[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 64 (Thursday, April 3, 2003)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 16220-16222]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-8047]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 2003-CE-11-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Iniziative Industriali Italiane S.p.A. 
Models Sky Arrow 650 TC and 650 TCN 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 Iniziative Industriali Italiane S.p.A. 
(3I) Models Sky Arrow 650 TC and 650 TCN airplanes. This proposed AD 
would require you to modify the nose gear support bulkhead (STA600). 
This proposed AD is the result of mandatory continuing airworthiness 
information (MCAI) issued by the airworthiness authority for Italy. The 
actions specified by this proposed AD are intended to prevent failure 
of the nose gear support bulkhead (STA600). Such failure could lead to 
loss of control of the airplane during landing or take-off.

DATES: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must receive any 
comments on this proposed rule on or before May 9, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments to FAA, Central Region, Office of the 
Regional Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 2003-CE-11-AD, 901 
Locust, Room 506, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. You may view any 
comments at this location between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays. You may also send comments 
electronically to the following address: [email protected]. 
Comments sent electronically must contain ``Docket No. 2003-CE-11-AD'' 
in the subject line. If you send comments electronically as attached 
electronic files, the files must be formatted in Microsoft Word 97 for 
Windows or ASCII text.
    You may get service information that applies to this proposed AD 
from Iniziative Industriali Italiane S.p.A., Corso Trieste, n. 150, 
00198 Rome, Italy; telephone: 06 84.15.821; facsimile: 06 855.71.62. 
You may also view this information at the Rules Docket at the address 
above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Doug Rudolph, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, 
Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 
64106; telephone: (816) 329-4059; facsimile: (816) 329-4090.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

How Do I Comment on This Proposed AD?

    The FAA invites comments on this 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 to the 
address specified under the caption ADDRESSES. We will consider all 
comments received on or before the closing date. We may amend this 
proposed rule in light of comments received. Factual information that 
supports your ideas and suggestions is extremely helpful in evaluating 
the effectiveness of this proposed AD action and determining whether we 
need to take additional rulemaking action.

Are There Any Specific Portions of This Proposed AD I Should Pay 
Attention to?

    The FAA specifically invites comments on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed rule that 
might suggest a need to modify the proposed rule. You may view all 
comments we receive before and after the closing date of the proposed 
rule in the Rules Docket. We will file a report in the Rules Docket 
that summarizes each contact we have with the public that concerns the 
substantive parts of this proposed AD.

How Can I Be Sure FAA Receives My Comment?

    If you want FAA to acknowledge the receipt of your mailed comments, 
you

[[Page 16221]]

must include a self-addressed, stamped postcard. On the postcard, write 
``Comments to Docket No. 2003-CE-11-AD.'' We will date stamp and mail 
the postcard back to you.

Discussion

What Events Have Caused This Proposed AD?

    The Ente Nazionale per l'Aviazione Civile (ENAC), which is the 
airworthiness authority for Italy, recently notified FAA that an unsafe 
condition may exist on certain Iniziative Industriali Italiane S.p.A. 
(3I) Models Sky Arrow 650 TC and 650 TCN airplanes. The ENAC reports 
that data collected on in-service airplanes show that cracks have been 
detected on the nose gear support bulkhead (STA600) of several 
airplanes with high operating time on grass airfields and at flight 
schools where activity of hard landings have occurred.

What Are the Consequences if the Condition Is Not Corrected?

    If not corrected, the nose gear support bulkhead (STA600) could 
fail. Such failure could lead to loss of control of the airplane during 
landing or take-off.

Is There Service Information That Applies to This Subject?

    Iniziative Industriali Italiane S.p.A. (3I) has issued 3i Service 
Bulletin SB-C No. 02/02, dated October 15, 2002.

What Are the Provisions of This Service Information?

    The service bulletin includes procedures for modifying the nose 
gear support bulkhead (STA600).

What Action Did the ENAC Take?

    The ENAC classified this service bulletin as mandatory and issued 
Italian AD Number 2002-591, dated November 29, 2002, in order to ensure 
the continued airworthiness of these airplanes in Italy.

Was This in Accordance With the Bilateral Airworthiness Agreement?

    These airplane models are manufactured in Italy and are 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 ENAC has 
kept FAA informed of the situation described above.

