2016-13544. Airworthiness Directives; PILATUS Aircraft Ltd. Airplanes

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

SUMMARY:

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for PILATUS Aircraft Ltd. Model PC-7 airplanes. This proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated 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 stress corrosion cracking on the main frame on frame 11 left and right fittings. We are issuing this proposed AD to require actions to address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES:

We must receive comments on this proposed AD by July 25, 2016.

ADDRESSES:

You may send comments by any of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
• Fax: [phone].
• Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590.
• Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

For service information identified in this proposed AD, contact PILATUS Aircraft Ltd., Customer Technical Support (MCC), P.O. Box 992, CH-6371 Stans, Switzerland; phone: [phone]; fax: [phone]; email: [e-mail]; internet: http://www.pilatus-aircraft.com. You may review this referenced service information at the FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call [phone].

Examining the AD Docket

You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2016-7026; 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 this proposed AD, 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Doug Rudolph, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone: [phone]; fax: [phone]; email: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or arguments about this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include “Docket No. FAA-2016-7026; Directorate Identifier 2016-CE-016-AD” at the beginning of your comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed AD. We will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend this proposed AD because of those comments.

We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://regulations.gov,, including any personal information you provide. We will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we receive about this proposed AD.

Discussion

The Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA), which is the aviation authority for Switzerland, has issued AD HB-2016-001, dated May 17, 2016 (referred to after this as “the MCAI”), to correct an unsafe condition for PILATUS Aircraft Ltd. Model PC-7 airplanes and was based on mandatory continuing airworthiness information originated by an aviation authority of another country. The MCAI states:

This Airworthiness Directive (AD) is prompted due to a report of Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC) on the Main Frame on Frame (FR) 11 left fitting Part Number (P/N) 112.35.07.489 and right fitting P/N 112.35.07.490.

Such a condition, if left uncorrected, could lead to potential loss of the horizontal stabilizer.

In order to correct and control the situation, this AD requires a one-time check to identify the material specification and inspect the affected areas of the airframe that are made of aluminum alloy AA2024-T351. Any structural parts of the aircraft structure found to be cracked must be reported to Pilatus prior to further flight

You may examine the MCAI on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2016-7026.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

PILATUS Aircraft Ltd. has issued PILATUS Aircraft Ltd. PC-7 Service Bulletin No: 53-013; and PILATUS Aircraft Ltd. PC-7 Service Bulletin No: 53-014, both dated February 25, 2016. PILATUS Aircraft Ltd. PC-7 Service Bulletin No: 53-013, dated February 25, 2016, describes procedures for initial and repetitive inspection of the main frame FR11 left and right fittings for stress corrosion cracking; and PILATUS Aircraft Ltd. PC-7 Service Bulletin No: 53-014, dated February 25, 2016, describes procedures for replacement of the main frame FR11 left and right fittings when necessary. This service information is reasonably available because the interested parties have access to it through their normal course of business or by the means identified in the ADDRESSES section of this NPRM.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of the Proposed AD

This product has been approved by the aviation authority of another country, and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to our bilateral agreement with this State of Design Authority, they have notified us of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI and service information referenced above. We are proposing this AD because we evaluated all information and determined the unsafe condition exists and is likely to exist or develop on other products of the same type design.

Differences Between This Proposed AD and the Service Information

The service bulletin requires repetitive inspections by reference in a note, which the FAA cannot mandate, so the intent of the note has been incorporated into a required action for this proposed AD.

Costs of Compliance

We estimate that this proposed AD will affect 19 products of U.S. registry. We also estimate that it would take about 3 work-hours per product to check the material specification of the fittings and 11 work-hours per product to inspect the 2014-T351 fittings as required in order to comply with the basic requirements of this proposed AD. The average labor rate is $85 per work-hour.

Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of the proposed AD on U.S. operators to be $17,765, or $935 per product.

In addition, we estimate that any necessary follow-on actions would take about 19 work-hours and require parts costing $5,000 for a cost of $1,615 per product. We have no way of determining the number of products that may need these actions.

According to the manufacturer, some of the costs of this proposed AD may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost impact on affected individuals. We do not control warranty coverage for affected individuals. As a result, we have included all costs in our cost estimate.

