[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 198 (Friday, October 14, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-25441]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: October 14, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 94-CE-13-AD]

 

Airworthiness Directives; Jetstream Aircraft Limited (Formerly 
British Aerospace, Regional Airlines Limited) HP137 Mk1, Jetstream 
Series 200, and Jetstream Models 3101 and 3201 Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: This document proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive 
that would apply to Jetstream Aircraft Limited (JAL) HP137 Mk1, 
Jetstream series 200 and Jetstream Models 3101 and 3201 airplanes. The 
proposed action would require repetitively inspecting the left and 
right pilot windscreens for poly vinyl butyrate (PVB) interlayer 
cracks, and replacing any windscreen that has a crack that exceeds 
certain limits. Several reports of varying degrees of PVB interlayer 
cracking of pilot windscreens on the affected airplanes prompted the 
proposed action. The proposed actions are intended to prevent such 
windscreen cracking, which, if not detected and corrected, could result 
in decompression injuries.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before December 19, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA), Central Region, Office of the Assistant Chief 
Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 94-CE-13-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.
    Service information that applies to the proposed AD may be obtained 
from Jetstream Aircraft Limited, Manager Product Support, Prestwick 
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. John P. Dow, Sr., 
Program Officer, Small Airplane Directorate, Airplane Certification 
Service, FAA, 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. 94-CE-13-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. 94-CE-13-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 several 
incidents of varying degrees of PVB interlayer cracking of pilot 
windscreens on the affected airplanes.
    Jetstream Aircraft Limited has issued SB 56-JA 920843, Revision 1, 
dated December 16, 1993, which specifies procedures for inspecting the 
left and right windscreens for PVB interlayer cracks. This document 
also introduces Pilkington Aerospace (the windscreen manufacturer) SB 
No. 037-56-1001, Issue Date: October 21, 1992, Revision 1: March 31, 
1993. The latter document includes a figure that shows a cross section 
of the windscreen from where cracking can originate and also sets in-
service cracking limits for the affected windscreens. The CAA 
classified Jetstream SB 56-JA 92-843 as mandatory in order to assure 
the continued airworthiness of these airplanes in the United Kingdom. 
The CAA classifying a service bulletin as mandatory in the United 
Kingdom is equivalent to the FAA issuing an airworthiness directive in 
the United States.
    This airplane model is manufactured in the United Kingdom and is 
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, 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 the left and right 
pilot windscreens for PVB interlayer cracks, and replacing any 
windscreen that has a crack that exceeds certain limits. The proposed 
actions would be accomplished in accordance with the service 
information described above.
    The FAA estimates that 160 airplanes in the U.S. registry would be 
affected by the proposed AD, that it would take approximately 1 
workhour per airplane to accomplish the proposed modification, and that 
the average labor rate is approximately $55 an hour. Based on these 
figures, the total cost impact of the proposed AD on U.S. operators is 
estimated to be $8,800. This figure does not take into account for any 
possible window replacements nor repetitive inspections. The FAA has no 
way of determining how many windscreens may have PVB interlayer cracks 
that exceed the limitations and would require replacement, or the 
number of repetitive inspections each owner/operator may incur.
    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. App. 1354(a), 1421 and 1423; 49 U.S.C. 
106(g); and 14 CFR 11.89.


Sec. 39.13  [Amended]

    2. Section 39.13 is amended by adding a new AD to read as follows:

    Jetstream Aircraft Limited: Docket No. 94-CE-13-AD.

    Applicability: HP137 Mk1, Jetstream Series 200, and Jetstream 
Models 3101 and 3201 airplanes (all serial numbers), certificated in 
any category.
    Compliance: Required within the next 300 hours time-in-service 
(TIS) after the effective date of this AD, unless already 
accomplished, and thereafter as indicated.
    To prevent pilot windscreen poly vinyl butyrate (PVB) interlayer 
cracking, which, if not detected and corrected, could result in 
decompression injuries, accomplish the following:
    (a) Visually inspect the left and right windscreens for PVB 
interlayer cracks in accordance with the ACCOMPLISHMENT INSTRUCTIONS 
section of Jetstream Service Bulletin (SB) 56-JA 92-843, Revision 
No. 1, dated December 16, 1993.
    (1) If any crack is found that is within the limits specified in 
Pilkington Aerospace SB No. 037-56- 1001, Issue Date: October 21, 
1992, Revision 1: March 31, 1993, reinspect within the next 300 
hours TIS, and replace or reinspect the windscreen thereafter as 
applicable.
    (2) If any crack is found that exceeds the limits specified in 
Pilkington Aerospace SB No. 037-56-1001, Issue Date: October 21, 
1992, Revision 1: March 31, 1993, prior to further flight, replace 
the windscreen with a new windscreen and reinspect within the next 
2,400 hours TIS, and replace or reinspect the windscreen thereafter 
as applicable.
    (3) If no cracks are found, reinspect the windscreen within the 
next 2,400 hours TIS, and replace or reinspect the windscreen 
thereafter as applicable.
    (b) 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.
    (c) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the 
initial or repetitive compliance times that provides an equivalent 
level of safety may be approved by the Manager, Brussels Aircraft 
Certification Office, Europe, Africa, Middle East office, FAA, c/o 
American Embassy, 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 Aircraft 
Certification Office.

    Note: Information concerning the existence of approved 
alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be 
obtained from the Brussels Aircraft Certification Office.

    (d) 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; telephone (44-292) 79888; 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 October 7, 1994.
John R. Colomy,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 94-25441 Filed 10-13-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U