[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 181 (Friday, September 18, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 49881-49883]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-25004]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. 95-CE-65-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 repetitively
inspecting (using visual methods) the web of the left and right flap
carriage for cracks, and replacing any cracked flap carriage with one
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 detect and correct cracks in a flap carriage, which could
result in loss of the flap function with consequent reduced and/or loss
of airplane control.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 16, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), Central Region, Office of the Regional Counsel,
Attention: Rules Docket No. 95-CE-65-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) 893-1400;
facsimile: (954) 964-4141. 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. 95-CE-65-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. 95-CE-65-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 several occurrences of cracks in the web of the left and right
flap carriages on the above-referenced airplanes.
Cracks in the flap carriages, if not detected and corrected, could
result in loss of the flap function with consequent reduced and/or loss
of airplane control.
[[Page 49882]]
Relevant Service Information
SOCATA has issued Service Bulletin SB 70-048 57, Amendment 1, dated
January 1995, which specifies procedures for inspecting the web of both
the left and right flap carriages for cracks. This service bulletin
also specifies either stop drilling a cracked flap carriage or
replacing a cracked flap carriage with a part of improved design
depending on the extent of the crack.
The DGAC classified this service bulletin as mandatory and issued
French AD 94-110(B)R1, dated March 15, 1995, 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 TBM 700 airplanes of the same type
design registered in the United States, the FAA is proposing AD action.
The proposed AD would require repetitively inspecting (using visual
methods) the web of the left and right flap carriage for cracks, and
replacing any cracked flap carriage with one of improved design. The
proposed repetitive inspections would no longer be required on those
flap carriages replaced with improved design parts.
Accomplishment of the proposed inspections would be required in
accordance with SOCATA Service Bulletin SB 70-048 57, Amendment 1,
dated January 1995. The replacements, if necessary, would be
accomplished in accordance with Chapter 57-50-03 of the applicable
maintenance manual. The parts necessary are referenced in the service
bulletin and are available from the manufacturer.
Cost Impact
The FAA estimates that 44 airplanes in the U.S. registry would be
affected by the proposed AD, that it would take approximately 3
workhours 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 initial inspections specified in
the proposed AD on U.S. operators is estimated to be $7,920, or $180
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 or the costs of replacing any flap carriage found cracked.
The FAA has no way of determining the number of repetitive inspections
each owner/operator would incur over the life of the affected
airplanes; or the number of flap carriages that would be found cracked
during the inspections and need to be replaced.
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. 95-CE-65-AD.
Applicability: Model TBM 700 airplanes, serial numbers 1 through
92, 97, and 98; 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 detect and correct cracks in a flap carriage, which could
result in loss of the flap function with consequent reduced and/or
loss of airplane control, accomplish the following:
(a) Within the next 100 hours time-in-service (TIS) after the
effective date of this AD, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed
100 hours TIS, inspect (using visual methods) the web of the left
and right flap carriages (both the inboard and outboard carriages)
for cracks. Accomplish these inspections in accordance with SOCATA
Service Bulletin SB 70-048 57, Amendment 1, dated January 1995.
(b) If any cracked flap carriage is found during any inspection
required by this AD, prior to further flight, replace it with a
carriage of improved design. Accomplish this replacement in
accordance with Chapter 57-50-03 of the applicable maintenance
manual. The parts necessary are referenced in SOCATA Service
Bulletin SB 70-048 57, Amendment 1, dated January 1995, and are
available from Socata at the address referenced in paragraph (e) of
this AD.
(1) Repetitive inspections will no longer be required on those
flap carriages replaced with improved design parts.
(2) Flap carriages may be replaced with improved design parts at
any time (but must immediately be replaced if found cracked), as
terminating action for the repetitive inspections of this AD.
(c) Special flight permits may be issued in accordance with
sections 21.197 and 21.199
[[Page 49883]]
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, 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.
(e) Questions or technical information related to SOCATA Service
Bulletin SB 70-048 57, Amendment 1, dated January, 1995, 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)
893-1400; facsimile: (954) 964-4141. 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 94-
110(B)R1, dated March 15, 1995.
Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on September 3, 1998.
Michael Gallagher,
Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 98-25004 Filed 9-17-98; 8:45 am]
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