[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 22, 2006)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 14363-14365]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-2674]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2005-23476; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-204-AD; 
Amendment 39-14516; AD 2006-06-07]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Fokker Model F.28 Mark 0070 and 0100 
Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain Fokker Model F.28 Mark 0070 and 0100 airplanes. This AD 
requires inspecting the main landing gear (MLG) main fitting for 
cracks, and repair if necessary. This AD also requires installing a 
placard and revising the airplane flight manual to include procedures 
to prohibit the application of brakes during backward movement of the 
airplane. This AD results from a report that an MLG main fitting failed 
on an airplane that was braking while moving backward. We are issuing 
this AD to detect and correct cracks in the MLG main fitting, which 
could result in reduced structural integrity of the MLG main fitting.

DATES: This AD becomes effective April 26, 2006.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of certain publications listed in the AD as of April 26, 
2006.

ADDRESSES: You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov or in person at the Docket Management Facility, U.S. 
Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street SW., Nassif Building, 
room PL-401, Washington, DC.
    Contact Fokker Services B.V., Technical Services Dept, P.O. Box 
231,

[[Page 14364]]

2150 AE Nieuw-Vennep, the Netherlands, for service information 
identified in this AD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Rodriguez, Aerospace Engineer, 
International Branch, ANM-116, Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 
1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98055-4056; telephone (425) 
227-1137; fax (425) 227-1149.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Examining the Docket

    You may examine the airworthiness directive (AD) docket on the 
Internet at http://dms.dot.gov or in person at the Docket Management 
Facility office between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays. The Docket Management Facility office 
(telephone (800) 647-5227) is located on the plaza level of the Nassif 
Building at the street address stated in the ADDRESSES section.

Discussion

    The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 
CFR part 39 to include an AD that would apply to certain Fokker Model 
F.28 Mark 0070 and 0100 airplanes. That NPRM was published in the 
Federal Register on January 4, 2006 (71 FR 293). That NPRM proposed to 
require inspecting the main landing gear (MLG) main fitting for cracks, 
and repair if necessary. That NPRM proposed also to require installing 
a placard and revising the airplane flight manual (AFM) to include 
procedures to prohibit the application of brakes during backward 
movement of the airplane.

Comments

    We provided the public the opportunity to participate in the 
development of this AD. We received no comments on the NPRM or on the 
determination of the cost to the public.

Explanation of Changes to the NPRM

    We have added the model number in paragraph (f). We have also 
corrected a typographical error in paragraph (g) of the AD. We have 
also corrected the service bulletin name in paragraphs (i) and (j) of 
the AD, and corrected the service bulletin reference in paragraphs (h), 
(i) and (j) of the AD.

Conclusion

    We have carefully reviewed the available data, and determined that 
air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD with the 
changes described previously. We have determined that these changes 
will neither increase the economic burden on any operator nor increase 
the scope of the AD.

Costs of Compliance

    The following table provides the estimated costs for U.S. operators 
to comply with this AD.

                                                                     Estimated Costs
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                          Number of U.S.-
                         Action                             Work hours     Average labor       Parts         Cost per       registered      Fleet cost
                                                                           rate per hour                     airplane        airplanes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspection..............................................               2             $65              $0            $130              11          $1,430
AFM Revision and Placard Installation...................               1              65               0              65              11             715
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Authority for This Rulemaking

    Title 49 of the United States Code specifies the FAA's authority to 
issue rules on aviation safety. Subtitle I, section 106, describes the 
authority of the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII, Aviation Programs, 
describes in more detail the scope of the Agency's authority.
    We are issuing this rulemaking under the authority described in 
subtitle VII, part A, subpart III, section 44701, ``General 
requirements.'' Under that section, Congress charges the FAA with 
promoting safe flight of civil aircraft in air commerce by prescribing 
regulations for practices, methods, and procedures the Administrator 
finds necessary for safety in air commerce. This regulation is within 
the scope of that authority because it addresses an unsafe condition 
that is likely to exist or develop on products identified in this 
rulemaking action.

Regulatory Findings

    We have determined that this AD will not have federalism 
implications under Executive Order 13132. This AD will 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.
    For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this AD:
    (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) 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 prepared a regulatory evaluation of the estimated costs to 
comply with this AD and placed it in the AD docket. See the ADDRESSES 
section for a location to examine the regulatory evaluation.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by 
reference, Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

0
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, 
the FAA amends 14 CFR part 39 as follows:

PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

0
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]

0
2. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) amends Sec.  39.13 by 
adding the following new airworthiness directive (AD):

2006-06-07 Fokker Services B.V.: Amendment 39-14516. Docket No. FAA-
2005-23476; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-204-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This AD becomes effective April 26, 2006.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Fokker Model F.28 Mark 0070 and 0100 
airplanes, certificated in any category; equipped with Messier-Dowty 
main landing gears (MLGs).

