[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 50 (Thursday, March 13, 2008)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 13498-13500]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-5001]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2007-0290; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-250-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Sandel Avionics Incorporated Model 
ST3400 Terrain Awareness Warning System/Radio Magnetic Indicator (TAWS/
RMI) Units Approved Under Technical Standard Order(s) C113, C151a, or 
C151b; Installed on Various Small and Transport Category Airplanes

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

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to revise an existing airworthiness directive 
(AD) that applies to Sandel Avionics Incorporated Model ST3400 TAWS/RMI 
units as described above. The existing AD currently requires installing 
a warning placard on the TAWS/RMI and revising the Limitations section 
of the airplane flight manual (AFM). The existing AD also requires 
installing upgraded software in the TAWS/RMI. This proposed AD would 
allow installing later revisions of the software described in the 
existing AD. This proposed AD results from a report that an in-flight 
bearing error occurred in a Model ST3400 TAWS/RMI configured to receive 
bearing information from a very high frequency omnidirectional range 
(VOR) receiver interface via a composite video signal, due to a 
combination of input signal fault and software error. We are proposing 
this AD to prevent a bearing error, which

[[Page 13499]]

could lead to an airplane departing from its scheduled flight path, 
which could result in a reduction in separation from, and a possible 
collision with, other aircraft or terrain.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by April 28, 2008.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
     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.
     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.
    For service information identified in this AD, contact Sandel 
Avionics Incorporated (Sandel), 2401 Dogwood Way, Vista, California 
92081.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov; or in person at the Docket Management Facility 
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. The AD docket contains this proposed AD, the regulatory 
evaluation, any comments received, and other information. The street 
address for the Docket Office (telephone 800-647-5527) is in the 
ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly 
after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ha A. Nguyen, Aerospace Engineer, 
Systems and Equipment Branch, ANM-130L, FAA, Los Angeles Aircraft 
Certification Office, 3960 Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood, California 
90712-4137; telephone (562) 627-5335; fax (562) 627-5210.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited

    We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposed AD. Send your comments to the address 
listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2007-0290; 
Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-250-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 because of those comments.
    We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We 
will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we 
receive about this proposed AD.

Discussion

    On August 3, 2006, we issued AD 2006-16-18, amendment 39-14718 (71 
FR 48461, August 21, 2006), for Sandel Avionics Incorporated Model 
ST3400 terrain awareness warning system/radio magnetic indicator (TAWS/
RMI) units approved under Technical Standard Order(s) C113, C151a, or 
C151b; installed on various small and transport category airplanes. 
That AD requires installing a warning placard on the TAWS/RMI and 
revising the Limitations section of the airplane flight manual (AFM). 
That AD also requires installing upgraded software in the TAWS/RMI. 
That AD resulted from a report that an in-flight bearing error occurred 
in a Model ST3400 TAWS/RMI configured to receive bearing information 
from a very high frequency omnidirectional range (VOR) receiver 
interface via a composite video signal, due to a combination of input 
signal fault and software error. We issued that AD to prevent a bearing 
error, which could lead to an airplane departing from its scheduled 
flight path, which could result in a reduction in separation from, and 
a possible collision with, other aircraft or terrain.

Actions Since Existing AD Was Issued

    Since we issued AD 2006-16-18, we have determined that later 
revisions of the software described in Sandel ST3400 Service Bulletin 
SB3400-01, Revision B, dated September 15, 2004, which is specified as 
the appropriate source of service information for accomplishing the 
requirements of the existing AD, are acceptable for installation in the 
TAWS/RMI without needing our further approval.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of the Proposed AD

    We have evaluated all pertinent information and identified an 
unsafe condition that is likely to exist or develop on other products 
of this same type design. For this reason, we are proposing this AD, 
which would revise AD 2006-16-18 to permit installing later revisions 
of the software described in the existing service information, and 
would retain the requirements of the existing AD.

Costs of Compliance

    This proposed AD describes the installation of later revisions of 
software than those specified in AD 2006-16-18; however, this change 
imposes no new costs on operators. Costs are repeated here for operator 
convenience only.
    This proposed AD would affect about 300 airplanes of U.S. registry. 
The proposed actions would take about 1 work hour per airplane, at an 
average labor rate of $80 per work hour. Based on these figures, the 
estimated cost of the proposed AD for U.S. operators is $24,000, or $80 
per airplane.

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 place it in the AD docket. See the 
ADDRESSES section for a

[[Page 13500]]

location to examine the regulatory evaluation.

