[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 13 (Friday, January 20, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 4117-4119]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-1428]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 94-CE-26-AD]


Airworthiness Directives; SOCATA Groupe AEROSPATIALE TBM 700 
Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This notice proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive 
(AD) that would apply to certain SOCATA Groupe AEROSPATIALE (Socata) 
TBM 700 airplanes. The proposed action would require installing 
pneumatic deicers on the elevator horn leading edges. Ice accumulation 
on one of the affected airplanes during flight testing in icing 
conditions prompted the proposed action. The actions specified in this 
[[Page 4118]] proposed AD are intended to prevent ice accumulation on 
the elevator horn, which could lead to loss of control of the airplane.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 24, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Service information that applies to the proposed AD may be 
obtained from the SOCATA Groupe AEROSPATIALE, Socata Product Support, 
Aeroport Tarbes-Ossun-Lourdes, B P 930, 65009 Tarbes Cedex, France; 
telephone 62.41.74.26; facsimile 62.41.74.32; or the Product Support 
Manager, U.S. AEROSPATIALE, 2701 Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, Texas 
75053; telephone (214) 641-3614; facsimile (214) 641-3527. This 
information also may be examined at the Rules Docket at the address 
below. Send comments on the proposal in triplicate to the Federal 
Aviation Administration (FAA), Central Region, Office of the Assistant 
Chief Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 94-CE-26-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.

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) 513.38.30; facsimile 
(322) 230.68.99; or Mr. Mike Kiesov, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Small 
Airplane Directorate, 1201 Walnut Street, suite 900, Kansas City, 
Missouri 64106; telephone (816) 426-6934; 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 regulatory 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.

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-26-AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, 
Kansas City, Missouri 64106.

Discussion

    The Direction Generale de L'Aviation Civile (DGAC), which is the 
airworthiness authority for France, recently notified the FAA that an 
unsafe condition may exist on certain Socata TBM 700 airplanes. The 
DGAC advises that, during flight testing of one of these airplanes in 
icing conditions, ice accumulation on the elevator horn was discovered. 
This condition could lead to loss of control of the airplane.
    Socata has issued Technical Instruction of Modification No. OPT70 
K020-30, dated February 1993, which specifies procedures for installing 
pneumatic deicers on the elevator horn leading edges of the affected 
airplanes. The DGAC classified this service bulletin as mandatory and 
issued DGAC AD 93-041(B), dated March 31, 1993, in order to assure the 
airworthiness of these airplanes in France.
    This airplane model is manufactured in France 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 DGAC has kept the FAA informed 
of the situation described above.
    The FAA has examined the findings of the DGAC, 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 this condition could exist or develop in other Socata TBM 700 
airplanes of the same type design, the proposed AD would require 
installing pneumatic deicers on the elevator horn leading edges. The 
proposed action would be accomplished in accordance with the service 
information referenced above.
    The FAA estimates that 20 airplanes in the U.S. registry would be 
affected by the proposed AD, that it would take approximately 25 
workhours per airplane to accomplish the proposed action, and that the 
average labor rate is approximately $60 an hour. Parts cost $3,710 per 
airplane. Based on these figures, the total cost impact of the proposed 
AD on U.S. operators is estimated to be $104,200. This figure is based 
upon the assumption that no affected airplane/operator has accomplished 
the proposed action. Socata has informed the FAA that it believes all 
affected airplane owners/operators have already accomplished the 
proposed installation. With this in mind, the proposed action would 
impose no cost impact upon U.S. operators.
    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. [[Page 4119]] 


Sec. 39.13  [Amended]

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

Socata Groupe Aerospatiale: Docket No. 94-CE-26-AD.

    Applicability: TBM 700 airplanes, serial numbers 1 to 49, 
certificated in any category.
    Compliance: Required within the next 100 hours time-in-service 
after the effective date of this AD, unless already accomplished.
    To prevent ice accumulation on the elevator horn, which could 
lead to loss of control of the airplane, accomplish the following:
    (a) Install pneumatic deicers on the elevator horn leading edges 
in accordance with Technical Instruction of Modification No. OPT70 
K020-30, dated February 1993. This installation is referenced in 
Socata TBM Service Bulletin SB 70-020-30, dated February 1993.
    (b) 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.
    (c) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the 
compliance time that provides an equivalent level of safety may be 
approved by the Manager, Brussels Aircraft Certification Office 
(ACO), FAA, Europe, Africa, and Middle East Office, c/o American 
Embassy, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium. The request shall be forwarded 
through an appropriate FAA Maintenance Inspector, who may add 
comments and then send it to the Manager, Brussels ACO.

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

    (d) All persons affected by this directive may obtain copies of 
the document referred to herein upon request to the SOCATA Groupe 
AEROSPATIALE, Socata Product Support, Aeroport Tarbes-Ossun-Lourdes, 
B P 930, 65009 Tarbes Cedex, France; or the Product Support Manager, 
U.S. AEROSPATIALE, 2701 Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, Texas 75053; or 
may examine this document 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 January 12, 1995.
Barry D. Clements,
Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 95-1428 Filed 1-19-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U