[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 31 (Friday, February 14, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 6890-6892]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-3692]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 96-CE-62-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Industrie Aeronautiche E Meccaniche 
Model Piaggio 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 Industrie Aeronautiche E Meccaniche 
(I.A.M.) Model Piaggio P-180 airplanes that are equipped with a certain 
freon air conditioning system. The proposed action would require 
inspecting the baggage compartment for stringer or air cycle machine 
(ACM) by-pass duct damage, repairing any damage found, and modifying 
the freon air inlet duct and electrical wiring. The proposed AD results 
from trim system malfunction on one of the affected airplanes, 
resulting from contact between the freon air inlet duct and the 
electrical wiring. The actions specified by the proposed AD are 
intended to prevent trim system malfunction caused by contact between 
the freon air inlet duct and electrical wiring, which could result in 
loss of control of the airplane.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 25, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA), Central Region, Office of the Assistant Chief 
Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 96-CE-62-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: Mr. Maurice Kuttler, Program Manager, 
Brussels Aircraft Certification Division, FAA, Europe, Africa, and 
Middle East Office, c/o American Embassy, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium; 
telephone 32 2 508 2715; facsimile 32 2 230 6899; or Mr. Roman T. 
Gabrys, 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

[[Page 6891]]

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. 96-CE-62-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. 96-CE-62-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 I.A.M. Model Piaggio P-180 airplanes. The RAI reports trim 
system malfunction on one of the affected airplanes, resulting from 
contact between the freon air inlet duct and the electrical wiring. The 
affected airplane was equipped with a freon air conditioning system 
incorporated in accordance with I.A.M. Kit 80KS00004-* * *(801/803/805/
807). This same configuration exists on I.A.M. Model Piaggio P-180 
airplanes equipped with a Keith Freon Air Conditioning System installed 
in accordance with Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) SA2762CE. This 
condition, if not detected and corrected, could result in airplane 
controllability problems if use of the trim system was lost or the 
system malfunctioned.

Applicable Service Information

    I.A.M. has issued Piaggio Avante P-180 Service Bulletin (SB) 80-
00083, Original Issue: December 7, 1994; Revision No. 1: December 5, 
1995, which includes procedures for the following on Model Piaggio P-
180 airplanes:

--Inspecting the baggage compartment to verify if damage has occurred 
to a stringer and to the Air Cycle Machine (ACM) by-pass duct because 
of chafing with the freon air inlet duct; and
--Protecting the tubings/hoses in the electrical wiring (Modification 
No. 80M000014).

    I.A.M. started incorporating Modification No. 80M000014 on Model 
Piaggio P-180 airplanes during manufacture, beginning with serial 
number 1031.
    The RAI classified Piaggio Avante P-180 SB 80-00083 as mandatory 
and issued RAI AD 96-042, dated February 21, 1996, in order to assure 
the continued airworthiness of these airplanes in Italy.

Evaluation of all Applicable Information

    This airplane model is manufactured in Italy and is type 
certificated for operation in the United States under the provisions of 
Sec. 21.29 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 21.29) and the 
applicable bilateral airworthiness agreement. 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, including the service information referenced 
above; and determined that AD action is necessary for products of this 
type design that are certificated for operation in the United States.

Explanation of the Provisions of the Proposed AD

    Since an unsafe condition has been identified that is likely to 
exist or develop in other I.A.M. Model Piaggio P-180 airplanes of the 
same type design that are registered in the United States and have 
either a freon air conditioning system incorporated in accordance with 
I.A.M. Kit 80KS00004-* * * (801/803/805/807) or a Keith Freon Air 
Conditioning System installed in accordance with STC SA2762CE, the FAA 
is proposing AD action. The proposed AD would require inspecting the 
baggage compartment for stringer or air cycle machine (ACM) by-pass 
duct damage and repairing any damage found; and modifying the freon air 
inlet duct and electrical wiring (Modification No. 80M000014). 
Accomplishment of the proposed inspection and modification would be in 
accordance with Piaggio Avante P-180 SB 80-00083, Original Issue: 
December 7, 1994; Revision No. 1: December 5, 1995.

Cost Impact

    The FAA estimates that 5 airplanes in the U.S. registry would be 
affected by the proposed AD, that it would take approximately 18 
workhours (inspection: 2 workhours; modification: 16 workhours) per 
airplane to accomplish the proposed action, and that the average labor 
rate is approximately $60 an hour. Parts will cost approximately $100 
per airplane. Based on these figures, the total cost impact of the 
proposed AD on U.S. operators is estimated to be $5,900 or $1,180 per 
airplane.
    The above figures only take into account the cost of the inspection 
and modification, and do not account for the cost of replacing any 
parts found damaged during the inspection. The FAA has no way of 
determining how many airplanes may find damage during the inspections 
(if mandated through final rule AD action).
    The FAA knows of no affected airplane owner/operator (of the five 
affected) that has already accomplished the proposed action.

Regulatory Impact

    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. 106(g), 40101, 40113, 44701.

[[Page 6892]]

Sec. 39.13  [Amended]

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

Industrie Aeronautiche E Mecchaniche: Docket No. 96-CE-62-AD.
    Applicability: Model Piaggio P-180 airplane, serial numbers 1004 
and 1006 through 1030, certificated in any category, that have 
either a freon air conditioning system incorporated in accordance 
with I.A.M. Kit 80KS00004-*** (801/803/805/807) or a Keith Freon Air 
Conditioning System installed in accordance with Supplemental Type 
Certificate (STC) SA2762CE.

    Note 1: The modification required by this AD is incorporated at 
manufacture on Model Piaggio P-180 airplanes, beginning with serial 
number 1031. Airplanes with this modification are not affected by 
this AD.
    Note 2: 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 (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 within the next 100 hours time-in-service 
after the effective date of this AD, unless already accomplished.
    To prevent trim system malfunction caused by contact between the 
freon air inlet duct and electrical wiring, which could result in 
loss of control of the airplane, accomplish the following:
    (a) Inspect the baggage compartment for stringer or air cycle 
machine (ACM) by-pass duct damage (cracks, frays, nicks, dents, 
etc.) in accordance with the ACCOMPLISHMENT INSTRUCTIONS section of 
Piaggio Avante P-180 Service Bulletin (SB) 80-00083, Original Issue: 
December 7, 1994; Revision No. 1: December 5, 1995. If any parts are 
damaged, prior to further flight, repair or replace the damaged part 
in accordance with the applicable maintenance manual.
    (b) Modify the freon air inlet duct and electrical wiring 
(Modification No. 80M000014) in accordance with the ACCOMPLISHMENT 
INSTRUCTIONS section of Piaggio Avante P-180 SB 80-00083, Original 
Issue: December 7, 1994; Revision No. 1: December 5, 1995.
    (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 
compliance time that provides an equivalent level of safety may be 
approved by the Manager, Brussels Aircraft Certification Division, 
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 Division.

    Note 3: Information concerning the existence of approved 
alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be 
obtained from the Brussels Aircraft Certification Division.

    (e) All persons affected by this directive may obtain copies of 
the documents referred to herein upon request to I.A.M. Rinaldo 
Piaggio, S.p.A., Via Cibrario, 4 16154, Genoa, Italy; 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 February 7, 1997.
Michael Gallagher,
Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 97-3692 Filed 2-13-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U