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 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) amends Sec.  39.13 by 
removing amendment 39-14718 (71 FR 48461, August 21, 2006) and adding 
the following new airworthiness directive (AD):

2006-16-18 R1 Sandel Avionics Incorporated: Docket No. FAA-2007-
0290; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-250-AD.

Comments Due Date

    (a) The FAA must receive comments on this AD action by April 28, 
2008.

Affected ADs

    (b) This AD revises AD 2006-16-18.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Sandel Avionics Incorporated (Sandel) 
Model ST3400 terrain awareness warning system/radio magnetic 
indicator (TAWS/RMI) units approved under Technical Standard 
Order(s) C113, C151a, or C151b; as identified in Sandel ST3400 
Service Bulletin SB3400-01, Revision B, dated September 15, 2004; as 
installed on various small and transport category airplanes, 
certificated in any category, including, but not limited, to the 
airplane models listed in Table 1 of this AD.

                 Table 1.--Manufacturers/Airplane Models
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              Manufacturer                      Airplane model(s)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Airbus.................................  A300
Avions Marcel Dassault--Breguet          Falcon 10.
 Aviation (AMD/BA).
Boeing.................................  727, 737, 747.
Bombardier (LearJet)...................  24, 35, 36, 55.
British Aerospace (Operations) Limited.  Jetstream Series 3101.
Cessna.................................  208, 208B, 421C; 501, 525, 550,
                                          560, 650, S550.
Embraer................................  EMB-120.
Dassault-Aviation......................  Mystere-Falcon 50, Mystere-
                                          Falcon 200.
Gulfstream.............................  G-I, G-1159A (G-III).
Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI).......  1124, 1125 Westwind Astra.
McDonnell Douglas......................  DC-10.
Piper..................................  PA-31T2.
Raytheon...............................  58; 1900D, 400; A36; BAe.125
                                          Series 800A; HS.125 Series
                                          600A/700A; Hawker 800-XP; 200,
                                          300, 350; A200, B100, B200,
                                          B300, C90, C90A, C90B, E90,
                                          F90; MU-300-10.
Sabreliner.............................  60 (NA-265-60).
Twin Commander.........................  500-A, 695A.
Viking Air Limited.....................  DHC-6.
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Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from a report that an in-flight bearing 
error occurred in a Model ST3400 TAWS/RMI unit configured to receive 
bearing information from a very high frequency omnidirectional range 
(VOR) receiver interface via a composite video signal, due to a 
combination of input signal fault and software error. We are issuing 
this AD to prevent a bearing error, which could lead to an airplane 
departing from its scheduled flight path, which could result in a 
reduction in separation from, and a possible collision with, other 
aircraft or terrain.

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.

Installing Placard

    (f) Within 14 days after September 25, 2006 (the effective date 
of AD 2006-16-18): Install a placard on the TAWS/RMI which states, 
``NOT FOR PRIMARY VOR NAVIGATION,'' in accordance with Sandel ST3400 
Service Bulletin SB3400-01, Revision B, dated September 15, 2004.

Revising Airplane Flight Manual (AFM)

    (g) Within 14 days after September 25, 2006: Revise the 
Limitations section of the applicable AFM to include the following 
statement: ``Use of ST3400 TAWS/RMI for primary VOR navigation is 
prohibited unless the indicator has 3.07 or A3.06 software or 
later.'' This may be done by inserting a copy of this AD into the 
AFM.

Updating Software

    (h) Within 90 days after September 25, 2006, in accordance with 
Sandel ST3400 Service Bulletin SB3400-01, Revision B, dated 
September 15, 2004: Field-load the TAWS/RMI with updated software 
having revision 3.07 (for units having serial numbers (S/Ns) under 
2000) or revision A3.06 (for units having S/Ns 2000 and subsequent). 
Revisions of software later than revision 3.07 or A3.06, as 
applicable, are considered acceptable for compliance with the 
requirements of this paragraph. The placard and AFM limitations 
revision installed as required by paragraphs (f) and (g) of this AD 
may be removed after the software upgrade required by paragraph (h) 
of this AD has been accomplished.

Parts Installation

    (i) As of 90 days after September 25, 2006, no person may 
install, on any airplane, a Model ST3400 TAWS/RMI unit, unless it 
has been modified in accordance with Sandel ST3400 Service Bulletin 
SB3400-01, Revision B, dated September 15, 2004.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (j)(1) The Manager, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office 
(ACO), FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if 
requested in accordance with the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.
    (2) To request a different method of compliance or a different 
compliance time for this AD, follow the procedures in 14 CFR 39.19. 
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.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on March 3, 2008.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
 [FR Doc. E8-5001 Filed 3-12-08; 8:45 am]
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