[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 28 (Friday, February 10, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 7922-7924]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-3361]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 90-CE-67-AD]


Airworthiness Directives; Jetstream Aircraft Limited (Formerly 
British Aerospace, Regional Aircraft Limited) Jetstream Models 3101 and 
3201 Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM); reopening of 
the comment period.

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SUMMARY: This document reopens the comment period for an earlier 
proposed airworthiness directive (AD) that proposed to supersede AD 90-
13-12, which currently requires modifying the airplane electrical 
system and revising the emergency procedures section of the Airplane 
Flight Manual (AFM) on certain Jetstream Aircraft Limited (JAL) 
Jetstream Models 3101 and 3201 airplanes. The proposal would have 
retained the requirements of that AD for those airplanes that have not 
installed modified inverters and restored the inverted transfer 
function. Since publication of that proposal, the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA) has re-examined various service difficulty reports 
on the affected airplanes, and determined that the proposed 
modification is still a valid safety issue (but not an urgent safety of 
flight issue). Since sufficient time has passed (more than 12 months) 
since the issuance of the original proposal, the FAA is allowing 
additional time for the public to comment. The proposed actions are 
intended to prevent alternating current system failures, which, if not 
detected and corrected, could result in damage to the airplane 
navigational systems.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 14, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the FAA, Central Region, 
Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 90-
CE-67-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, 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., 
Project 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. 90-CE-67-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. 90-CE-67-AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, 
Kansas City, Missouri 64106.

Discussion

    A proposal to amend part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 
CFR part 39) to include an AD that would [[Page 7923]] apply to certain 
JAL Jetstream Models 3101 and 3201 airplanes was published in the 
Federal Register on March 30, 1992 (57 FR 10747). The action proposed 
to supersede AD 90-13-12 with a new AD that would (1) retain the 
requirements of modifying the airplane electrical system and revising 
the emergency procedures section of the AFM required by AD 90-13-12; 
and (2) require these modification and revisions only for those 
airplanes that have not installed modified inverters, P/N 1B350-1B1-3, 
in accordance with the instructions in Jetstream Service Bulletin (SB) 
24-JM 7740, dated November 15, 1990, and have not restored the inverter 
transfer function in accordance with the instructions in Jetstream SB 
24-JA 900941, dated November 14, 1990; or Jetstream SB 24-JA 900941, 
Revision 1, dated February 18, 1992. The proposed airplane electrical 
modifications would be accomplished in accordance with Jetstream Alert 
Service Bulletin (ASB) 24-A-JA 900443, Revision 1, dated May 1, 1990; 
and Jetstream ASB 24-A-JM 7708, Revision 1, dated May 22, 1990.
    Interested persons have been afforded an opportunity to participate 
in the making of this amendment. No comments were received on the 
proposed rule or the FAA's determination of the cost to the public.
    Since publication of the proposal, the FAA has re-examined various 
service difficulty reports on the affected airplanes, and determined 
that the proposed modification is still a valid safety issue, but is 
not considered an urgent safety of flight issue. Since sufficient time 
has passed (more than 12 months) since the issuance of the original 
proposal, the FAA is reopening the comment period to provide additional 
time for public comment.
    The FAA estimates that 180 airplanes in the U.S. registry would be 
affected by the proposed AD, that it would take approximately 10 
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 AD on U.S. operators is 
estimated to be $108,000. This figure is based on the assumption that 
no affected owner/operator has accomplished the required modification.
    Since AD 90-13-12, which would be superseded by this action, 
required the same actions (except for a limit in the airplane 
applicability), there is no additional cost of this AD on U.S. 
operators. The $28,800 cost difference between this AD (estimated 
$108,000) and superseded AD 90-04-04 (estimated $79,200) is a result of 
inflationary costs used in determining the costs of labor ($60 per hour 
as opposed to $40 per hour).
    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 removing AD 90-13-12, Amendment 39-
6629 (55 FR 23890, June 13, 1990), and adding a new AD to read as 
follows:

Jetstream Aircraft Limited: Docket No. 90-CE-67-AD.

    Applicability: Jetstream Models 3101 and 3201 airplanes (serial 
numbers 697 through 904), certificated in any category, that have 
not accomplished the following:
    1. Installed two modified inverters, part number (P/N) 1B350-
1B1-3, in accordance with the instructions in Jetstream Service 
Bulletin (SB) 24-JM 7740, dated November 15, 1990; and
    2. Restored the inverter transfer function in accordance with 
the instructions in Jetstream SB 24-JA 900941, dated November 14, 
1990; or Jetstream SB 24-JA 900941, Revision 1, dated February 18, 
1992. Compliance: Required as indicated, unless already accomplished 
(compliance with superseded AD 90-13-12).
    To prevent alternating current system failures, which, if not 
detected and corrected, could result in damage to the airplane 
navigational systems, accomplish the following:
    (a) Within the next 50 hours time-in-service (TIS) after the 
effective date of this AD, modify the airplane electrical system and 
revise the emergency procedures section of the airplane flight 
manual in accordance with the instructions in Jetstream Alert 
Service Bulletin (ASB) 24-A-JA 900443, Revision 2, dated November 
15, 1990, Section 2, ACCOMPLISHMENT INSTRUCTIONS; and APPENDIX C.
    (b) Within the next 100 hours TIS after the effective date of 
this AD, modify the airplane electrical system in accordance with 
the instructions in Jetstream ASB 24-A-JM 7708, Revision 1, dated 
May 22, 1990, and revise the emergency procedures section of the 
airplane flight manual in accordance with the instructions in 
Jetstream ASB 24-A-JA 900443, Revision 2, dated November 15, 1990, 
APPENDIX C; or whichever of the following Advance Amendment 
Bulletins (AAB) is applicable:

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               Model                             Publication            
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3101...............................  AFM HP.4.10, Jetstream AAB number 6
                                      with at least issue 1 status; and 
                                      AFM HP.4.10, Jetstream AAB number 
                                      4 with at least issue 2 status.   
3201...............................  AFM HP.4.16, Jetstream AAB number 2
                                      with at least issue 2 status, and 
                                      removal of Jetstream AAB number 2,
                                      issue 1.                          
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    Note 1: Compliance with a previous revision level of the service 
bulletins referenced in this AD fulfills the applicable requirements 
of this AD and is considered ``unless already accomplished''.

    (c) Replacement of both inverters, P/N 1B350-1B1-2, with 
modified inverters P/N 1B350-1B1-3 in accordance with the 
``ACCOMPLISHMENT INSTRUCTIONS'' section of Jetstream SB 24-JM 7740, 
dated November 15, 1990, and restoration of the inverter transfer 
function in accordance with Jetstream ASB 24-JA 900941, dated 
November 14, 1990; or Jetstream ASB 24-JA 900941, Revision 1, dated 
February 18, 1992, is considered terminating action for the 
requirements of this AD.
    (d) 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.
    (e) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the 
compliance times that [[Page 7924]] 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 
should be forwarded through an appropriate FAA Maintenance 
Inspector, who may add comments and then send it to the Manager, 
Brussels ACO.

    Note 2: Information concerning the existence of approved 
alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be 
obtained from the Brussels ACO.

    (f) 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.
    (g) This amendment supersedes AD 90-13-12, Amendment 39-6629.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on February 6, 1995.
Michael K. Dahl,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 95-3361 Filed 2-9-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U