[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 188 (Tuesday, September 29, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 51865-51867]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-25954]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. 97-CE-21-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
Models MU-2B Series Airplanes; Notice of Public Meeting
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting; reopening of the comment period.
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SUMMARY: This notice reopens the comment period and announces a public
meeting on the subject proposed airworthiness directive (AD) that would
apply to certain Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (Mitsubishi) MU-2B
series airplanes. The proposed AD would require incorporating several
modifications to the operating systems and installing a placard with
operating limitations within the pilot's clear view. The purpose of the
meeting is to discuss technical issues related to the FAA's
determination that AD action should be taken to prevent departure from
controlled flight and to assist the pilot in detecting ice accumulation
on the airplane when flying in icing conditions that exceed the
airplane's ice protection capability, which could result in possible
loss of control of the airplane. The comment period is being reopened
to facilitate collection and consideration of data concerning these
technical issues.
DATES: The public meeting will be held December 8, 1998, at 9:00 a.m.,
in Kansas City, Missouri.
Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. on the day of the meeting.
Comments must be received no later than December 29, 1998.
ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the following location:
The Town Pavillion Conference Center, Royal A & B Meeting Room, 1111
Main Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106.
Persons who are unable to attend the meeting may mail their
comments (clearly marked with the docket number) in triplicate to:
Federal Aviation Administration, (FAA), Central Region, Office of the
Regional Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 97-CE-21-AD, Room 1558,
601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106.
Written comments to the docket will receive the same consideration
as statements made at the public meeting.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests to present a statement at the
[[Page 51866]]
public meeting and questions regarding the logistics of the meeting
should be directed to Mr. Larry Werth, AD Coordinator, FAA, Small
Airplane Directorate, 1201 Walnut, suite 900, Kansas City, Missouri
64106; telephone: (816) 426-3580; facsimile (816) 426-2066.
Questions concerning the proposed AD should be directed to Mr. John
Dow, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 1201 Walnut,
suite 900, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 426-6934;
facsimile: (816) 426-2169.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Participation at the Public Meeting on the Proposed Airworthiness
Directive
Requests from persons who wish to present oral statements at the
public meeting should be received by the FAA no later than 10 days
prior to the meeting. Such requests should be submitted to Mr. Larry
Werth as listed in the section titled FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
above, and should include a written summary of oral remarks to be
presented, and an estimate of time needed for the presentation.
Requests received after the date specified above will be scheduled if
there is time available during the meeting; however, the names of those
individuals may not appear on the written agenda. The FAA will prepare
an agenda of speakers that will be available at the meeting. To
accommodate as many speakers as possible, the amount of time allocated
to each speaker may be less than the amount of time requested. Those
persons desiring to have available audiovisual equipment should notify
the FAA when requesting to be placed on the agenda.
Background
On May 21, 1998, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
published in the Federal Register (63 FR 27872) for public comment a
proposed AD that would apply to certain Mitsubishi MU-2B series
airplanes. The proposed AD would require incorporating several
modifications to the operating systems and installing a placard with
operating limitations within the pilot's clear view.
Service history of the affected airplanes prompted the FAA to
examine the design of these airplanes and analyze the ability of the
pilots of these airplanes to fly and operate in icing conditions.
The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent
departure from controlled flight and to assist the pilot in detecting
ice accumulation on the airplane when flying in icing conditions that
exceed the airplane's ice protection capability, which could result in
possible loss of control of the airplane.
The comment period on the proposed rule closed on July 22, 1998.
Since that time, the FAA has received several additional comments and
has been contacted by various interested parties. Records of these
contacts are included in the docket for this rule.
Based on the content of the comments and the interest in the rule
expressed by various operators and other interested parties, the FAA
has determined that it is in the public interest to reopen the comment
period on this rule in order to seek additional data.
Accordingly, the FAA will conduct a public meeting in Kansas City,
Missouri, for the purpose of gathering additional information.
The comment period on the proposed rule will remain open until
December 29, 1998; three weeks after the close of the meeting. The FAA
anticipates that the agency and the industry will use the public
meeting as a forum to resolve questions concerning the approach used in
the FAA's determination that AD action should be taken to prevent
departure from controlled flight and to assist the pilot in detecting
ice accumulation on the airplane when flying in icing conditions that
exceed the airplane's ice protection capability, which could result in
possible loss of control of the airplane; and to seek additional data
and supporting methodologies from industry.
Persons interested in obtaining a copy of the proposed
airworthiness directive as published in the Federal Register should
contact Mr. John Dow at the address or telephone number provided in FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Public Meeting Procedures
Persons who plan to attend the meeting should be aware of the
following procedures that have been established for this meeting:
1. There will be no admission fee or other charge to attend or to
participate in the public meeting. The meeting will be open to all
persons who have requested in advance to present statements, or who
register on the day of the meeting (between 8:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m.)
subject to availability of space in the meeting room.
2. Representatives from the FAA will conduct the public meeting. A
technical panel of FAA experts will be established to discuss
information presented by participants.
3. The public meeting is intended as a forum to:
resolve questions concerning the approach used in the
FAA's determination that AD action should be taken to prevent departure
from controlled flight and to assist the pilot in detecting ice
accumulation on the airplane when flying in icing conditions that
exceed the airplane's ice protection capability, which could result in
possible loss of control of the airplane; and
seek additional data and supporting methodologies from
industry, the general public, and operators. Participants must limit
their presentations and submissions of data to this issue.
4. The meeting will offer the opportunity for all interested
parties to present any additional information not currently available
to the FAA, and an opportunity for the FAA to explain the methodology
and technical assumptions supporting its current conclusions.
5. FAA experts, industry, and public participants are expected to
engage in a full discussion of all technical material presented at the
meeting. Anyone presenting conclusions will be expected to submit to
the FAA data supporting those conclusions. All data submitted will be
placed in the public docket.
6. The FAA will try to accommodate all speakers; therefore, it may
be necessary to limit the time available for an individual or group. If
practicable, the meeting may be accelerated to enable adjournment in
less than the time scheduled.
7. Sign and oral interpretation can be made available at the
meeting, as well as an assistive listening device, if requested 10
calendar days before the meeting.
8. The meeting will be recorded by a court reporter. A transcript
of the meeting and any material accepted by the panel during the
meeting will be included in the public docket. Any person who is
interested in purchasing a copy of the transcript should contact the
court reporter directly. This information will be available at the
meeting.
9. The FAA will review and consider all material presented by
participants at the public meeting. Position papers or material
presenting views or information related to the proposed AD may be
accepted at the discretion of the presiding officer and subsequently
placed in the public docket. The FAA requests that persons
participating in the meeting provide 10 copies of all materials to be
presented for distribution to the panel members; other copies may be
provided to the audience at the discretion of the participant.
[[Page 51867]]
10. Statements made by members of the panel are intended to
facilitate discussion of the issues or to clarify issues. Comments made
at the public meeting will be considered by the FAA before making a
final decision on the issuance of the AD.
11. The meeting is designed to solicit public views and information
on the proposed AD. Therefore, the meeting will be conducted in an
informal and nonadversarial manner.
Issued in Kansas City, Missouri on September 22, 1998.
James E. Jackson,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 98-25954 Filed 9-28-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
