[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 161 (Monday, August 21, 2006)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 48463-48465]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-13653]


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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2004-19676; Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-138-AD; 
Amendment 39-14717; AD 2006-16-17]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. 
(EMBRAER) Model EMB-135BJ, -135ER, -135KE, -135KL, and -135LR 
Airplanes; and Model EMB-145, -145ER, -145MR, -145LR, -145XR, -145MP, 
and -145EP Airplanes

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

ACTION: Final rule.

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

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain EMBRAER Model EMB-135 and -145 series airplanes. This AD 
requires determining the torque values of the screws that attach the 
seat tracks to the airplane, and corrective action if

[[Page 48464]]

necessary. This AD results from a report of undertorqued screws. We are 
issuing this AD to prevent improper torque of those screws, which in 
the case of a hard landing or a high deceleration impact condition 
could result in damage to the seat and possible subsequent injury to 
the passenger.

DATES: This AD becomes effective September 25, 2006.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of certain publications listed in the AD as of September 25, 
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 Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. (EMBRAER), P.O. Box 
343-CEP 12.225, Sao Jose dos Campos--SP, Brazil, for service 
information identified in this AD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Todd Thompson, Aerospace Engineer, 
International Branch, ANM-116, Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 
1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; telephone (425) 
227-1175; fax (425) 227-1149.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Examining the Docket

    You may examine the 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 supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) 
to amend 14 CFR part 39 to include an AD that would apply to certain 
EMBRAER Model EMB-135 and -145 series airplanes. That supplemental NPRM 
was published in the Federal Register on May 26, 2006 (71 FR 30343). 
That supplemental NPRM proposed to require determining the torque 
values of the screws that attach the seat tracks to the airplane, and 
corrective action if necessary.

Comments

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

Conclusion

    We have carefully reviewed the available data and determined that 
air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD as proposed 
in the supplemental NPRM.

Costs of Compliance

    The following table provides the estimated costs for U.S. operators 
to comply with this AD. This AD will affect about 539 airplanes of U.S. 
registry.

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         Average
        EMBRAER model airplane(s)          Work hours  labor rate/             Parts              Cost/airplane
                                                           hour
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EMB-135 BJ..............................           24          $80  Minimal...................            $1,920
Others..................................           28           80  Minimal...................             2,240
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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):

2006-16-17 Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. (EMBRAER): 
Amendment 39-14717. Docket No. FAA-2004-19676; Directorate 
Identifier 2004-NM-138-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This AD becomes effective September 25, 2006.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

[[Page 48465]]

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to EMBRAER Model EMB-135BJ, -135ER, -135KE, 
-135KL, and -135LR airplanes; and EMB-145, -145ER, -145MR, -145LR, -
145XR, -145MP, and -145EP airplanes; certificated in any category; 
as identified in EMBRAER Service Bulletin 145LEG-53-0015, Revision 
02, dated May 19, 2005, or 145-53-0049, Revision 03, dated August 
10, 2005.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD was prompted by a report indicating that some screws 
that attach the passenger seat tracks were undertorqued. We are 
issuing this AD to prevent improper torque of those screws, which in 
the case of a hard landing or a high deceleration impact condition 
could result in damage to the seat and possible subsequent injury to 
the passenger.

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.

Inspection

    (f) Within 5,000 flight hours or 36 months after the effective 
date of this AD, whichever occurs first, determine the torque values 
of the applicable screws that attach the seat tracks to the 
airplane. Use the Accomplishment Instructions of EMBRAER Service 
Bulletin 145LEG-53-0015, Revision 02, dated May 19, 2005 (for Model 
EMB-135BJ airplanes), or Service Bulletin 145-53-0049, Revision 03, 
dated August 10, 2005 (for the remaining airplanes). For any screw 
that has a torque value outside the limits specified in the service 
bulletin: Before further flight, retorque the screw in accordance 
with the Accomplishment Instructions of the service bulletin. 
Although the service bulletins recommend applying torque seal to the 
heads of the screws, this AD does not require that action.

Actions Accomplished According to Previous Issues of Service Bulletins

    (g) Actions accomplished according to the applicable service 
bulletin listed in Table 1 of this AD are considered acceptable for 
compliance with the corresponding actions specified in this AD.

                 Table 1.--Acceptable Service Bulletins
------------------------------------------------------------------------
   EMBRAER Service Bulletin      Revision               Date
------------------------------------------------------------------------
145LEG-53-0015................          01  September 1, 2004.
145-53-0049...................          01  September 1, 2004.
                                        02  November 26, 2004.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (h)(1) The Manager, International Branch, ANM-116, Transport 
Airplane Directorate, FAA, 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 14 CFR 
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

    (i) Brazilian airworthiness directive 2004-05-03R1, effective 
September 16, 2005, also addresses the subject of this AD.

Material Incorporated by Reference

    (j) You must use the service bulletins identified in Table 2 of 
this AD to perform the actions that are required by this AD, unless 
the AD specifies otherwise.

              Table 2.--Material Incorporated by Reference
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 Revision
   EMBRAER Service Bulletin        level                Date
------------------------------------------------------------------------
145-53-0049...................          01  September 1, 2004.
145-53-0049...................          02  November 26, 2004.
145-53-0049...................          03  August 10, 2005.
145LEG-53-0015................          01  September 1, 2004.
145LEG-53-0015................          02  May 19, 2005.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    EMBRAER Service Bulletin 145LEG-53-0015, Revision 02, dated May 
19, 2005, contains the following effective pages:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                   Revision level
                   Page Nos.                       shown on page                 Date shown on page
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1..............................................                 02  May 19, 2005.
2-8............................................                 01  September 1, 2004.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation 
by reference of these documents in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) 
and 1 CFR part 51. Contact Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. 
(EMBRAER), P.O. Box 343--CEP 12.225, Sao Jose dos Campos--SP, 
Brazil, 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 August 3, 2006.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
 [FR Doc. E6-13653 Filed 8-18-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P