[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 159 (Wednesday, August 16, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 49952-49954]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-20778]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 2000-CE-15-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Raytheon Aircraft Company Beech Models 
A36 and B36TC 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 Raytheon Aircraft Corporation 
(Raytheon) Beech Models A36 and B36TC airplanes. The proposed AD would 
require you to inspect for the installation of firewall sealant and 
install firewall sealant if not present. The proposed AD is the result 
of a report that firewall sealant was not found during a routine 
production inspection. The actions specified by the proposed AD are 
intended to correct the absence of sealant and prevent the consequent 
entry of smoke or fire into the flight compartment or cabin in the 
event of an engine compartment fire.

[[Page 49953]]


DATES: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must receive any 
comments on this proposed rule on or before September 18, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to FAA, Central Region, Office 
of the Regional Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 2000-CE-15-AD, 901 
Locust, Room 506, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. You may inspect comments 
at this location between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except holidays.
    You may get the service information referenced in the proposed AD 
from Raytheon Aircraft Company, P.O. Box 85, Wichita, Kansas 67201-
0085; telephone: (800) 429-5372 or (316) 676-3140; on the Internet at 
http://www.raytheon.com/rac/servinfo/53-3375.pdf>. This file is in 
Adobe Portable Document Format. The Acrobat Reader is available at

http://www.adobe.com/>.

You may examine this information at the Rules Docket at the address 
above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeff Pretz, Aerospace Engineer, 
Wichita Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, 1801 Airport Road, Mid-
Continent Airport, Wichita, Kansas 67209; telephone: (316) 946-4153; 
facsimile: (316) 946-4407.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    How do I comment on this AD? We invite your comments on the 
proposed rule. You may submit whatever written data, views, or 
arguments you choose. You need to include the rule's docket number and 
submit your comments in triplicate to the address specified under the 
caption ADDRESSES. We will consider all comments received on or before 
the closing date specified above, before taking action on the proposed 
rule. We may change the proposals contained in this notice in light of 
the comments received.
    Are there any specific portions of the AD I should pay attention 
to? The FAA specifically invites comments on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the proposed rule that 
might necessitate a need to modify the proposed rule. You may examine 
all comments we receive. We will file a report in the Rules Docket that 
summarizes each FAA contact with the public that concerns the 
substantive parts of this proposal.
    The FAA is re-examining the writing style we currently use in 
regulatory documents, in response to the Presidential memorandum of 
June 1, 1998. That memorandum requires federal agencies to communicate 
more clearly with the public. We are interested in your comments on the 
ease of understanding this document, and any other suggestions you 
might have to improve the clarity of FAA communications that affect 
you. You can get more information about the Presidential memorandum and 
the plain language initiative at http://www.faa.gov/language/.
    How can I be sure FAA receives my comment? If you want us to 
acknowledge the receipt of your comments, you must include a self-
addressed, stamped postcard. On the postcard, write ``Comments to 
Docket No. 2000-CE-15-AD.'' We will date stamp and mail the postcard 
back to you.

Discussion

    What events have caused this AD? Raytheon recently notified FAA 
that a Beech Model A36 airplane did not have sealant between the faying 
surfaces of the part number (P/N) 109-361023-13 tube assembly fitting 
and the P/N 36-430054-69 upper firewall panel. Raytheon found this 
condition during a routine production process inspection.
    Other airplanes that were part of this particular production 
process are:

Beech Model A36
    serial numbers E-3113 through E-3231
    E-3233 through E-3263
    E-3265 through E-3267
    E-3269, E-3271, E-3273, and E-3277
Model B36TC
    serial numbers EA-594 through EA-644

    What are the consequences if the condition is not corrected? This 
condition, if not corrected, could result in smoke or fire penetrating 
the firewall and entering the flight compartment or cabin.

Relevant Service Information

    What service information applies to this subject? Raytheon has 
issued Mandatory Service Bulletin No. SB 53-3375, dated December 1999.
    What are the provisions of this service bulletin? The service 
bulletin describes procedures for inspecting for, and applying, sealant 
between the tube assembly fitting and the upper firewall panel on the 
airplanes specified above.

The FAA's Determination and an Explanation of the Provisions of the 
Proposed AD

    What has FAA decided? After examining the circumstances and 
reviewing all available information related to the events described 
above, we have determined that:
     The unsafe condition referenced in this document could 
exist on other Raytheon Beech Models A36 and B36TC airplanes of the 
same type design;
     These airplanes should have the actions specified in the 
above service bulletin incorporated; and
     The FAA should take AD action in order to correct this 
unsafe condition.
    What does this proposed AD require? This proposed AD would require 
you to:
     Inspect for the installation of firewall sealant; and
     Install firewall sealant if not present.
    What are the differences between the service bulletin and the 
proposed AD? Raytheon Aircraft requires you to inspect and, if 
necessary, install firewall sealant as soon as possible after receiving 
the service bulletin, but no later than the next 25 flight hours. We 
propose a requirement that you inspect and, if necessary, install 
firewall sealant within 50 hours time-in-service (TIS) of operation 
after the effective date of the proposed AD. We do not have 
justification to require this action within 25 hours TIS. Compliance 
times such as this are utilized when we have identified an urgent 
safety of flight situation. We believe that 50 hours TIS will give the 
owners/operators of the affected airplanes enough time to have the 
proposed actions accomplished without compromising the safety of the 
airplanes.

