[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 58 (Tuesday, March 25, 2008)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 15678-15681]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-5959]


 ========================================================================
 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. 73, No. 58 / Tuesday, March 25, 2008 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 15678]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2008-0353; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-101-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Hawker Beechcraft Corporation Model 390 
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 Hawker Beechcraft Corporation Model 390 airplanes. This 
proposed AD would require you to repetitively do a post-flight check 
(owner/operator holding at least a private pilot certificate checking 
for residual heat in the angle-of-attack (AOA) probes or an 
appropriately-rated mechanic doing a maintenance manual operational 
test of the heat of the AOA probes) after every flight and replace or 
modify (upload software) the stall warning AOA transmitters. This 
proposed AD results from reports of the potential for unannunciated 
loss of the heating function in the left-hand (LH) and right-hand (RH) 
stall warning AOA transmitters of Model 390 airplanes. We are proposing 
this AD to correct potentially inadequate stall warning with loss of 
stick pusher function.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by May 27, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Use one of the following addresses to comment on this 
proposed AD:
     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 proposed AD, contact 
Hawker Beechcraft Corporation, 9709 East Central, Wichita, Kansas 
67291; telephone: (800) 429-5372 or (316) 676-3140.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Philip Petty, Aerospace Engineer, 
Wichita Aircraft Certification Office, 1801 Airport Road, Room 100, 
Wichita, Kansas 67209; telephone: (316) 946-4139; fax: (316) 946-4107.

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-
2008-0353; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-101-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://www.regulations.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 have received reports of the potential for unannunciated loss of 
the heating function in the LH/RH stall warning AOA transmitters of 
Model 390 airplanes. The current AOA transmitter software may not 
always annunciate certain failure modes of the probe or case heating 
circuits.
    This condition, if not corrected, could result in potentially 
inadequate stall warning with loss of stick pusher function.

Relevant Service Information

    We have reviewed Hawker Beechcraft Mandatory Service Bulletin No. 
SB 27-3787, issued: May 2007; and Raytheon Aircraft Company Temporary 
Change to the FAA Approved Airplane Flight Manual P/N 390-590001-
0003CTC7, issued: March 15, 2007. The service information describes 
procedures for the replacement/modification of the stall warning AOA 
transmitters. The airplane flight manual (AFM) describes procedures for 
doing a post-flight check. This post-flight check can be either the 
pilot checking for residual heat in the AOA probes as part of the 
shutdown procedure or, alternatively, having the AOA probe heat 
operational test maintenance manual procedure done by an appropriately-
rated mechanic.

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 a repetitive post-flight check for residual heat in the 
AOA probes or a maintenance manual operational test of the heat of the 
AOA probes after every flight and replace or modify (upload software) 
the stall warning AOA transmitters. Replacement or modification (upload 
software) of the stall warning AOA transmitters terminates the 
repetitive requirement to do the post-flight action.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD would affect 152 airplanes in the 
U.S. registry.
    We estimate the following costs to incorporate and remove the 
temporary change to the AFM.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                          Total cost per
            Labor cost                  Parts cost           airplane
------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.5 work-hour x $80 per hour =     Not Applicable......             $40
 $40.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 15679]]

    We estimate that the proposed post-flight residual heat check 
requires about 3 minutes to do. We estimate the following costs to do 
10 of the proposed post-flight residual heat checks. We have no way of 
determining the number of airplanes that would have this post-flight 
residual heat check, or how many times this will need to be performed 
before the terminating action is done:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Labor cost to do 10 post-flight                          Total cost per
       residual heat checks             Parts cost           airplane
------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.5 work-hour x $80 per hour =     Not Applicable......             $40
 $40.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We estimate the following costs to do the proposed maintenance 
manual operational test of the heat of the AOA probes. We have no way 
of determining the number of airplanes that would have this operational 
test, or how many times this will need to be performed before the 
terminating action is done:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                          Total cost per
            Labor cost                  Parts cost           airplane
------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.5 work-hour x $80 per hour =     Not Applicable......             $40
 $40.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We estimate the following costs to do any proposed upload of 
software to the AOA transmitters. We have no way of determining the 
number of airplanes that would have this modification:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                          Total cost per
            Labor cost                  Parts cost           airplane
------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 work-hours x $80 per hour =      Not Applicable......            $320
 $320.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We estimate the following costs to do any proposed replacement of 2 
stall warning AOA transmitters. We have no way of determining the 
number of airplanes that would have this replacement:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                          Total cost per
              Labor cost                   Parts cost        airplane
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 work-hours x $80 per hour = $160....         $18,600          $18,760
------------------------------------------------------------------------

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://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 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:

[[Page 15680]]

Hawker Beechcraft Corporation: Docket No. FAA-2008-0353; Directorate 
Identifier 2007-CE-101-AD.

Comments Due Date

    (a) We must receive comments on this airworthiness directive 
(AD) action by May 27, 2008.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Model 390 airplanes, serial numbers RB-4 
through RB-204, that are certificated in any category.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from reports of the potential for 
unannunciated loss of the heating function in the left-hand (LH) and 
right-hand (RH) stall warning angle-of-attack (AOA) transmitters of 
Model 390 airplanes. We are issuing this AD to correct potentially 
inadequate stall warning with loss of stick pusher function.

