance. But we might have found it necessary to use different words from those in the MCAI to ensure the AD is clear for U.S. operators and is enforceable in a U.S. court of law. In making these changes, we do not intend to differ substantively from the information provided in the MCAI and related service information.

We might also have required different actions in this AD from those in the MCAI in order to follow FAA policies. Any such differences are described in a separate paragraph of the AD. These requirements, if any, take precedence over the actions copied from the MCAI.

Costs of Compliance

We estimate that this AD will affect 55 products of U.S. registry. We also estimate that it will take about 11 work-hours per product to comply with this AD. The average labor rate is $80 per work-hour. Required parts will cost about $450 per product. Where the service information lists required parts costs that are covered under warranty, we have assumed that there will be no charge for these parts. As we do not control warranty coverage for affected parties, some parties may incur costs higher than estimated here. Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of this AD to the U.S. operators to be $73,150, or $1,330 per product.

Authority for This Rulemaking

Title 49 of the United States Code specifies the FAA's authority to issue rules on aviation safety. Subtitle I, section 106, describes the authority of the FAA Administrator. “Subtitle VII: Aviation Programs,” describes in more detail the scope of the Agency's authority.

We are issuing this rulemaking under the authority described in “Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart III, Section 44701: General requirements.” Under that section, Congress charges the FAA with promoting safe flight of civil aircraft in air commerce by prescribing regulations for practices, methods, and procedures the Administrator finds necessary for safety in air commerce. This regulation is within the scope of that authority because it addresses an unsafe condition that is likely to exist or develop on products identified in this rulemaking action.

Regulatory Findings

We determined that this AD will not have federalism implications under Executive Order 13132. This AD will not have a substantial direct effect 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.

For the reasons discussed above, I certify this AD:

(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) 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.

We prepared a regulatory evaluation of the estimated costs to comply with this AD and placed it in the AD Docket.

Examining the AD Docket

You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov; or in person at the Docket Management Facility between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains the NPRM, the regulatory evaluation, any comments received, and other information. The street address for the Docket Office (telephone [phone]) is in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

• Air transportation
• Aircraft
• Aviation safety
• Incorporation by reference
• Safety

Adoption of the Amendment

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the FAA amends 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.

§ 39.13

[Amended]

2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by adding the following new AD:

2007-05-18  EADS SOCATA: Amendment 39-14979; Docket No. FAA-2006-26233; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-63-AD.

Effective Date

(a) This airworthiness directive (AD) becomes effective April 12, 2007.

Affected ADs

(b) None.

Applicability

(c) This AD applies to Model TBM 700 airplanes, serial numbers 261 through 268 and 270 through 323, certificated in any category.

Reason

(d) The mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) states the finding of an improper geometry of some pulley brackets, which can offset the cable in the sheave. If not corrected, this could reduce the ability to control the roll of the aircraft.

Actions and Compliance

(e) Unless already done, within the next 50 hours time-in-service after April 12, 2007 (the effective date of this AD), accomplish a detailed inspection of the aileron control cable pulleys and brackets, and apply corrective actions as necessary, following EADS SOCATA Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 70-134, dated July 2005.

FAA AD Differences

Note:

This AD differs from the MCAI and/or service information as follows: The MCAI and service bulletin require the action at 10 hours TIS. We consider 10 hours TIS as an urgent safety of flight compliance time, and we do not consider this unsafe condition to be an urgent safety of flight condition. Because we do not consider this unsafe condition to be an urgent safety of flight condition, we issued this action through the normal notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) AD process. The time of 50 hours TIS is an adequate compliance for this AD action and met the FAA requirements of an NPRM followed by a final rule.

Other FAA AD Provisions

(f) The following provisions also apply to this AD:

(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, Standards Staff, FAA, ATTN: Albert J. Mercado, Aerospace Safety Engineer, FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone: [phone]; fax: [phone], has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.

(2) Airworthy Product: For any requirement in this AD to obtain corrective actions from a manufacturer or other source, use these actions if they are FAA-approved. Corrective actions are considered FAA-approved if they are approved by the State of Design Authority (or their delegated agent). You are required to assure the product is airworthy before it is returned to service.

(3) Reporting Requirements: For any reporting requirement in this AD, under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et. seq.), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved the information collection requirements and has assigned OMB Control Number 2120-0056.

Related Information

(g) Refer to Direction générale de l'aviation civile (DGAC) Airworthiness Directive No. F-2005-133, dated August 3, 2005, for related information.

Material Incorporated by Reference

(h) You must use EADS SOCATA TBM Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 70-134, dated July 2005, to do the actions required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.

(1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of this service information under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.

(2) For service information identified in this AD, contact EADS SOCATA, Direction des Services, 65921 Tarbes Cedex 9, France; telephone: [phone]; fax: [phone]; or SOCATA AIRCRAFT, INC., North Perry Airport, 7501 South Airport Rd., Pembroke Pines, FL 33023; telephone: [phone]; fax: [phone].

(3) You may review copies at the FAA, Central Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, 901 Locust, Room 506, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; or at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material at NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov/​federal-register/​cfr/​ibr-locations.html.

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on March 1, 2007.

Kim Smith,

Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.