Cost Impact

    How many airplanes does this proposed AD impact? We estimate that 
the proposed AD would affect 134 airplanes in the U.S. registry.
    What is the cost impact of the proposed action for the affected 
airplanes on the U.S. Register? We estimate that it would take 
approximately 1 workhour per airplane to accomplish the proposed 
inspection, at an average labor rate of $60 an hour. Based on the 
figures presented above, we estimate that the total cost impact of the 
proposed inspection on U.S. operators is $8,040, or $60 per airplane.
    We estimate that it would take approximately 2 workhours per 
airplane to accomplish the proposed modification, at an average labor 
rate of $60 an hour. Based on the figures presented above, we estimate 
that the total cost impact of the proposed modification on U.S. 
operators is $120 per airplane.
    The manufacturer will allow warranty credit for labor and parts to 
the extent noted in the service bulletin.

Regulatory Impact

    Does this proposed AD impact relations between Federal and State 
governments? The proposed regulations would not have substantial direct 
effects on the States, on the relationship

[[Page 49954]]

between the national government and the States, or on the distribution 
of power and responsibilities among the various levels of government. 
It is determined that this proposed rule would not have federalism 
implications under Executive Order 13132.
    Does this proposed AD involve a significant rule or regulatory 
action? For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this proposed 
action (1) is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive 
Order 12866; (2) is not a ``significant rule'' under Department of 
Transportation Regulatory Policies and Procedures (44 FR 11034, 
February 26, 1979); and (3) if put into effect 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. We have placed a copy of the draft regulatory 
evaluation prepared for this action in the Rules Docket. You may obtain 
a copy of it 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, under the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 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. FAA amends Section 39.13 by adding a new airworthiness directive 
(AD) to read as follows:

Raytheon Aircraft Company: Docket No. 2000-CE-15-AD.

    (a) What airplanes are affected by this AD? This AD affects the 
following airplanes, certificated in any category:

Beech Model A36
    serial numbers E-3113 through E-3231
    E-3233 through E-3263
    E-3265 through E-3267
    E-3269, E-3271, E-3273, and E-3277
Model B36TC
    serial numbers EA-594 through EA-644

    (b) Who must comply with this AD? Anyone who wishes to operate 
any of the above airplanes on the U.S. Register must comply with 
this AD.
    (c) What problem does this AD address? The actions specified by 
this AD are intended to correct the lack of a firewall seal and 
consequent progression of fire and smoke through the firewall panel 
into the flight compartment or cabin in the event of an engine 
compartment fire.
    (d) What must I do to address this problem? To address this 
problem, you must accomplish the following actions:

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                Actions                            Compliance time                        Procedures
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(1) Inspect for sealant between the      Inspection required within 50 hours  Accomplish all actions in
 faying surfaces of the part number (P/   time-in-service after the            accordance with the
 N) 109-361023-13 tube assembly fitting   effective date of this AD, and       ACCOMPLISHMENT INSTRUCTIONS
 and the P/N 36-430054-69 upper           sealant application required         section of Raytheon mandatory
 firewall panel.                          before further flight after the      Service Bulletin SB 53-3375,
 (i) If sealant is present, no further    inspection.                          Issued: December 1999.
 action is necessary..
 (ii) If sealant is not present, apply
 sealant to the tube assembly and the
 upper firewall panel..
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    (e) Can I comply with this AD in any other way? You may use an 
alternative method of compliance or adjust the compliance time if:
    (1) Your alternative method of compliance provides an equivalent 
level of safety; and
    (2) The Manager, Wichita Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), 
approves your alternative. Submit your request through an FAA 
Principal Maintenance Inspector, who may add comments and then send 
it to the Manager, Wichita ACO.

    Note: This AD applies to each airplane identified in paragraph 
(a) of this AD, 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 (e) of this AD. You should 
include in the request an assessment of the effect of the 
modification, alteration, or repair on the unsafe condition 
addressed by this AD; and, if you have not eliminated the unsafe 
condition, specific actions you propose to address it.

    (f) Where can I get information about any already-approved 
alternative methods of compliance? You can contact Jeff Pretz, 
Aerospace Engineer, Wichita Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, 1801 
Airport Road, Mid-Continent Airport, Wichita, Kansas 67209; 
telephone: (316) 946-4153; facsimile: (316) 946-4407.
    (g) What if I need to fly the airplane to another location to 
comply with this AD? The FAA can issue a special flight permit under 
sections 21.197 and 21.199 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 
CFR 21.197 and 21.199) to operate your airplane to a location where 
you can accomplish the requirements of this AD.
    (h) How do I get copies of the documents referenced in this AD? 
You may obtain copies of the documents referenced in this AD from 
Raytheon Aircraft Company, P.O. Box 85, Wichita, Kansas 67201-0085; 
telephone: (800) 429-5372 or (316) 676-3140; on the Internet at 
http://www.raytheon.com/rac/servinfo/53-3375.pdf>. This file is in 
Adobe Portable Document Format. The Acrobat Reader is available at 
http://www.adobe.com/>. You may examine this document at FAA, 
Central Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, 901 Locust, Room 
506, Kansas City, Missouri 64106.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on August 9, 2000.
Michael Gallagher,
Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 00-20778 Filed 8-15-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U