[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 177 (Monday, September 14, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 49048-49050]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-24523]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 97-CE-137-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Dornier-Werke G.m.b.H. Model Do 27 Q-6 
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 all Dornier-Werke G.m.b.H. (Dornier) Model Do 
27 Q-6 airplanes. The proposed AD would require repetitively inspecting 
the rivets that attach the forward stabilizer attach fitting to the 
airplane fuselage for looseness, and replacing any loose rivets. The 
proposed AD is the result of mandatory continuing airworthiness 
information (MCAI) issued by the airworthiness authority for Germany. 
The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent the 
stabilizer from detaching at the forward stabilizer attach flanges 
because of loose rivets, which could result in reduced or loss of 
control of the airplane.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 15, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA), Central Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, 
Attention: Rules Docket No. 97-CE-137-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 Daimler-Benz Aerospace, Dornier, Product Support, P.O. Box 1103, 
D-82230 Wessling, Federal Republic of Germany; telephone: (08153) 300; 
facsimile: (08153) 302985. 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, 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

[[Page 49049]]

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-137-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-137-AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas 
City, Missouri 64106.

Discussion

    The Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA), which is the airworthiness authority 
for Germany, notified the FAA that an unsafe condition may exist on 
certain Dornier Do 27 Q-6 airplanes. The LBA reports that loose rivets 
were found during a routine maintenance inspection on one of the above-
referenced airplanes. The rivets attach the forward stabilizer attach 
fitting to the airplane fuselage.
    This condition, if not detected and corrected in a timely manner, 
could result in the stabilizer detaching at the forward stabilizer 
attach flanges with consequent reduced or loss of control of the 
airplane.

Relevant Service Information

    Dornier has issued Service Bulletin No. 1140-0000, Date of Issue: 
September 29, 1995, which specifies procedures for inspecting the 
rivets that attach the forward stabilizer attach fitting to the 
airplane fuselage for looseness, and replacing any loose rivets.
    The LBA classified this service bulletin as mandatory and issued 
German AD 96-271 Daimler-Benz Aerospace/Dornier, Effective Date: 
October 10, 1996, in order to assure the continued airworthiness of 
these airplanes in Germany.

The FAA's Determination

    This airplane model is manufactured in Germany 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 LBA has kept the FAA informed of 
the situation described above.
    The FAA has examined the findings of the LBA; 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 Dornier Do 27 Q-6 airplanes of the same type 
design registered in the United States, the FAA is proposing AD action. 
The proposed AD would require repetitively inspecting the rivets that 
attach the forward stabilizer attach fitting to the airplane fuselage 
for looseness, and replacing any loose rivets. Accomplishment of the 
proposed actions would be in accordance with Dornier Service Bulletin 
No. 1140-0000, Date of Issue: September 29, 1995.

Compliance Time of the Proposed AD

    The initial compliance time of the proposed AD is presented in 
calendar time in order to assure that any rivets that are already loose 
are detected and corrected in a timely manner. The FAA has determined 
that 3 calendar months is a reasonable time for all owners/operators of 
the affected airplanes to comply with the initial inspection and 
possible replacement specified in the proposed AD.
    The repetitive inspection interval is at 100 hours time-in-service 
(TIS). After examining the information related to this subject, the FAA 
has determined that the rivets should not become loose within 100 hours 
TIS if they were not found loose or replaced during the last 
inspection. This would not put an undue burden on low usage airplanes 
of having to repetitively inspect every 3 calendar months if the 
airplanes had been rarely or never utilized.

Cost Impact

    The FAA estimates that 13 airplanes in the U.S. registry would be 
affected by the proposed initial inspection, that it would take 
approximately 1 workhour per airplane to accomplish the proposed 
inspection, and that the average labor rate is approximately $60 an 
hour. Based on these figures, the total cost impact of the proposed 
initial inspection on U.S. operators is estimated to be $780, or $60 
per airplane. These figures only take into account the costs of the 
initial inspection and do not take into account the costs of any 
repetitive inspections. The FAA has no way of determining the number of 
repetitive inspections each owner/operator would incur over the life of 
the affected airplanes.
    If loose rivets are found and replacement is necessary, the FAA 
estimates that it would take approximately 8 workhours per airplane to 
accomplish the proposed replacement, and that the average labor rate is 
approximately $60 an hour. Replacement rivets will be supplied by 
Dornier at no cost to the owners/operators of the affected airplanes. 
Based on these figures, the cost impact of the replacement on U.S. 
operators is estimated to be $480 per airplane where loose rivets are 
found.

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

[[Page 49050]]

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:

Dornier-Werke G.M.B.H.: Docket No. 97-CE-137-AD.

    Applicability: Model Do 27 Q-6 airplanes, all serial numbers, 
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 (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 as indicated in the body of this AD, unless 
already accomplished.
    To prevent the stabilizer from detaching at the forward 
stabilizer attach flanges because of loose rivets, which could 
result in reduced or loss of control of the airplane, accomplish the 
following:
    (a) Within the next 3 calendar months after the effective date 
of this AD, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 100 hours 
time-in-service (TIS), inspect the rivets that attach the forward 
stabilizer attach fitting to the airplane fuselage for looseness. 
Accomplish these inspections in accordance with the PROCEDURE 
section of Dornier Service Bulletin (SB) No. 1140-0000, Date of 
Issue: September 29, 1995.
    (b) If loose rivets are found during any inspection required in 
paragraph (a) of this AD, prior to further flight, replace any loose 
rivets in accordance with the PROCEDURE section of Dornier SB No. 
1140-0000, Date of Issue: September 29, 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 
initial or repetitive compliance times that provides an equivalent 
level of safety may be approved by the Manager, Small Airplane 
Directorate, 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.

    (e) Questions or technical information related to Dornier 
Service Bulletin No. 1140-0000, Date of Issue: September 29, 1995, 
should be directed to Daimler-Benz Aerospace, Dornier, Product 
Support, P.O. Box 1103, D-82230 Wessling, Federal Republic of 
Germany; telephone: (08153) 300; facsimile: (08153) 302985. 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 German AD 96-271 
Daimler-Benz Aerospace/Dornier, Effective Date: October 10, 1996.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on September 4, 1998.
Michael Gallagher,
Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 98-24523 Filed 9-11-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U