[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 119 (Thursday, June 21, 2007)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 34198-34199]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-12006]



[[Page 34198]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2007-28246; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-048-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).

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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 inspect and, as necessary, adjust 
the aileron and rudder rigging and would require you to modify, 
inspect, and, as necessary, adjust the rudder-aileron interconnect 
system. This proposed AD results from an on-the-ground jamming of the 
aileron and rudder controls on a Model SR20 airplane, which resulted in 
loss of rudder and aileron flight controls. We are proposing this AD to 
prevent the possibility of jamming of the rudder-aileron interconnect 
system, which may result in loss of rudder and aileron flight controls.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by August 20, 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-
2007-28246; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-048-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 from CDC of an on-the-ground jamming of 
the aileron and rudder controls under full rudder and aileron cross 
control inputs on a Model SR20 airplane. During a turn from the taxiway 
onto the runway for takeoff, the pilot applied full rudder and full 
opposite aileron for a turn with a crosswind. He then found he could no 
longer move the controls. Subsequent examination of the airplane 
revealed the rudder-aileron interconnect system had become locked 
between the two control cables.
    This condition, if not corrected, could result in the possible 
jamming of the rudder-aileron interconnect system, which may result in 
loss of rudder and aileron flight controls.

Relevant Service Information

    We have reviewed CDC Service Bulletin No. SB 2X-27-14 R1, Issued: 
May 9, 2007, Revised: May 24, 2007.
    The service information describes procedures for inspecting the 
aileron and rudder rigging and modifying, inspecting, and adjusting, as 
necessary, the rudder interconnect system.

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 inspect and, as necessary, adjust the aileron and 
rudder rigging, and would require you to modify, inspect, and, as 
necessary, adjust the rudder-aileron interconnect system.
    This proposed AD increases mechanical clearances within the rudder-
aileron interconnect system and ensures correct rigging/adjustment of 
the ailerons, the rudder, and the rudder-aileron interconnect.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD would affect 2,387 airplanes in 
the U.S. registry.
    We estimate the following costs to do the proposed inspections, 
modification, and any adjustments that may be necessary based on the 
results of the proposed inspections:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                 Total cost per   Total cost on
                          Labor cost                              Parts cost        airplane      U.S. operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 work-hour x $80 per hour = $80.............................             $18              $98         $233,926
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Note: CDC will provide warranty credit to the extent noted in 
Service Bulletin No. SB 2X-27-14 R1, Issued May 9, 2007, Revised May 
24, 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

[[Page 34199]]

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-2007-28246; Directorate 
Identifier 2007-CE-048-AD.

Comments Due Date

    (a) We must receive comments on this airworthiness directive 
(AD) action by August 20, 2007.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Model SR20 airplanes, serial numbers (SN) 
1005 through 1796, and Model SR22 airplanes, SN 0002 through 2333, 
SN 2335 through 2419, and SN 2421 through 2437, that are 
certificated in any category.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from an on-the-ground jamming of the aileron 
and rudder controls on a Model SR20 airplane. We are issuing this AD 
to prevent the possibility of jamming of the rudder-aileron 
interconnect system, which may result in loss of rudder and aileron 
flight controls.

Compliance

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

------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Actions                 Compliance            Procedures
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspect and, as necessary,    Within the next 25    Follow Cirrus
 adjust the aileron and        hours time-in-        Service Bulletin
 rudder rigging and modify,    service (TIS) after   No. SB 2X-27-14 R1,
 inspect, and, as necessary,   the effective date    Issued: May 9,
 adjust the rudder-aileron     of this AD or         2007, Revised: May
 interconnect system.          within the next 3     24, 2007.
                               months after the
                               effective date of
                               this AD, whichever
                               occurs first.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Note: Temporary revisions to the airplane maintenance manuals 
(AMM), SR20 AMM Temporary Revision No. 27-1 and SR22 AMM Temporary 
Revision No. 27-1, both dated May 9, 2007, contain information 
pertaining to this subject.

    (f) Compliance will be acceptable if the above actions are done 
by following the procedures described in Cirrus Service Bulletin No. 
SB 2X-27-14, Issued: May 9, 2007. You may take ``unless already 
done'' credit, and no further action per this AD is necessary.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (g) The Manager, Chicago Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), 
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

    (h) 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-2007-28246; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-
048-AD.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on June 14, 2007.
Kim Smith,
Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
 [FR Doc. E7-12006 Filed 6-20-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P