Compliance

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

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   Actions                                Compliance                        Procedures
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Incorporate Raytheon Aircraft Company      Within 15 hours time-in-service   Not Applicable.
 Temporary Change to the FAA Approved           (TIS) after the effective date
 Airplane Flight Manual P/N 390-590001-         of the AD or within 30 days
 0003CTC7, issued: March 15, 2007, into the     after the effective date of the
 airplane flight manual (AFM).                  AD, whichever occurs first.
(2) After every flight do the following:       Within 15 hours TIS after the     (A) For the post-flight check
(i) Do a post-flight check for residual heat    effective date of the AD or       for residual heat in the AOA
 in the AOA probes. CAUTION: TO PREVENT         within 30 days after the          probes: Follow AFM Temporary
 POSSIBLE BURNS, USE EXTREME CAUTION TOUCHING   effective date of the AD,         Change P/N 390-590001-
 HEATED AREAS. TO CHECK HEATING AND AVOID       whichever occurs first.           0003CTC7, issued: March 15,
 BURNS, HOLD HAND NEAR HEATED AREA OR MOVE      Completion of paragraph           2007. The owner/operator
 HAND GRADUALLY FROM AMBIENT AREA TOWARD        (e)(3)(i) or (e)(3)(ii) of this   holding at least a private
 HEATED AREA UNTIL WARMTH CAN BE FELT. If you   AD terminates the required        pilot certificate as
 do not feel heat in the AOA probes, then do    repetitive post-flight check of   authorized by section 43.7 of
 paragraph (e)(2)(ii) of this AD; or            this AD.                          the Federal Aviation
(ii) Do a post-flight maintenance manual                                          Regulations (14 CFR 43.7) may
 operational test of the heat of the AOA                                          do this post-flight check
 probes. If the AOA probe fails the                                               required by paragraph
 operational test, replace the AOA probe.                                         (e)(2)(i) of this AD. Make an
                                                                                  entry into the aircraft
                                                                                  records showing compliance
                                                                                  with this AD following section
                                                                                  43.9 of the Federal Aviation
                                                                                  Regulations (14 CFR 43.9).
                                                                                 (B) For the post-flight
                                                                                  maintenance manual operational
                                                                                  test of the heat of the AOA
                                                                                  probes: Follow the procedures
                                                                                  of the maintenance manual to
                                                                                  do the operational test of the
                                                                                  heat of the AOA probes
                                                                                  required by paragraph
                                                                                  (e)(2)(ii) of this AD. The
                                                                                  maintenance manual operational
                                                                                  test must be done by an
                                                                                  appropriately-rated mechanic.
                                                                                 (C) For AOA probe replacement:
                                                                                  Follow Hawker Beechcraft
                                                                                  Mandatory Service Bulletin No.
                                                                                  SB 27-3787, issued: May 2007.
(3) Replace or modify (upload software) the    Within 250 hours TIS after the    Follow Hawker Beechcraft
 stall warning AOA transmitters by doing one    effective date of this AD or      Mandatory Service Bulletin No.
 of the following:                              within 12 months after the        SB 27-3787, issued: May 2007.
(i) Upload new software Kit No. 123-3436        effective date of this AD,
 (Field Software Upload SLZ8060-3,-4) to the    whichever occurs first.
 AOA transmitters; or                           Completion of either paragraph
(ii) Replace any part number (P/N) SLZ8060-3    (e)(3)(i) or (e)(3)(ii) of this
 and/or P/N SLZ8060-4 AOA transmitters with     AD terminates the required
 new P/N SLZ8060-5 AOA transmitters.            repetitive post-flight check of
                                                this AD.
(4) Remove Raytheon Aircraft Company           Before further flight after       Follow Hawker Beechcraft
 Temporary Change to the FAA Approved           doing the actions required by     Mandatory Service Bulletin No.
 Airplane Flight Manual P/N 390-590001-         paragraph (e)(3)(i) or            SB 27-3787, issued: May 2007.
 0003CTC7, issued: March 15, 2007, from the     paragraph (e)(3)(ii) of this AD.
 AFM.
(5) Do not install any P/N SLZ8060-3 or P/N    As of the effective date of this  Not Applicable.
 SLZ8060-4 AOA transmitter that does not have   AD.
 the new upgraded software required by
 paragraph (e)(3)(i) of this AD.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (f) The Manager, Wichita 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: Philip Petty, Aerospace Engineer, Wichita ACO, 1801 Airport 
Road, Room 100, Wichita, Kansas 67209; telephone: (316) 946-4139; 
fax: (316) 946-4107. 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 Hawker Beechcraft Corporation, 9709 East Central, 
Wichita, Kansas 67291; telephone: (800) 429-5372 or (316) 676-3140. 
To view the AD docket, go to 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://www.regulations.gov.


[[Page 15681]]


    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on March 19, 2008.
John Colomy,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.

[FR Doc. E8-5959 Filed 3-24-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P