[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 97 (Friday, May 19, 2006)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 29090-29092]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-7636]


 ========================================================================
 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 97 / Friday, May 19, 2006 / Proposed 
Rules  

[[Page 29090]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2005-22103; Directorate Identifier 2005-CE-42-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Raytheon Aircraft Company Model B300 
Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) 
for certain Raytheon Aircraft Company (Raytheon) Model B300 airplanes. 
This proposed AD would require you to modify the cabin passenger seats 
by installing a modification kit on each passenger seat, removing the 
existing technical standard order (TSO) label, and re-identifying each 
modified passenger seat assembly with a new part number. This proposed 
AD results from the seats not meeting the ultimate load requirements of 
14 CFR part 23 during structural testing of the seat with design 
changes. We are issuing this proposed AD to prevent the passenger seats 
from failing during emergency landing conditions when high inertial 
loadings occur. Passenger seat failure may result in occupant injury.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by July 14, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Use one of the following to submit comments on this proposed 
AD:
     DOT Docket Web site: Go to http://dms.dot.gov and follow 
the instructions for sending your comments electronically.
     Government-wide rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the instructions for sending your 
comments electronically.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-401, 
Washington, DC 20590-001.
     Fax: (202) 493-2251.
     Hand Delivery: Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the 
Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    For service information identified in this proposed AD, contact 
Raytheon Aircraft Company, P.O. Box 85, Wichita, Kansas 67201; 
telephone: (800) 625-7043.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven E. Potter, Aerospace Engineer, 
Wichita Aircraft Certification Office, Airframe and Services Branch, 
ACE-118W, 1801 Airport Road, Wichita, Kansas 67209; telephone: (316) 
946-4124; facsimile: (316) 946-4107.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments regarding this proposal. Send your comments to an address 
listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include the docket number, ``FAA-
2005-22103; Directorate Identifier 2005-CE-42-AD'' at the beginning of 
your comments.
    We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed AD. We 
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend 
this proposed AD in light of those comments.
    We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://dms.dot.gov, including any personal information you provide. We will 
also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we 
receive concerning this proposed AD.

Discussion

    While testing for a minor design change of certain cabin seats that 
are installed on Raytheon Model B300 airplanes through a TSO, ERDA, 
Inc. (the seat manufacturer at that time) found the cabin seats failed 
before reaching the design load requirements. These passenger seats did 
not meet the design load requirements of 14 CFR part 23 and the 
associated TSO. ERDA, Inc. investigated the original testing methods 
used for the passenger seats and found that the applied test loads used 
were inaccurate because of faulty equipment. When tested using the 
correct applied loads, ERDA, Inc. found structural deficiencies. The 
current manufacturer and TSO authorization holder is DeCrane Aircraft 
Seating Company, Inc. The affected passenger seats are only installed 
on Raytheon Model B300 airplanes.
    If the passenger seats do not meet the design load requirements of 
14 CFR part 23 and the associated TSO, the passenger seats could fail 
during emergency landing conditions when high inertial loadings occur. 
Passenger seat failure could result in occupant injury.

Relevant Service Information

    Raytheon has issued Service Bulletin SB 25-3640, Rev. 1, Issued: 
May 2005, Revised: January 2006.
    The service bulletin includes procedures for:
     Installing a modification kit on each passenger seat, part 
number (P/N) 130-5108-0001 or P/N 130-5108-0002;
     Removing the existing TSO label; and
     Re-identifying each modified passenger seat assembly with 
the new P/N.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of This Proposed AD

    We are proposing this AD because we evaluated all information and 
determined that an unsafe condition is likely to exist or develop on 
other Raytheon Model B300 airplanes of the same type design.
    This proposed AD would require you to incorporate the actions in 
the previously-referenced service bulletin.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD could affect 292 airplanes in the 
U.S. registry that have the affected cabin seats installed for a total 
of 1,372 cabin passenger seats.
    We estimate the following costs to do this proposed modification:

[[Page 29091]]



----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                 Total cost on
           Labor cost                      Parts cost              Total cost per airplane      U.S.  operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 workhours (per seat) x $80     $1,500 per seat..............  $1,740 per seat..............  $2,387,280. The
 per hour = $240.                                                                               number of
                                                                                                passenger seats
                                                                                                per airplane may
                                                                                                vary. We
                                                                                                estimate a total
                                                                                                of 1,372 seats
                                                                                                in the entire
                                                                                                fleet.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Raytheon will provide warranty credit as specified in Service 
Bulletin SB 253640, Rev. 1, Issued: May 2005, Revised: January 2006.