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from a report that an MLG main fitting 
failed on an airplane that was braking while moving backward. We are 
issuing this AD to detect and correct cracks

[[Page 14365]]

in the MLG main fitting, which could result in reduced structural 
integrity of the MLG main fitting.

Compliance

    (e) You are responsible for having the actions required by this 
AD performed within the compliance times specified, unless the 
actions have already been done.

Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) Revision and Placard Installation

    (f) Within 14 days after the effective date of this AD, amend 
the Limitations section of the Fokker F.28 AFM to prohibit 
application of brakes during backward movement of the airplane. This 
may be done by inserting a copy of this AD in the AFM.


    Note 1: When a statement to prohibit application of brakes 
during backward movement of the airplane has been included in the 
general revisions of the AFM, the general revisions may be inserted 
into the AFM, and the copy of this AD may be removed from the AFM.


    (g) Within 14 days after the effective date of this AD, affix a 
placard on the pedestal, next to the parking brake handle, having 
the following wording: ``APPLICATION OF BRAKES DURING BACKWARD 
MOVEMENT IS PROHIBITED.''

Inspection and Corrective Action

    (h) At the applicable time specified in paragraph (h)(1) or 
(h)(2) of this AD: Do an eddy current inspection of the MLG main 
fittings and repair before further flight as applicable, in 
accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions of Messier-Dowty 
Service Bulletin F100-32-106, including Appendices A through C and 
excluding Appendix D, dated February 18, 2005, except as provided by 
paragraphs (i) and (j) of this AD.
    (1) For airplanes on which an inspection has not been done in 
accordance with Messier-Dowty Service Bulletin F100-32-104, Revision 
2, dated October 30, 2003: Within 3 months after the effective date 
of this AD.
    (2) For airplanes on which an inspection has been done in 
accordance with Messier-Dowty Service Bulletin F100-32-104, Revision 
2, dated October 30, 2003: Within 2,000 flight cycles since the last 
inspection done in accordance with the service bulletin or within 3 
months after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later.

Exceptions to the Service Bulletin

    (i) Where Messier-Dowty Service Bulletin F100-32-106, including 
Appendices A through C and excluding Appendix D, dated February 18, 
2005, specifies contacting the manufacturer for repair: Before 
further flight, repair using a method approved by either the 
Manager, International Branch, ANM-116, Transport Airplane 
Directorate, FAA; or the Civil Aviation Authority--The Netherlands 
(CAA-NL) (or its delegated agent).
    (j) Although Messier-Dowty Service Bulletin F100-32-106, 
including Appendices A through C and excluding Appendix D, dated 
February 18, 2005, specifies to submit certain information to the 
manufacturer, this AD does not include that requirement.

Parts Installation

    (k) As of the effective date of this AD, no person may install, 
on any airplane, a Messier-Dowty MLG, unless it has been inspected/
repaired according to paragraph (h) of this AD.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (l)(1) The Manager, International Branch, ANM-116, has the 
authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested in accordance 
with the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.
    (2) Before using any AMOC approved in accordance with Sec.  
39.19 on any airplane to which the AMOC applies, notify the 
appropriate principal inspector in the FAA Flight Standards 
Certificate Holding District Office.

Related Information

    (m) Dutch airworthiness directives 2002-115/2, dated October 8, 
2004; and NL-2005-002, dated April 14, 2005, also address the 
subject of this AD.

Material Incorporated by Reference

    (n) You must use Messier-Dowty Service Bulletin F100-32-106, 
including Appendices A through C and excluding Appendix D, dated 
February 18, 2005; to perform the actions that are required by this 
AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. The Director of the Federal 
Register approved the incorporation by reference of this document in 
accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. Contact Fokker 
Services B.V., Technical Services Dept, P.O. Box 231, 2150 AE Nieuw-
Vennep, the Netherlands, for a copy of this service information. You 
may review copies at the Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department 
of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., room PL-401, Nassif 
Building, Washington, DC; on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov; or 
at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For 
information on the availability of this material at the NARA, call 
(202) 741-6030, or go to http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on March 10, 2006.
Kalene C. Yanamura,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 06-2674 Filed 3-21-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P