[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 181 (Tuesday, September 19, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 48429-48431]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-23218]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 95-CE-44-AD]


Airworthiness Directives; Jetstream Aircraft Limited HP137 Mk1, 
Jetstream Series 200, and Jetstream Models 3101 and 3201 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 Jetstream Aircraft Limited (JAL) HP137 Mk1, 
Jetstream series 200, and Jetstream Models 3101 and 3201 airplanes. The 
proposed AD would require repetitively inspecting the main landing gear 
(MLG) pintle to cylinder interface for cracks, and replacing any 
cylinder that has a crack exceeding certain limits. Reports of MLG 
cracks in the area of the pintle to cylinder interface on three of the 
affected airplanes prompted the proposed action. The actions specified 
by the proposed AD are intended to prevent failure of the MLG caused by 
cracks in the pintle to cylinder interface area, which, if not detected 
and 

[[Page 48430]]
corrected, could result in loss of control of the airplane during 
landing operations.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before November 17, 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-44-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, Prestwick International 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. Sam Lovell, Project 
Officer, Small Airplane Directorate, Airplane Certification Service, 
FAA, 1201 Walnut, suite 900, Kansas City, Missouri 64105; 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. 95-CE-44-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-44-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 that the main 
landing gear (MLG) has cracked in the area of the pintle to cylinder 
interface on three of the affected airplanes. This condition, if not 
detected and corrected, could result in failure of the MLG and possible 
loss of control of the airplane.
    Jetstream has issued Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) 32-A-JA 941245, 
Revision 2, dated March 28, 1995, which specifies procedures for 
preparing the affected airplanes for a non-destructive testing (NDT) 
eddy current inspection of the MLG pintle to cylinder interface. The 
procedures for the NDT eddy current inspection are included in AP 
Precision Hydraulics Ltd. Service Bulletin (SB) 32-56, Revision 3, 
dated February 1995.
    The CAA classified these service bulletins as mandatory in order to 
assure the continued airworthiness of these airplanes in the United 
Kingdom. The CAA classifying a service bulletin as mandatory is 
considered equivalent in the United Kingdom to the FAA issuing an AD in 
the United States.
    The airplane models are manufactured in the United Kingdom and are 
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 including the 
above-referenced service 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 (using NDT eddy 
current methods) the MLG pintle to cylinder interface for cracks, and 
replacing any cylinder that has a crack exceeding certain limits. 
Accomplishment of the proposed inspections would be in accordance with 
Jetstream ASB 32-A-JA 941245, Revision 2, dated March 28, 1995, and AP 
Precision Hydraulics Ltd. SB 32-56, Revision 3, dated February 1995.
    The FAA estimates that 250 airplanes in the U.S. registry would be 
affected by the proposed AD, that it would take approximately 6 
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 inspection on U.S. 
operators is estimated to be $90,000. This figure does not take into 
account the cost of repetitive inspections or the cost of replacement 
cylinders if cracks are found that exceed certain limits. The FAA has 
no way of determining the number of repetitive inspections each 
operator would incur or the number of cylinders that may be found 
cracked during the inspections proposed by this action.
    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 

[[Page 48431]]
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 USC 106(g), 40101, 40113, 44701.


Sec. 39.13  [Amended]

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

Jetstream Aircraft Limited: Docket No. 95-CE-44-AD.

    Applicability: HP 137 Mk1, Jetstream Series 200, and Jetstream 
Models 3101 and 3201 airplanes (all serial numbers), certificated in 
any category, that are equipped with one of the following main 
landing gear (MLG) part numbers:

1863, 1863/4A, 1863/4B, 1863/4C, 1864, 1864/4A, 1864/4B, 1864/4C, 
BOOA702850A, BOOA702851A, BOOA702925A, BO1A702925A, BOOA703065A, 
BO1A703065A, BOOA703030A, BOOA702926A, BO1A702926A, BOOA703066A, 
BO1A703066A, BOOA703031A,

    Note 1: This AD applies to each airplane identified in the 
preceding applicability revision, 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 request approval for an 
alternative method of compliance in accordance with paragraph (d) of 
this AD. The request should include an assessment of the effect of 
the modification, alteration, or repair on the unsafe condition 
addressed by this AD; and, if the unsafe condition has not been 
eliminated, the request should include specific proposed actions to 
address it.

    Compliance: Required initially upon the accumulation of 8,500 
landings on an affected MLG or within the next 100 landings after 
the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later, unless 
already accomplished, and thereafter as indicated.

    Note 2: If the number of MLG landings is unknown, hours time-in-
service (TIS) may be used by multiplying the number of hours TIS 
times 0.75. If hours TIS are utilized to come up with the number of 
landings, this would make the AD effective ``initially upon the 
accumulation of 11,333 hours TIS or within the next 133 hours TIS 
after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later.''
    To prevent failure of the MLG caused by cracks in the pintle to 
cylinder interface area, which, if not detected and corrected, could 
result in loss of control of the airplane during landing operations, 
accomplish the following:
    (a) Using non-destructive testing (NDT) eddy current methods, 
inspect the MLG pintle to cylinder interface for cracks in 
accordance with the following:
    (1) Jetstream Alert Service Bulletin 32-A-JA 941245, Revision 2, 
dated March 28, 1995; and
    (2) AP Precision Hydraulics Ltd. Service Bulletin 32-56, 
Revision 3, dated February 1995.
    (b) Based on the inspection results, accomplish the following, 
as applicable:
    (1) If any crack is found that is .05 inch or more in length, 
prior to further flight, replace the cylinder with a new part, and 
reinspect at intervals not to exceed 4,000 landings provided the MLG 
pintle to cylinder interface is crack-free.
    (2) If any crack is found that is less than .05 inch, reinspect 
at intervals not to exceed 40 landings provided the crack remains 
less than .05 inch or replace the cylinder with a new part and 
reinspect at intervals not to exceed 4,000 landings provided the MLG 
pintle to cylinder interface is crack-free.
    (3) If no cracks are found, reinspect at intervals not to exceed 
4,000 landings provided the MLG pintle to cylinder interface is 
crack-free.
    (c) 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.
    (d) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the 
initial and repetitive compliance times that provides an equivalent 
level of safety may be approved by the Manager, Brussels Aircraft 
Certification Office (ACO), Europe, Africa, Middle East office, FAA, 
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 3: Information concerning the existence of approved 
alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be 
obtained from the Brussels ACO.
    (e) 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; 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 September 13, 1995.
Gerald W. Pierce,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 95-23218 Filed 9-18-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U