[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 107 (Monday, June 5, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 29511-29513]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-13621]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. 95-CE-29-AD]
Airworthiness Directives; Piper Aircraft Corporation Model PA-46-
350P Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: This document proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive
(AD) that would apply to certain Piper Aircraft Corporation (Piper)
Model PA-46-350P airplanes. The proposed action would require
installing to the right of the manifold pressure gauge in full view of
the pilot a placard that specifies manifold pressure limits, and
incorporating a revision into the Limitations section of the Pilots'
Operating Handbook (POH). After recent review of the Piper Model PA-46-
350P powerplant data, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
determined that certain manifold pressure limitations should be
incorporated. These limitations fall outside the normal continuous
operation range of the engine, and therefore testing was not performed
in this area during original type certification. The actions specified
by the proposed AD are intended to prevent fatigue damage to the
propeller caused by operating above certain manifold pressure limits.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before August 11, 1995.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), Central Region, Office of the Assistant Chief
Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 95-CE-29-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 this AD may be obtained from
the Piper Aircraft Corporation, Customer Services, 2926 Piper Drive,
Vero Beach, Florida 32960. This information also may be examined at the
Rules Docket at the address above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christina Marsh, Aerospace Engineer,
FAA, Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office, Campus Building, 1701
Columbia Avenue, suite 2-160, College Park, Georgia 30337-2748;
telephone (404) 305-7362; facsimile (404) 305-7348.
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. 95-CE-29-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. 95-CE-29-AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street,
Kansas City, Missouri 64106.
Discussion
Following the Piper Model PA-46-350P airplane power plant review,
the FAA realized that the vibration approval for the Hartzell propeller
Model HC-12YR-1 (BF) and Lycoming engine model TIO-540-AE2A contains a
manifold pressure restriction, as follows:
[[Page 29512]] ``Do not exceed 36 inches manifold pressure
below 2,400 RPM and 32 inches manifold pressure below 2,300 RPM.''
These restrictions fall outside the normal continuous operation range
of the engine; therefore testing was not performed in this area during
original type certification and the vibratory stress levels are
unknown. The FAA has determined that (1) it is possible for the
airplane to register these lower revolutions per minute (r.p.m.)
combinations while operating at these high manifold pressure limits;
and (2) the airplane operator should observe the limitations discussed
above.
On March 29, 1995, Piper revised page 2-16 of Revision 14
(PR950329) to Report: VB-1332 of the PA-46-350P Pilots' Operating
Handbook (POH). This POH revision references revised paragraph 2.35
regarding placards, specifically a placard containing manifold pressure
limits. This revision is also referenced in Piper Service Bulletin No.
982, dated April 3, 1995.
After examining the circumstances and reviewing all available
information related to the subject described above, the FAA has
determined that AD action should be taken to prevent fatigue damage to
the propeller caused by operating above certain manifold pressure
limits.
Since an unsafe condition has been identified that is likely to
exist or develop in other Piper Model PA-46-350P airplanes of the same
type design, the proposed AD would require installing to the right of
the manifold pressure gauge in full view of the pilot a placard that
specifies manifold pressure limits. The proposed action would also
require incorporating revised page 2-16 (dated March 29, 1995) of
Revision 14 (PR950329) to Report: VB-1332 into the Limitations Section
of the PA-46-350P POH. Piper Service Bulletin No. 982, dated April 3,
1995, contains the placard, and instructions on installing the placard
and incorporating the POH revision. An owner/operator who holds a
private pilot's certificate as authorized by sections 43.7 and 43.11 of
the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 43.7 and 43.11) may perform
these actions.
The compliance time of the proposed AD is presented in calendar
time instead of hours time-in-service. Although the unsafe condition
develops as result of airplane usage, it cannot develop unless the
manifold pressure limits specified in the proposed action are exceeded.
Therefore, to ensure that all owners/operators of the affected
airplanes incorporate the manifold pressure limits in a reasonable
amount of time, a compliance based on calendar time is proposed.
The FAA estimates that 189 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 action. Since an
owner/operator who holds a private pilot's certificate as authorized by
sections 43.7 and 43.11 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR
43.7 and 43.11) can accomplish this action, the only impact this action
would have upon the public is the time it takes each owner/operator to
install the placard and incorporate the POH revision.
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:
Piper Aircraft Corporation: Docket No. 95-CE-29-AD.
Applicability: Model PA-46-350P airplanes, serial numbers
4622001 through 4622189, certificated in any category.
Note 1: This AD applies to each airplane identified in the
preceding applicability provision, regardless of whether it has been
modified, altered, or repaired in the area subject to the
requirements of this AD. For airplanes that have been modified,
altered, or repaired so that the performance of the requirements of
this AD is affected, the owner/operator must use the authority
provided in paragraph (e) of this AD to request approval from the
FAA. This approval may address either no action, if the current
configuration eliminates the unsafe condition, or different actions
necessary to address the unsafe condition described in this AD. Such
a request should include an assessment of the effect of the changed
configuration on the unsafe condition addressed by this AD. In no
case does the presence of any modification, alteration, or repair
remove any airplane from the applicability of this AD.
Compliance: Required within the next 2 calendar months after the
effective date of this AD, unless already accomplished.
To prevent fatigue damage to the propeller caused by operating
above certain manifold pressure limits, accomplish the following:
(a) Install to the right of the manifold pressure gauge in full
view of the pilot a placard that specifies the following manifold
pressure limits:
DO NOT EXCEED
36'' MP
BELOW 2400 RPM
32'' MP
BELOW 2300 RPM
Accomplish this installation in accordance with Piper Service
Bulletin No. 982, dated April 3, 1995. This placard is included with
the referenced service bulletin.
(b) Incorporate revised page 2-16 (dated March 29, 1995) of
Revision 14 (PR950329) to Report: VB-1332 into the Limitations
Section of the PA-46-350P Pilots' Operating Handbook. Piper Service
Bulletin No. 982, dated April 3, 1995, contains the instructions for
incorporating this POH revision.
(c) Installing the placard and incorporating the POH revision as
required by this AD may be performed by the owner/operator holding
at least a private pilot certificate as authorized by section 43.7
of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 43.7), and must be
entered into the aircraft records showing compliance with this AD in
accordance with section 43.11 of the Federal Aviation Regulations
(14 CFR 43.11).
(d) 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. [[Page 29513]]
(e) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the
compliance time that provides an equivalent level of safety may be
approved by the Manager, Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office
(ACO), Campus Building, 1701 Columbia Avenue, suite 2-160, College
Park, Georgia 30337-2748. The request shall be forwarded through an
appropriate FAA Maintenance Inspector, who may add comments and then
send it to the Manager, Atlanta ACO.
Note 2: Information concerning the existence of approved
alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be
obtained from the Atlanta ACO.
(f) All persons affected by this directive may obtain copies of
the POH revision, placard, and service information referred to
herein upon request to Piper Aircraft Corporation, Customer
Services, 2926 Piper Drive, Vero Beach, Florida 32960; 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 May 26, 1995.
Henry A. Armstrong,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 95-13621 Filed 6-2-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U