[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 113 (Wednesday, June 13, 2007)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 32563-32564]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-11386]


 ========================================================================
 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. 72, No. 113 / Wednesday, June 13, 2007 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 32563]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2007-28245; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-047-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Cirrus Design Corporation Models SR20 
and SR22 Airplanes

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

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain Cirrus Design Corporation (CDC) Models SR20 and SR22 airplanes. 
This proposed AD would require you to replace the cabin door rod ends 
at the upper and lower hinges of the cabin door with newly designed rod 
ends. This proposed AD results from two known occurrences of in-flight 
cabin door separation (one total separation and one retained by the 
door strut). The rod ends, a component of the door hinges, may fail and 
result in a door separation from the airplane while in flight. We are 
proposing this AD to prevent in-flight failure of the cabin door, which 
could result in door separation from the airplane.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by August 13, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Use one of the following addresses to comment on this 
proposed AD:
     DOT Docket Web site: Go to http://dms.dot.gov and follow 
the instructions for sending your comments electronically.
     Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket 
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590.
     Fax: (202) 493-2251.
     Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket 
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    For service information identified in this proposed AD, contact 
Cirrus Design Corporation, 4515 Taylor Circle, Duluth, Minnesota 55811; 
telephone: (218) 727-2737; Internet address: http://www.cirrusdesign.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wess Rouse, Aerospace Engineer, 2300 
East Devon Avenue, Room 107, Des Plaines, Illinois 60018; telephone: 
(847) 294-8113; fax: (847) 297-7834.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments regarding this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address 
listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include the docket number, ``FAA-
2007-28245; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-047-AD'' at the beginning of 
your comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall 
regulatory, economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the proposed 
AD. We will consider all comments received by the closing date and may 
amend the 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

    We received notification by CDC of a door that separated from a CDC 
SR22 airplane while in-flight. During descent for landing, the door 
separated from the airplane and struck the tail of the airplane. There 
have been many occurrences of broken or bent lower door hinges on CDC 
Models SR20 and SR22 airplanes, most discovered before flight.
    This condition, if not corrected, could result in door separation 
from the airplane.

Relevant Service Information

    We have reviewed Cirrus Design Corporation Service Bulletin SB 2X-
52-07, dated May 3, 2007.
    The service information describes procedures for the installation 
of newly designed rod ends for the cabin door.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of the Proposed AD

    We are proposing this AD because we evaluated all information and 
determined the unsafe condition described previously is likely to exist 
or develop on other products of the same type design. This proposed AD 
would require you to replace the cabin door rod ends at the upper and 
lower hinges of the cabin door with newly designed rod ends.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD would affect 1,562 airplanes in 
the U.S. registry.
    We estimate the following costs to do the proposed replacement of 
the cabin door rod ends:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Total cost
          Labor cost             Parts cost    Total cost      on U.S.
                                              per airplane    operators
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.5 work-hours x $80 per hour           $60          $260      $406,120
 = $200.......................
------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 32564]]

    CDC will provide warranty credit as stated in Cirrus Design 
Corporation Service Bulletin SB 2X-52-07, dated May 3, 2007.

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 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 the proposed 
regulation:
    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 regulatory evaluation of the estimated costs to 
comply with this proposed AD and placed it in the AD docket.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket that contains the proposed AD, the 
regulatory evaluation, any comments received, and other information on 
the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov; or in person at the Docket 
Management Facility between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays. The Docket Office (telephone (800) 647-5527) 
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 FAA 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:

Cirrus Design Corporation: Docket No. FAA-2007-28245; Directorate 
Identifier 2007-CE-047-AD.

Comments Due Date

    (a) We must receive comments on this airworthiness directive 
(AD) action by August 13, 2007.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to the following airplane models and serial 
numbers that are certificated in any category:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Models                           Serial numbers
------------------------------------------------------------------------
SR20..............................  1423 through 1796.
SR22..............................  0795 and 0820 through 2499.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from two known occurrences of in-flight 
cabin door separation (one total separation and one retained by the 
door strut). We are proposing this AD to prevent in-flight failure 
of the cabin door, which could result in door separation from the 
airplane.

Compliance

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

------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Actions                 Compliance            Procedures
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Remove the old cabin      Within the next 30    Follow Cirrus Design
 door rod ends (both doors)    hours time-in-        Corporation Service
 and replace with the new      service (TIS) after   Bulletin SB 2X-52-
 designed cabin door rod       the effective date    07, dated May 3,
 ends, part number 21845-001.  of this AD or         2007.
                               within 90 days
                               after the effective
                               date of this AD,
                               whichever occurs
                               first.
(2) Inspect cabin door fit-   Within the next 30    Follow Cirrus Design
 up and latch for proper       hours time-in-        Corporation Service
 fit, adjusting as necessary.  service (TIS) after   Bulletin SB 2X-52-
                               the effective date    07, dated May 3,
                               of this AD or         2007.
                               within 90 days
                               after the effective
                               date of this AD,
                               whichever occurs
                               first.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (f) The Manager, Chicago Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, has 
the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the 
procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. Send information to ATTN: Wess 
Rouse, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, 2300 East Devon Avenue, Room 107, 
Des Plaines, Illinois 60018; telephone: (847) 294-8113; fax: (847) 
297-7834. Before using any approved AMOC on any airplane to which 
the AMOC applies, notify your appropriate principal inspector (PI) 
in the FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), or lacking a PI, 
your local FSDO.

Related Information

    (g) To get copies of the service information referenced in this 
AD, contact Cirrus Design Corporation, 4515 Taylor Circle, Duluth, 
Minnesota 55811; telephone: (218) 727-2737; Internet address: http://www.cirrusdesign.com. To view the AD docket, go to the U.S. 
Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building 
Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, 
DC 20590, or on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov. The docket 
number is Docket No. FAA-2007-28245; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-
047-AD.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on June 6, 2007.
James E. Jackson,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. E7-11386 Filed 6-12-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P