[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 136 (Thursday, July 16, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 38351-38353]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-18940]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. 98-CE-58-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 modifying the
oxygen generators. 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 failure of the oxygen generators, which could
result in crew incapacitation and loss of the airplane.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before August 20, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation
[[Page 38352]]
Administration (FAA), Central Region, Office of the Regional Counsel,
Attention: Rules Docket No. 98-CE-58-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 SOCATA Groupe Aerospatiale, Customer Support, Aerodrome Tarbes-
Ossun-Lourdes, BP 930--F65009 Tarbes Cedex, France; telephone (33)
5.62.41.76.52; facsimile (33) 5.62.41.76.54; or the Product Support
Manager, SOCATA -Groupe AEROSPATIALE, North Perry Airport, 7501
Pembroke Road, Pembroke Pines, Florida 33023; telephone (954) 894-1160;
facsimile: (954) 964-4191. 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. 98-CE-58-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. 98-CE-58-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, notified the FAA that an unsafe
condition may exist on certain SOCATA TBM 700 airplanes. The DGAC
reports that operation of the oxygen generators failed on one of the
affected airplanes. The oxygen generators are located under the
passenger and crew seats and are pin-fired. Further investigation
revealed that the firing pin was not lining up correctly and was not
striking the generator in the right place to release oxygen into the
cabin.
This condition, if not corrected, could result in failure of the
oxygen generators, which could result in crew incapacitation and loss
of the airplane.
Relevant Service Information
SOCATA has issued Mandatory Service Bulletin No. 70-046-35, dated
May 1998, which specifies procedures for modifying the oxygen
generator.
The DGAC classified this service bulletin as mandatory and issued
French AD No. T98-195(A), dated June 3, 1998, 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 modifying the oxygen generator by
replacing the firing pin and adding a washer. This modification should
ensure that the firing pin stays aligned and strikes the oxygen
generator in the correct manner. Accomplishment of the proposed
modification would be in accordance with SOCATA Mandatory Service
Bulletin No. 70-046-35, dated May 1998.
Cost Impact
The FAA estimates that 60 airplanes in the U.S. registry would be
affected by the proposed AD, that it would take approximately 2
workhours per airplane to accomplish the proposed action, and that the
average labor rate is approximately $60 an hour. Parts are available at
minimal costs. Based on these figures, the total cost impact of the
proposed AD on U.S. operators is estimated to be $7,200, or $120 per
airplane.
Differences Between the French AD, the Service Bulletin, and This
Proposed AD
French AD No. T98-195(A), dated June 3, 1998, and SOCATA Mandatory
Service Bulletin No. 70-046-35, dated May 1998, both specify modifying
the oxygen generator at the next scheduled maintenance inspection. The
foreign AD and the service information differ in that the DGAC mandates
that this action be accomplished no later than August 31, 1998, and the
service bulletin specifies that the action be accomplished no later
than 3 months from the date of the service bulletin. This proposed AD,
if followed with a final rule, would require the modification be
accomplished within 45 days after the effective date of the AD.
The modification required by the proposed AD does not differ from
the DGAC AD or the SOCATA service bulletin.
Compliance Time of the Proposed AD
The compliance time of this proposed AD is presented in calendar
time instead of hours time-in-service (TIS). The FAA has determined
that a calendar time compliance is the most desirable method because
the unsafe condition described by this proposed AD occurs regardless of
the hours time-in-service. The oxygen generator failure could occur on
any flight where it may be relied upon to provide the crew and
passengers with oxygen. To ensure that the above-referenced condition
is corrected on all of the affected airplanes within a reasonable
period of time without inadvertently grounding any airplanes, the FAA
is proposing a
[[Page 38353]]
compliance schedule based upon calendar time instead of 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. 98-CE-58-AD.
Applicability: Model TBM 700 airplanes, serial numbers 1 through
125, 127, 128, and 130 through 133, 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 45 days after the effective date of
this AD, unless already accomplished.
To prevent failure of the oxygen generators, which could result
in crew incapacitation and loss of the airplane, accomplish the
following:
(a) Modify the oxygen generator by replacing the firing pin and
adding a washer in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions
section of SOCATA Mandatory Service Bulletin No. 70-046-35, dated
May 1998.
(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 theManager, 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) Questions or technical information related to SOCATA
Mandatory Service Bulletin No. 70-046-35, dated May 1998, should be
directed to SOCATA Groupe AEROSPATIALE, Customer Support, Aerodrome
Tarbes-Ossun-Lourdes, BP 930-F65009 Tarbes Cedex, France; telephone
(33) 5.62.41.76.52; facsimile (33) 5.62.41.76.54; or the Product
Support Manager, SOCATA--Groupe AEROSPATIALE, North Perry Airport,
7501 Pembroke Road, Pembroke Pines, Florida 33023; telephone (954)
894-1160; facsimile: (954) 964-4191. This service information may 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 No.
T98-195(A), dated June 3, 1998.
Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on July 10, 1998.
Michael Gallagher,
Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 98-18940 Filed 7-15-98; 8:45 am]
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