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 proposed AD would not have federalism implications under Executive Order 13132. This proposed AD would 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 proposed regulation:

(1) Is not a “significant regulatory action” under Executive Order 12866,

(2) Is not a “significant rule” under the DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979),

(3) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and

(4) 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.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

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

The Proposed Amendment

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the FAA proposes to amend 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:

Pilatus Aircraft Limited: Docket No. FAA-2016-7026; Directorate Identifier 2016-CE-016-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

We must receive comments by July 25, 2016.

(b) Affected ADs

None.

(c) Applicability

This AD applies to Pilatus Aircraft Limited Model PC-7 airplanes, manufacturer serial numbers (MSN) 101 through 618, certificated in any category.

(d) Subject

Air Transport Association of America (ATA) Code 53: Fuselage.

(e) Reason

This AD was prompted by mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated 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 stress corrosion cracking on the main frame on frame 11 left and right fittings, which can cause potential loss of the horizontal stabilizer. We are issuing this proposed AD to detect and correct stress corrosion cracking on the frame 11 left and right fittings and replace if necessary.

(f) Actions and Compliance

Unless already done, do the actions in paragraphs (f)(1) through (f)(4) of this AD:

(1) Within the next 120 days after the effective date of this AD, check the material specification of the Frame (FR) 11 left fitting part number (P/N) 112.35.07.489 and the FR 11 right fitting P/N 112.35.07.490 following the Accomplishment Instructions in paragraph 3.B. of PILATUS Aircraft Ltd. PC-7 Service Bulletin No: 53-013, dated February 25, 2016.

(2) If fittings made of aluminum alloy AA2124-T851 are found during the inspection required by paragraph (f)(1) of this AD, within 30 days after the inspection or within the next 30 days after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later, report the inspection results following the reporting requirements in paragraph 3.D. of PILATUS Aircraft Ltd. PC-7 Service Bulletin No: 53-013, dated February 25, 2016.

(3) If fittings made of aluminum alloy AA2024-T351 are found during the inspection required by paragraph (f)(1) of this AD, before further flight, and repetitively thereafter at intervals not to exceed 12 months, inspect FR 11 left fitting, P/N 112.35.07.489 and the FR 11 right fitting, P/N 112.35.07.490, for cracks following the Accomplishment Instructions in paragraph 3.C. of PILATUS Aircraft Ltd. PC-7 Service Bulletin No: 53-013, dated February 25, 2016.

(4) If cracks are found during any inspection required in paragraph (f)(3) of this AD, before further flight, replace the fittings following the Accomplishment Instructions in paragraph 3 of PILATUS Aircraft Ltd. PC-7 Service Bulletin No: 53-014, dated February 25, 2016.

(g) Other FAA AD Provisions

The following provisions also apply to this AD:

(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, Standards Office, FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. Send information to ATTN: Doug Rudolph, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone: [phone]; fax: [phone]; email: [e-mail]. Before using any approved AMOC on any airplane to which the AMOC applies, notify your appropriate principal inspector (PI) in the FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), or lacking a PI, your local FSDO.

(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, a federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of information displays a current valid OMB Control Number. The OMB Control Number for this information collection is 2120-0056. Public reporting for this collection of information is estimated to be approximately 5 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, completing and reviewing the collection of information. All responses to this collection of information are mandatory. Comments concerning the accuracy of this burden and suggestions for reducing the burden should be directed to the FAA at: 800 Independence Ave. SW., Washington, DC 20591, Attn: Information Collection Clearance Officer, AES-200.

(h) Related Information

Refer to Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) AD HB-2016-001, dated May 17, 2016, for related information. You may examine the MCAI on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2016-7026. For service information related to this AD, contact PILATUS Aircraft Ltd., Customer Technical Support (MCC), P.O. Box 992, CH-6371 Stans, Switzerland; phone: [phone]; fax: [phone]; email: [e-mail]; internet: http://www.pilatus-aircraft.com. You may review this referenced service information at the FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call [phone].

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on June 2, 2016.

Melvin Johnson,

Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.