[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 181 (Tuesday, September 19, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 48429-48431]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-23218]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. 95-CE-44-AD]
Airworthiness Directives; Jetstream Aircraft Limited 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 Jetstream Aircraft Limited (JAL) HP137 Mk1,
Jetstream series 200, and Jetstream Models 3101 and 3201 airplanes. The
proposed AD would require repetitively inspecting the main landing gear
(MLG) pintle to cylinder interface for cracks, and replacing any
cylinder that has a crack exceeding certain limits. Reports of MLG
cracks in the area of the pintle to cylinder interface on three of the
affected airplanes prompted the proposed action. The actions specified
by the proposed AD are intended to prevent failure of the MLG caused by
cracks in the pintle to cylinder interface area, which, if not detected
and
[[Page 48430]]
corrected, could result in loss of control of the airplane during
landing operations.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before November 17, 1995.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), Central Region, Office of the Assistant Chief
Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 95-CE-44-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 Jetstream Aircraft Limited, Prestwick International Airport,
Ayrshire, KA9 2RW, Scotland, telephone (44-292) 79888; facsimile (44-
292) 79703; or Jetstream Aircraft Inc., Librarian, P.O. Box 16029,
Dulles International Airport, Washington, DC 20041-6029; telephone
(703) 406-1161; facsimile (703) 406-1469. This information also may be
examined at the Rules Docket at the address above.
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) 513.3830; facsimile (322) 230.6899; or Mr. Sam Lovell, Project
Officer, Small Airplane Directorate, Airplane Certification Service,
FAA, 1201 Walnut, suite 900, Kansas City, Missouri 64105; 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. 95-CE-44-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 Assistant Chief Counsel,
Attention: Rules Docket No. 95-CE-44-AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street,
Kansas City, Missouri 64106.
Discussion
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which is the airworthiness
authority for the United Kingdom, recently notified the FAA that an
unsafe condition may exist on JAL HP137 Mk1, Jetstream series 200, and
Jetstream Models 3101 and 3201 airplanes. The CAA reports that the main
landing gear (MLG) has cracked in the area of the pintle to cylinder
interface on three of the affected airplanes. This condition, if not
detected and corrected, could result in failure of the MLG and possible
loss of control of the airplane.
Jetstream has issued Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) 32-A-JA 941245,
Revision 2, dated March 28, 1995, which specifies procedures for
preparing the affected airplanes for a non-destructive testing (NDT)
eddy current inspection of the MLG pintle to cylinder interface. The
procedures for the NDT eddy current inspection are included in AP
Precision Hydraulics Ltd. Service Bulletin (SB) 32-56, Revision 3,
dated February 1995.
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
considered equivalent in the United Kingdom to the FAA issuing an AD in
the United States.
The airplane models are manufactured in the United Kingdom and are
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 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
above-referenced service information, and determined that AD action is
necessary for products of this type design that are certificated for
operation in the United States.
Since an unsafe condition has been identified that is likely to
exist or develop in other JAL HP137 Mk1, Jetstream series 200, and
Jetstream Models 3101 and 3201 airplanes of the same type design, the
proposed AD would require repetitively inspecting (using NDT eddy
current methods) the MLG pintle to cylinder interface for cracks, and
replacing any cylinder that has a crack exceeding certain limits.
Accomplishment of the proposed inspections would be in accordance with
Jetstream ASB 32-A-JA 941245, Revision 2, dated March 28, 1995, and AP
Precision Hydraulics Ltd. SB 32-56, Revision 3, dated February 1995.
The FAA estimates that 250 airplanes in the U.S. registry would be
affected by the proposed AD, that it would take approximately 6
workhours per airplane to accomplish the proposed action, 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 $90,000. This figure does not take into
account the cost of repetitive inspections or the cost of replacement
cylinders if cracks are found that exceed certain limits. The FAA has
no way of determining the number of repetitive inspections each
operator would incur or the number of cylinders that may be found
cracked during the inspections proposed by this action.
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
[[Page 48431]]
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 USC 106(g), 40101, 40113, 44701.
Sec. 39.13 [Amended]
2. Section 39.13 is amended by adding a new airworthiness directive
(AD) to read as follows:
Jetstream Aircraft Limited: Docket No. 95-CE-44-AD.
Applicability: HP 137 Mk1, Jetstream Series 200, and Jetstream
Models 3101 and 3201 airplanes (all serial numbers), certificated in
any category, that are equipped with one of the following main
landing gear (MLG) part numbers:
1863, 1863/4A, 1863/4B, 1863/4C, 1864, 1864/4A, 1864/4B, 1864/4C,
BOOA702850A, BOOA702851A, BOOA702925A, BO1A702925A, BOOA703065A,
BO1A703065A, BOOA703030A, BOOA702926A, BO1A702926A, BOOA703066A,
BO1A703066A, BOOA703031A,
Note 1: This AD applies to each airplane identified in the
preceding applicability revision, 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 initially upon the accumulation of 8,500
landings on an affected MLG or within the next 100 landings after
the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later, unless
already accomplished, and thereafter as indicated.
Note 2: If the number of MLG landings is unknown, hours time-in-
service (TIS) may be used by multiplying the number of hours TIS
times 0.75. If hours TIS are utilized to come up with the number of
landings, this would make the AD effective ``initially upon the
accumulation of 11,333 hours TIS or within the next 133 hours TIS
after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later.''
To prevent failure of the MLG caused by cracks in the pintle to
cylinder interface area, which, if not detected and corrected, could
result in loss of control of the airplane during landing operations,
accomplish the following:
(a) Using non-destructive testing (NDT) eddy current methods,
inspect the MLG pintle to cylinder interface for cracks in
accordance with the following:
(1) Jetstream Alert Service Bulletin 32-A-JA 941245, Revision 2,
dated March 28, 1995; and
(2) AP Precision Hydraulics Ltd. Service Bulletin 32-56,
Revision 3, dated February 1995.
(b) Based on the inspection results, accomplish the following,
as applicable:
(1) If any crack is found that is .05 inch or more in length,
prior to further flight, replace the cylinder with a new part, and
reinspect at intervals not to exceed 4,000 landings provided the MLG
pintle to cylinder interface is crack-free.
(2) If any crack is found that is less than .05 inch, reinspect
at intervals not to exceed 40 landings provided the crack remains
less than .05 inch or replace the cylinder with a new part and
reinspect at intervals not to exceed 4,000 landings provided the MLG
pintle to cylinder interface is crack-free.
(3) If no cracks are found, reinspect at intervals not to exceed
4,000 landings provided the MLG pintle to cylinder interface is
crack-free.
(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
initial and repetitive compliance times that provides an equivalent
level of safety may be approved by the Manager, Brussels Aircraft
Certification Office (ACO), Europe, Africa, Middle East office, FAA,
c/o American Embassy, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium. The request should
be forwarded through an appropriate FAA Maintenance Inspector, who
may add comments and then send it to the Manager, Brussels ACO.
Note 3: Information concerning the existence of approved
alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be
obtained from the Brussels ACO.
(e) All persons affected by this directive may obtain copies of
the documents referred to herein upon request to Jetstream Aircraft
Limited, Manager Product Support, Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, KA9
2RW Scotland; or Jetstream Aircraft Inc., Librarian, P.O. Box 16029,
Dulles International Airport, Washington, DC, 20041-6029; or may
examine these documents 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 September 13, 1995.
Gerald W. Pierce,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 95-23218 Filed 9-18-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U
