[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 83 (Monday, April 29, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 18695-18697]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-10453]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. 95-CE-78-AD]
[RIN 2120-AA64]
Airworthiness Directives; I.A.M. Rinaldo Piaggio S.p.A. Model P-
180 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 I.A.M. Rinaldo Piaggio S.p.A.
(Piaggio) Model P-180 airplanes. The proposed action would require
modifying the passenger seat cushion next to the emergency exit door
handle. Reports of interference with the passenger seat cushion and the
emergency exit door handle preventing the door from opening from the
outside prompted this proposed AD action. The actions specified by the
proposed AD are intended to prevent the possibility of not being able
to open the emergency exit door during an emergency evacuation of the
airplane, which could result in injury to the passengers.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 5, 1996.
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-78-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 I. A. M. Rinaldo Piaggio, S.p.A., Via Cibrario, 4 16154 Genoa,
Italy. This information also may be examined at the Rules Docket at the
address above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Edward S. Chalpin, Program Manager,
Brussels Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, Europe, Africa, and Middle
East Office, c/o American Embassy, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium; telephone
(322) 513.3830, ext. 2716; facsimile (322) 230.6899; or Mr. Roman T.
Gabrys, 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-78-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-78-AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street,
Kansas City, Missouri 64106.
Discussion
The Registro Aeronautico Italiano (RAI), which is the airworthiness
authority for Italy, recently notified the FAA that an unsafe condition
may exist on certain Piaggio Model P-180 airplanes. The RAI has advised
that the emergency exit door handle next to the passenger seat is
getting caught on the passenger seat cushion when attempting to open
the door from the outside. The outside door handle is connected to the
inside door handle, which, if caught on the passenger seat cushion,
prevents the door from opening.
Piaggio has issued Service Bulletin (SB) 80-0043; Original Issue
July 28, 1993, which specifies procedures for modifying the passenger
seat cushion to keep the emergency exit door handle from interfering
with the seat cushion. The RAI classified this service bulletin as
mandatory and issued RAI AD 93-302, dated September 30, 1993, in order
to assure the continued airworthiness of these airplanes in Italy.
This airplane model is manufactured in Italy 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 between Italy and the
United States. Pursuant to this bilateral airworthiness agreement, the
RAI has kept the FAA informed of the situation described above. The FAA
has examined the findings of the RAI, 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 Piaggio Models P-180 airplanes of the same
type design registered in the United States, the proposed AD would
require modifying the passenger seat cushion to keep the emergency exit
door handle from interfering with the seat cushion in accordance with
Piaggio SB 80-0043; Original Issue: September 30, 1993.
The FAA estimates that 4 airplanes of U.S. registry would be
affected by this proposed AD, that it would take approximately 4
workhours per airplane to accomplish the proposed action, and that the
average labor rate is approximately $60 an hour. Parts will be
furnished by the manufacturer at no cost to the owner/operators. Based
on these figures, the total cost impact of the proposed AD on U.S.
operators is estimated to be $960. This figure is based on the
assumption that none of the owner/operators of the affected airplanes
have modified the airplanes. Piaggo has informed the FAA that all 4 of
the Model P-180 airplanes registered for operation in the United States
have performed this action, consequently, there is no further cost to
U.S. operators for this proposed AD.
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
[[Page 18697]]
``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. 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:
I. A. M. Rinaldo Piaggio S.P.A: Docket No. 95-CE-78-AD.
Applicability: Model P-180 (serial numbers 1002 and 1004 through
1022), 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 request approval for an
alternative method of compliance in accordance with paragraph (c) 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 within the next 100 hours time-in-service
after the effective date of this AD, unless already accomplished.
To prevent the possibility of not getting the emergency exit
door open during an emergency evacuation of the airplane, which, if
not detected and corrected, could result in injury to the
passengers., accomplish the following:
(a) Modify the passenger seat cushion in accordance with Piaggio
Service Bulletin (SB) 80-0043; Original Issue: September 30, 1993.
(b) Special flight permits may be issued in accordance with
sections 21.197 and 21.199 of the Federal Aviations 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,
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 Aircraft Certification Office.
Note 2: 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 document referred to herein upon request to I. A. M. Rinaldo
Piaggio, S.p.A., Via Cibrario, 4 16154 Genoa, Italy; 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 April 19, 1996.
Henry A. Armstrong,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 96-10453 Filed 4-26-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P