[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 188 (Tuesday, September 29, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 51865-51867]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-25954]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 97-CE-21-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. 
Models MU-2B Series Airplanes; Notice of Public Meeting

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting; reopening of the comment period.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice reopens the comment period and announces a public 
meeting on the subject proposed airworthiness directive (AD) that would 
apply to certain Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (Mitsubishi) MU-2B 
series airplanes. The proposed AD would require incorporating several 
modifications to the operating systems and installing a placard with 
operating limitations within the pilot's clear view. The purpose of the 
meeting is to discuss technical issues related to the FAA's 
determination that AD action should be taken to prevent departure from 
controlled flight and to assist the pilot in detecting ice accumulation 
on the airplane when flying in icing conditions that exceed the 
airplane's ice protection capability, which could result in possible 
loss of control of the airplane. The comment period is being reopened 
to facilitate collection and consideration of data concerning these 
technical issues.

DATES: The public meeting will be held December 8, 1998, at 9:00 a.m., 
in Kansas City, Missouri.
    Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. on the day of the meeting.
    Comments must be received no later than December 29, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the following location: 
The Town Pavillion Conference Center, Royal A & B Meeting Room, 1111 
Main Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106.
    Persons who are unable to attend the meeting may mail their 
comments (clearly marked with the docket number) in triplicate to: 
Federal Aviation Administration, (FAA), Central Region, Office of the 
Regional Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 97-CE-21-AD, Room 1558, 
601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106.
    Written comments to the docket will receive the same consideration 
as statements made at the public meeting.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests to present a statement at the

[[Page 51866]]

public meeting and questions regarding the logistics of the meeting 
should be directed to Mr. Larry Werth, AD Coordinator, FAA, Small 
Airplane Directorate, 1201 Walnut, suite 900, Kansas City, Missouri 
64106; telephone: (816) 426-3580; facsimile (816) 426-2066.
    Questions concerning the proposed AD should be directed to Mr. John 
Dow, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 1201 Walnut, 
suite 900, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 426-6934; 
facsimile: (816) 426-2169.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Participation at the Public Meeting on the Proposed Airworthiness 
Directive

    Requests from persons who wish to present oral statements at the 
public meeting should be received by the FAA no later than 10 days 
prior to the meeting. Such requests should be submitted to Mr. Larry 
Werth as listed in the section titled FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
above, and should include a written summary of oral remarks to be 
presented, and an estimate of time needed for the presentation. 
Requests received after the date specified above will be scheduled if 
there is time available during the meeting; however, the names of those 
individuals may not appear on the written agenda. The FAA will prepare 
an agenda of speakers that will be available at the meeting. To 
accommodate as many speakers as possible, the amount of time allocated 
to each speaker may be less than the amount of time requested. Those 
persons desiring to have available audiovisual equipment should notify 
the FAA when requesting to be placed on the agenda.

Background

    On May 21, 1998, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 
published in the Federal Register (63 FR 27872) for public comment a 
proposed AD that would apply to certain Mitsubishi MU-2B series 
airplanes. The proposed AD would require incorporating several 
modifications to the operating systems and installing a placard with 
operating limitations within the pilot's clear view.
    Service history of the affected airplanes prompted the FAA to 
examine the design of these airplanes and analyze the ability of the 
pilots of these airplanes to fly and operate in icing conditions.
    The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent 
departure from controlled flight and to assist the pilot in detecting 
ice accumulation on the airplane when flying in icing conditions that 
exceed the airplane's ice protection capability, which could result in 
possible loss of control of the airplane.
    The comment period on the proposed rule closed on July 22, 1998. 
Since that time, the FAA has received several additional comments and 
has been contacted by various interested parties. Records of these 
contacts are included in the docket for this rule.
    Based on the content of the comments and the interest in the rule 
expressed by various operators and other interested parties, the FAA 
has determined that it is in the public interest to reopen the comment 
period on this rule in order to seek additional data.
    Accordingly, the FAA will conduct a public meeting in Kansas City, 
Missouri, for the purpose of gathering additional information.
    The comment period on the proposed rule will remain open until 
December 29, 1998; three weeks after the close of the meeting. The FAA 
anticipates that the agency and the industry will use the public 
meeting as a forum to resolve questions concerning the approach used in 
the FAA's determination that AD action should be taken to prevent 
departure from controlled flight and to assist the pilot in detecting 
ice accumulation on the airplane when flying in icing conditions that 
exceed the airplane's ice protection capability, which could result in 
possible loss of control of the airplane; and to seek additional data 
and supporting methodologies from industry.
    Persons interested in obtaining a copy of the proposed 
airworthiness directive as published in the Federal Register should 
contact Mr. John Dow at the address or telephone number provided in FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

Public Meeting Procedures

    Persons who plan to attend the meeting should be aware of the 
following procedures that have been established for this meeting:
    1. There will be no admission fee or other charge to attend or to 
participate in the public meeting. The meeting will be open to all 
persons who have requested in advance to present statements, or who 
register on the day of the meeting (between 8:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m.) 
subject to availability of space in the meeting room.
    2. Representatives from the FAA will conduct the public meeting. A 
technical panel of FAA experts will be established to discuss 
information presented by participants.
    3. The public meeting is intended as a forum to:
     resolve questions concerning the approach used in the 
FAA's determination that AD action should be taken to prevent departure 
from controlled flight and to assist the pilot in detecting ice 
accumulation on the airplane when flying in icing conditions that 
exceed the airplane's ice protection capability, which could result in 
possible loss of control of the airplane; and
     seek additional data and supporting methodologies from 
industry, the general public, and operators. Participants must limit 
their presentations and submissions of data to this issue.
    4. The meeting will offer the opportunity for all interested 
parties to present any additional information not currently available 
to the FAA, and an opportunity for the FAA to explain the methodology 
and technical assumptions supporting its current conclusions.
    5. FAA experts, industry, and public participants are expected to 
engage in a full discussion of all technical material presented at the 
meeting. Anyone presenting conclusions will be expected to submit to 
the FAA data supporting those conclusions. All data submitted will be 
placed in the public docket.
    6. The FAA will try to accommodate all speakers; therefore, it may 
be necessary to limit the time available for an individual or group. If 
practicable, the meeting may be accelerated to enable adjournment in 
less than the time scheduled.
    7. Sign and oral interpretation can be made available at the 
meeting, as well as an assistive listening device, if requested 10 
calendar days before the meeting.
    8. The meeting will be recorded by a court reporter. A transcript 
of the meeting and any material accepted by the panel during the 
meeting will be included in the public docket. Any person who is 
interested in purchasing a copy of the transcript should contact the 
court reporter directly. This information will be available at the 
meeting.
    9. The FAA will review and consider all material presented by 
participants at the public meeting. Position papers or material 
presenting views or information related to the proposed AD may be 
accepted at the discretion of the presiding officer and subsequently 
placed in the public docket. The FAA requests that persons 
participating in the meeting provide 10 copies of all materials to be 
presented for distribution to the panel members; other copies may be 
provided to the audience at the discretion of the participant.

[[Page 51867]]

    10. Statements made by members of the panel are intended to 
facilitate discussion of the issues or to clarify issues. Comments made 
at the public meeting will be considered by the FAA before making a 
final decision on the issuance of the AD.
    11. The meeting is designed to solicit public views and information 
on the proposed AD. Therefore, the meeting will be conducted in an 
informal and nonadversarial manner.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri on September 22, 1998.
James E. Jackson,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 98-25954 Filed 9-28-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P