[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 216 (Friday, November 7, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 60184-60186]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-29411]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 97-CE-43-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; SOCATA--Groupe AEROSPATIALE Model TBM 
700 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 SOCATA--Groupe AEROSPATIALE (Socata) 
Model TBM 700 airplanes. The proposed AD would require replacing the 
starter generator mounting adapter

[[Page 60185]]

with a part of improved design. The proposed AD is the result of 
mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the 
airworthiness authority for France. The actions specified by the 
proposed AD are intended to prevent loss of the starter generator 
caused by failure of the starter generator mounting adapter, which 
could result in loss of electrical power.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before December 15, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA), Central Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, 
Attention: Rules Docket No. 97-CE-43-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 the SOCATA-Groupe AEROSPATIALE, Socata Product Support, Aeroport 
Tarbes-Ossun-Lourdes, B P 930, 65009 Tarbes Cedex, France; telephone 
62.41.74.26; facsimile 62.41.74.32; or the Product Support Manager, 
SOCATA-Groupe AEROSPATIALE, North Perry Airport, 7501 Pembroke Road, 
Pembroke Pines, Florida 33023; telephone (954) 964-6877; facsimile 
(954) 964-1668. This information also may be examined at the Rules 
Docket at the address above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Karl Schletzbaum, Aerospace 
Engineer, FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 1201 Walnut Street, suite 
900, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone (816) 426-6934; 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. 97-CE-43-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 Regional Counsel, Attention: 
Rules Docket No. 97-CE-43-AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas 
City, Missouri 64106.

Discussion

    The Direction Generale de l'Aviation Civile (DGAC), which is the 
airworthiness authority for France, recently notified the FAA that an 
unsafe condition may exist on certain Socata Model TBM 700 airplanes. 
The DGAC reports four incidents of cracked starter generator mounting 
adapters and one incident of a broken adapter. These conditions, if not 
detected and corrected, could result in loss of electrical power.

Relevant Service Information

    Socata has issued Service Bulletin No. SB 70-072, dated January 
1996, which specifies procedures for replacing the starter generator 
mounting adapter with a part of new design. The parts necessary for 
this replacement are included in Socata Kit No. OPT70K0058-24.
    The DGAC classified this service bulletin as mandatory and issued 
French AD 95-242(B)R1, dated February 28, 1996, in order to assure the 
continued airworthiness of these airplanes in France.

The FAA's Determination

    This airplane model is manufactured in France 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. Pursuant to this 
bilateral airworthiness agreement, the DGAC has kept the FAA informed 
of the situation described above.
    The FAA has examined the findings of the DGAC; 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 Socata Model TBM 700 airplanes of the same 
type design registered in the United States, the FAA is proposing AD 
action. The proposed AD would require replacing the starter generator 
mounting adapter with a part of improved design by incorporating Socata 
Kit No. OPT70K0058-24. Accomplishment of the proposed replacement would 
be in accordance with Socata Service Bulletin No. SB 70-072, dated 
January 1996.

Cost Impact

    The FAA estimates that 55 airplanes in the U.S. registry would be 
affected by the proposed AD.
    The proposed replacement would take approximately 2 workhours per 
airplane to accomplish, at an average labor rate of approximately $60 
an hour. Parts to accomplish the proposed AD will be provided by the 
manufacturer at no cost to the owners/operators of the affected 
airplanes. Based on these figures, the total cost impact of the 
proposed AD on U.S. operators is estimated to be $6,600 or $120 per 
airplane.

Differences Between the French AD, the Service Bulletin, and This 
Proposed AD

    French AD 95-242(B)R1, dated February 28, 1996, and Socata Service 
Bulletin No. SB 70-072, dated January 1996, both give the owners/
operators of certain Model TBM 700 airplanes the option of replacing 
the starter generator mounting adapter immediately or inspecting this 
adapter for cracks every 25 hours time-in-service (TIS) up to 100 hours 
TIS, at which time the replacement is mandatory. This allows the 
owners/operators the option of having their airplanes inspected up to 
three times before mandatory replacement, provided no cracked adapters 
were found, which, if found cracked, would require immediate 
replacement.
    The FAA has determined that, since the parts for the replacement 
are free; the parts are available; and the action takes less than 2 
workhours to accomplish, 25 hours TIS would be adequate time to 
incorporate the replacement. If followed with a final rule, the 
proposed AD would require replacing the starter generator mounting 
adapter within 25 hours TIS, and would not allow the option of 
repetitively

[[Page 60186]]

inspecting every 25 hours TIS up to 100 hours TIS.

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), 40113, 44701.


Sec. 39.13  [Amended]

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

SOCATA--Groupe Aerospatiale: Docket No. 97-CE-43-AD.

    Applicability: Model TBM 700 airplanes, serial numbers 1 through 
109, 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 25 hours time-in-service 
(TIS), unless already accomplished.
    To prevent loss of the starter generator caused by failure of 
the starter generator mounting adapter, which could result in loss 
of electrical power, accomplish the following:
    (a) Replace the starter generator mounting adapter with a part 
of improved design by incorporating Socata Kit No. OPT70K0058-24. 
This replacement shall be accomplished in accordance with the 
ACCOMPLISHMENT INSTRUCTIONS section of Socata Service Bulletin No. 
SB 70-072, dated January 1996.
    (b) 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.
    (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, Small Airplane Directorate, FAA, 1201 
Walnut, suite 900, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. The request shall be 
forwarded through an appropriate FAA Maintenance Inspector, who may 
add comments and then send it to the Manager, Small Airplane 
Directorate.

    Note 2: Information concerning the existence of approved 
alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be 
obtained from the Small Airplane Directorate.
    (d) All persons affected by this directive may obtain copies of 
the document(s) referred to herein upon request to SOCATA--Groupe 
AEROSPATIALE, Socata Product Support, Aeroport Tarbes-Ossun-Lourdes, 
B P 930, 65009 Tarbes Cedex, France; or Perry Airport, 7501 Pembroke 
Road, Pembroke Pines, Florida 33023. These documents may also be 
examined at the FAA, Central Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, 
Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106.

    Note 3: The subject of this AD is addressed in French AD 95-
242(B)R1, dated February 28, 1996.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on October 31, 1997.
James E. Jackson,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 97-29411 Filed 11-6-97; 8:45 am]
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