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

What Has FAA Decided?

    The FAA has examined the findings of the ENAC; reviewed all 
available information, including the service information referenced 
above; and determined that:

--The unsafe condition referenced in this document exists or could 
develop on other Iniziative Industriali Italiane S.p.A. (3I) Models Sky 
Arrow 650 TC and 650 TCN airplanes of the same type design that are on 
the U.S. registry;
--The actions specified in the previously-referenced service 
information should be accomplished on the affected airplanes; and
--AD action should be taken in order to correct this unsafe condition.

What Would This Proposed AD Require?

    This proposed AD would require you to incorporate the actions in 
the previously-referenced service bulletin.

How Does the Revision to 14 CFR Part 39 Affect This Proposed AD?

    On July 10, 2002, FAA published a new version of 14 CFR part 39 (67 
FR 47997, July 22, 2002), which governs FAA's AD system. This 
regulation now includes material that relates to special flight 
permits, alternative methods of compliance, and altered products. This 
material previously was included in each individual AD. Since this 
material is included in 14 CFR part 39, we will not include it in 
future AD actions.

Cost Impact

How Many Airplanes Would This Proposed AD Impact?

    We estimate that this proposed AD affects 10 airplanes in the U.S. 
registry.

What Would Be the Cost Impact of This Proposed AD on Owners/Operators 
of the Affected Airplanes?

    We estimate the following costs to accomplish the proposed 
modification:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                   Total cost on
                           Labor cost                               Parts cost    Total cost per       U.S.
                                                                                     airplane       operators.
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19 workhours x $60 = $1,140.....................................            $100          $1,240        $12,400.
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    The proposed modification to the nose gear support bulkhead 
(STA600) would require 39 hours for cure and post cure time.

Regulatory Impact

Would This Proposed AD Impact Various Entities?

    The regulations proposed herein would not have a substantial direct 
effect 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, it 
is determined that this proposed rule would not have federalism 
implications under Executive Order 13132.

Would 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 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, under 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:


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    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.


Sec.  39.13  [Amended]

    2. FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding a new airworthiness directive 
(AD) to read as follows:

Iniziative Industriali Italiane S.P.A.: Docket No. 2003-CE-11-AD.

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

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Model                              Serial No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sky Arrow 650 TC.......................  C001 through C004, C006 through
                                          C008, and C011.
Sky Arrow 650 TCN......................  CN001 through CN006 and CN008.
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    (b) Who must comply with this AD? Anyone who wishes to operate any 
of the airplanes identified in paragraph (a) of this AD must comply 
with this AD.
    (c) What problem does this AD address? The actions specified by 
this AD are intended to prevent failure of the nose gear support 
bulkhead (STA600). Such failure could lead to loss of control of the 
airplane during landing or take-off.4
    (d) What actions must I accomplish to address this problem? To 
address this problem, you must accomplish the following, unless already 
accomplished:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Actions                 Compliance            Procedures
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Modify the nose gear support  Within the next 100   In accordance with
 bulkhead (STA600).            hours time-in-        Iniziative
                               service (TIS) after   Industriali
                               the effective date    Italiane S.p.A. 3i
                               of this AD.           Service Bulletin SB-
                                                     C No. 02-02, dated
                                                     October 15, 2002.
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    (e) Can I comply with this AD in any other way? To use an 
alternative method of compliance or adjust the compliance time, follow 
the procedures in 14 CFR 39.19. Send these requests to the Manager, 
Standards Office, Small Airplane Directorate. For information on any 
already approved alternative methods of compliance, contact Doug 
Rudolph, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 
Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-
4059; facsimile: (816) 329-4090.
    (f) How do I get copies of the documents referenced in this AD? You 
may get copies of the documents referenced in this AD from Iniziative 
Industriali Italiane S.p.A., Corso Trieste, n. 150, 00198 Rome, Italy; 
telephone: 06 84.15.821; facsimile: 06 855.71.62. You may view these 
documents at FAA, Central Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, 901 
Locust, Room 506, Kansas City, Missouri 64106.

    Note: The subject of this AD is addressed in Italian AD Number 
2002-591, dated November 29, 2002.


    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on March 26, 2003.
Michael Gallagher,
Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 03-8047 Filed 4-2-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P