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 AD.

Regulatory Findings

    We have determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism 
implications under Executive Order 13132. This proposed AD 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.
    For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this proposed AD:
    1. Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive Order 
12866;
    2. Is not a ``significant rule'' under the 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 summary of the costs to comply with this proposed AD 
(and other information as included in the Regulatory Evaluation) and 
placed it in the AD Docket. You may get a copy of this summary by 
sending a request to us at the address listed under ADDRESSES. Include 
``AD Docket FAA-2005-22103; Directorate Identifier 2005-CE-42-AD'' in 
your request.

Examining the Docket

    You may examine the AD docket that contains the proposal, any 
comments received, and any final disposition on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov; or in person at the DMS Docket Offices between 9 a.m. and 
5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The Docket 
Office (telephone (800) 647-5227) is located at the street address 
stated in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD 
docket shortly after receipt.

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 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. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new AD:

Raytheon Aircraft Company: Docket No. FAA-2005-22103; Directorate 
Identifier 2005-CE-42-AD.

Comments Due Date

    (a) We must receive comments on this proposed airworthiness 
directive (AD) by July 14, 2006.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD affects Model B300 airplanes, serial numbers FL-1 
through FL-289, that are certificated in any category.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD is the result of the cabin passenger seats not 
meeting the design load requirements of 14 CFR part 23 and 
associated technical standard order (TSO) during structural load 
testing for design changes. The actions specified in this AD are 
intended to prevent the passenger seats from failing during 
emergency landing conditions when high inertial loadings occur. 
Passenger seat failure could result in occupant injury.

Compliance

    (e) To address this problem, you must do the following:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Actions                 Compliance              Procedures
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Install a            Within 24 calendar       Follow Raytheon
 modification kit for     months or 600 hours      Aircraft Company
 each cabin passenger     time-in-service,         Service Bulletin SB
 seat as follows:         whichever occurs first   25-3640, Rev. 1;
(i) Install part number   after the effective      Issued: May 2005,
 (P/N) 130-5108-0001      date of this AD,         Revised: January
 for left forward         unless previously        2006.
 facing seats or right    done.
 aft facing seats; and
    (ii) Install P/N
     130-5108-0002 for
     right forward
     facing seats or
     left aft facing
     seats.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(2) Remove the TSO       Prior to further flight  Follow Raytheon
 label on each cabin      after doing the          Aircraft Company
 seat and re-identify     modification required    Service Bulletin SB
 each modified cabin      in paragraph (e)(1) of   25-3640, Rev. 1;
 seat assembly with the   this AD.                 Issued: May 2005,
 new P/N as follows:                               Revised: January
(i) Re-identify old P/N                            2006.
 130-530025-3, left
 forward facing or
 right aft facing seat
 assembly, to the new P/
 N 130-530999-0001.

[[Page 29092]]

 
    (ii) Re-identify
     old P/N 130-530025-
     4, right forward
     facing or left aft
     facing seat
     assembly, to the
     new P/N 130-530999-
     0002.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (f) The Manager, Wichita Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), 
FAA, ATTN: Steven E. Potter, Aerospace Engineer, Wichita ACO, 
Airframe and Services Branch, ACE-118W, 1801 Airport Road, Wichita, 
Kansas 67209; telephone: (316) 946-4124; facsimile: (316) 946-4107, 
has the authority to approve alternative methods of compliance for 
this AD, if requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.

Related Information

    (g) To get copies of the documents referenced in this AD, 
contact Raytheon Aircraft Company, P.O. Box 85, Wichita, Kansas 
67201; telephone: (800) 625-7043. To view the AD docket, go to the 
Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 
Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-401, Washington, DC, 
or on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov. The docket number is 
Docket No. FAA-2005-22103; Directorate Identifier 2005-CE-42-AD.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on May 15, 2006.
Sandra J. Campbell,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. E6-7636 Filed 5-18-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P