[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 78 (Friday, April 23, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 19930-19932]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-10174]
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Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 78 / Friday, April 23, 1999 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 19930]]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. 98-CE-117-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; British Aerospace HP137 Mk1, Jetstream
Series 200, and 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 HP137 Mk1, Jetstream
series 200, and Jetstream Models 3101 and 3201 airplanes. The proposed
AD would require inspecting the nose wheel steering system to assure
that the free play between the steering handle or knob and the nose
wheels is within acceptable limits, and adjusting as necessary. 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 the inability to steer the airplane because of excessive free
play in the steering linkage, which could result in loss of control of
the airplane during take-off, landing, or taxi operations.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 24, 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-117-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, 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-117-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-117-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 HP137 Mk1,
Jetstream series 200, and Jetstream Models 3101 and 3201 airplanes. The
CAA reports a recent incident where the operator of one of the affected
airplanes lost control while the airplane was on the ground and veered
off the runway. Inspection of this airplane following the incident
revealed an unacceptable amount of free play in the nose landing gear
steering linkage because of excessive wear in the steering selector
differential.
This condition, if not corrected in a timely manner, could result
in loss of control of the airplane during take-off, landing, or taxi
operations.
Relevant Service Information
British Aerospace has issued the following:
--Jetstream Alert Service Bulletin 32-A-JA980840, Original Issue:
October 28, 1998, Revision No. 2: December 17, 1998, which specifies
procedures for inspecting the nose wheel steering system to assure that
the free play between the steering handle or knob and the nose wheels
is within acceptable limits, and adjusting as necessary; and
--Jetstream Service Bulletin 32-JA980841, Original Issue: October 28,
1998, which specifies removing the nose landing gear steering selector
valve and installing either a new nose landing gear steering selector
valve or one that has been overhauled in accordance with the
appropriate component maintenance manual.
The CAA classified these service bulletins as mandatory in order to
assure the continued airworthiness of these airplanes in the United
Kingdom. The CAA classifying a service bulletin as mandatory is the
same in the United Kingdom as the FAA issuing an AD in the United
States.
The FAA's Determination
These airplane models are manufactured in the United Kingdom and
are type certificated for operation in the United States under the
provisions
[[Page 19931]]
of Sec. 21.29 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 21.29) and
the applicable bilateral airworthiness 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 HP137 Mk1, Jetstream series
200, and Jetstream Models 3101 and 3201 airplanes of the same type
design registered in the United States, the FAA is proposing AD action.
The proposed AD would require inspecting the nose wheel steering system
to assure that the free play between the steering handle or knob and
the nose wheels is within acceptable limits, and adjusting as
necessary. Accomplishment of the proposed actions would be in
accordance with British Aerospace Jetstream Alert Service Bulletin 32-
A-JA980840, Original Issue: October 28, 1998, Revision No. 2, December
17, 1998.
The FAA is proposing in another action (Docket No. 98-CE-115-AD) a
repetitive requirement of removing the nose landing gear steering
selector valve and installing either a new nose landing gear steering
selector valve or one that has been overhauled in accordance with the
appropriate component maintenance manual.
Differences Between the Service Bulletin and the Proposed AD
British Aerospace Jetstream Alert Service Bulletin 32-A-JA980840,
Original Issue: October 28, 1998, Revision No. 2, December 17, 1998,
specifies calendar compliance times based on the number of landings
each airplane has accumulated. In order to keep the compliance time
equal for all airplane operators, the FAA is proposing the inspection
when the airplane has 10,000 landings. In order to assure that no
affected airplane is inadvertently grounded, the FAA is proposing 100
landings as a grace period. The proposed compliance time is as follows:
``Upon accumulating 10,000 landings or within the next 100
landings after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs
later.''
Cost Impact
The FAA estimates that 350 airplanes in the U.S. registry would be
affected by the proposed inspection, that it would take approximately 6
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 $126,000, or $360 per airplane.
These figures only take into account the costs of the proposed
inspection and do not take into account the costs associated with any
adjustments that would be necessary if the free play was not within
acceptable limits. The FAA has no way of determining the number of
airplanes that would need adjustments to the nose wheel steering system
based on the results of the proposed inspection.
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-117-AD.
Applicability: HP137 Mk1, Jetstream Series 200, and Jetstream
Models 3101 and 3201 airplanes, all serial numbers, 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 as indicated in the body of this AD, unless
already accomplished.
To prevent the inability to steer the airplane because of
excessive free play in the steering linkage, which could result in
loss of control of the airplane during take-off, landing, or taxi
operations, accomplish the following:
(a) Upon accumulating 10,000 landings or within the next 100
landings after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs
later, inspect the nose wheel steering system to assure that the
free play between the steering handle or knob and the nose wheels is
within acceptable limits. Accomplish this inspection in accordance
with the A. Inspection portion of the Accomplishment Instructions
section of British Aerospace Jetstream Alert Service Bulletin 32-A-
JA980840, Original Issue: October 28, 1998, Revision No. 2, December
17, 1998.
Note 2: If the number of landings is unknown, hours time-in-
service (TIS) may be used by dividing 10,000 and 100 by 0.75. If
hours TIS are utilized to calculate the number of landings, this
would calculate the 10,000 landings compliance time to 13,333 hours
TIS; and the 100 landings grace period compliance time to 133 hours
TIS.
(b) If the free play between the steering handle or knob and the
nose wheels is not within the acceptable limits, prior to further
flight, adjust in accordance with the B. Rectification portion of
the Accomplishment Instructions section of British Aerospace
Jetstream Alert Service Bulletin 32-A-
[[Page 19932]]
JA980840, Original Issue: October 28, 1998, Revision No. 2, December
17, 1998.
Note 3: The FAA is proposing in another action (Docket No. 98-
CE-115-AD) a repetitive requirement of removing the nose landing
gear steering selector valve and installing either a new nose
landing gear steering selector valve or one that has been overhauled
in accordance with the appropriate component maintenance manual.
(c) Special flight permits may be issued in accordance with
Secs. 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, 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 4: 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-JA980840, Original
Issue: October 28, 1998, Revision No. 2: December 17, 1998, should
be directed to 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 5: The subject of this AD is addressed in British Aerospace
Jetstream Alert Service Bulletin 32-A-JA980840, Original Issue:
October 28, 1998, Revision No. 2: December 17, 1998. This service
bulletin is classified as mandatory by the United Kingdom Civil
Aviation Authority (CAA).
Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on April 15, 1999.
Michael Gallagher,
Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 99-10174 Filed 4-22-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U
