[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 208 (Thursday, October 28, 2010)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 66342-66344]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-27228]


 ========================================================================
 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
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 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. 75, No. 208 / Thursday, October 28, 2010 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 66342]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2010-0892; Directorate Identifier 2010-NE-32-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Thielert Aircraft Engines GmbH Models 
TAE 125-02-99 and TAE 125-02-114 Reciprocating Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the 
products listed above. This proposed AD results from mandatory 
continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by an aviation 
authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe 
condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe 
condition as:

    Service experience has shown that fracture of the timing chain 
has occurred due to chain wear. This condition, if not corrected, 
could lead to in-flight cases of engine shutdown.

We are proposing this AD to prevent engine in-flight shutdown leading 
to loss of control of the airplane by requiring life limits for the 
timing chain.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by December 13, 
2010.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the instructions for sending your 
comments electronically.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., West Building Ground 
Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
     Fax: (202) 493-2251.
    Contact Thielert Aircraft Engines GmbH, Platanenstrasse 14 D-09350, 
Lichtenstein, Germany, telephone: +49-37204-696-0; fax: +49-37204-696-
55; e-mail: engines.com">info@centurion-engines.com for the service information 
identified in this proposed AD.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov; or in person at the Docket Operations office 
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 Operations office (phone (800) 647-5527) is the 
same as the Mail address provided in the ADDRESSES section. Comments 
will be available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alan Strom, Aerospace Engineer, Engine 
Certification Office, FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New 
England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; e-mail: 
[email protected]; telephone (781) 238-7143; fax (781) 238-7199.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited

    We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address 
listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2010-0892; 
Directorate Identifier 2010-NE-32-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 based on 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 
with FAA personnel concerning this proposed AD. Using the search 
function of the Web site, anyone can find and read the comments in any 
of our dockets, including, if provided, the name of the individual who 
sent the comment (or signed the comment on behalf of an association, 
business, labor union, etc.). You may review the DOT's complete Privacy 
Act Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 
FR 19477-78).

Discussion

    The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical 
Agent for the Member States of the European Community, has issued EASA 
AD 2010-0136, dated June 30, 2010 (referred to after this as ``the 
MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition for the specified products. The 
MCAI states:

    Service experience has shown that fracture of the timing chain 
has occurred due to chain wear. This condition, if not corrected, 
could lead to in-flight cases of engine shutdown.

Engine experience shows that the design of the timing chain does not 
have the expected durability as evidenced by accelerated, premature 
wear, causing chain fracture resulting in engine in-flight shutdown. 
The chain link pins and link plates become weakened and break from wear 
caused by hard sooty particles that are by-products of combustion. The 
link wear also lengthens the chain causing camshaft sprocket wear. 
Replacing the timing chain at the compliance times in this AD will help 
to avoid chain failure, which would cause engine shutdown.
    You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI in the AD 
docket.

Relevant Service Information

    Thielert Aircraft Engines GmbH has issued Service Bulletin No. TM 
TAE 125-1010 P1, Revision 2, dated May 26, 2010. The actions described 
in this service information are intended to correct the unsafe 
condition identified in the MCAI.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of This Proposed AD

    This product has been approved by the aviation authority of Germany 
and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to our 
bilateral agreement with Germany, they have notified us of the unsafe 
condition described in the MCAI and service information referenced 
above. We are proposing this AD because we evaluated all information 
provided by EASA and determined the unsafe condition exists

[[Page 66343]]

and is likely to exist or develop on other products of the same type 
design. This proposed AD would require initial replacement of the 
timing chain on the TAE 125-02-99 and TAE 125-02-114 reciprocating 
engines listed by serial number in Table 1 of the proposed AD, and 
thereafter, repetitive replacements of the timing chain on all TAE 125-
02-99 and TAE 125-02-114 reciprocating engines.

Costs of Compliance

    Based on the service information, we estimate that this proposed AD 
would affect about 112 engines installed on airplanes of U.S. registry. 
We also estimate that it would take about 8 work-hours per product to 
comply with this proposed AD. The average labor rate is $85 per work-
hour. Required parts would cost about $162 per engine. Based on these 
figures, we estimate the cost of the proposed AD on U.S. operators to 
be $94,304.

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 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 this 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.

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:

Thielert Aircraft Engines GmbH: Docket No. FAA-2010-0892; 
Directorate Identifier 2010-NE-32-AD.

Comments Due Date

    (a) We must receive comments by December 13, 2010.

Affected Airworthiness Directives (ADs)

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Thielert Aircraft Engines GmbH models TAE 
125-02-99 and TAE 125-02-114 reciprocating engines installed in, but 
not limited to, Cessna 172 and (Reims-built) F172 series (European 
Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) 
No. EASA.A.S.01527); Piper PA-28 series (EASA STC No. EASA.A.S. 
01632); APEX (Robin) DR 400 series (EASA STC No. A.S.01380); and 
Diamond Aircraft Industries Models DA 40, DA 42, and DA 42M NG 
airplanes.

Reason

    (d) This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness 
information (MCAI) issued by an aviation authority of another 
country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation 
product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as:

    Service experience has shown that fracture of the timing chain 
has occurred due to chain wear. This condition, if not corrected, 
could lead to in-flight cases of engine shutdown.

    We are issuing this AD to prevent engine in-flight shutdown 
leading to loss of control of the airplane by requiring life limits 
for the timing chain.

Actions and Compliance

    (e) Unless already done, do the following actions.

Initial Replacement of Timing Chain

    (1) For engines with serial numbers (S/Ns) listed in Table 1 of 
this AD, replace the timing chain within 600 flight hours-since-new, 
or no later than 55 flight hours after the effective date of this 
AD, whichever occurs later.

  Table 1--S/Ns of Engines Affected by the Compliance Time in Paragraph
                            (e)(1) of This AD
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
02-02-01510 to 02-02-01514 inclusive.
02-02-01518 to 02-02-01520 inclusive.
02-02-01529.
02-02-01717.
02-02-01718.
02-02-01720.
02-02-01721.
02-02-01727.
02-02-01728.
02-02-01730 to 02-02-01733 inclusive.
02-02-01739 to 02-02-01752 inclusive.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (2) For engines with S/Ns not listed in Table 1 of this AD, 
replace the timing chain within 910 flight hours-since-new, or no 
later than 55 flight hours after the effective date of this AD, 
whichever occurs later.

Repetitive Replacements of Timing Chains for All TAE 125-02-99 and TAE 
125-02-114 Engines

    (3) Thereafter, for all TAE 125-02-99 and TAE 125-02-114 
engines, repetitively replace the timing chain within every 
additional 910 flight hours.
    (4) Guidance on replacing the timing chain can be found in 
Thielert Aircraft Engines GmbH Service Bulletin No. TM TAE 125-1010 
P1, Revision 2, dated May 26, 2010.

FAA AD Differences

    (f) This AD differs from the MCAI and/or service information, 
which require initial replacement of the timing chain for the 
engines listed in paragraph (e)(1) above within either the next 110 
flight hours or at the next maintenance, whichever occurs first, for 
those engines having accumulated between 500 and 600 flight hours 
time-since-new. The reason for the difference is to ensure that the 
compliance requirements for all engines in paragraph (e)(1) above 
are consistent.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (g) The Manager, Engine Certification Office, FAA, has the 
authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the 
procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.

Related Information

    (h) Refer to MCAI European Aviation Safety Agency AD 2010-0136, 
dated June 30, 2010, and Thielert Aircraft Engines GmbH Service 
Bulletin No. TM TAE 125-1010 P1, Revision 2, dated May 26, 2010, for 
related information. Contact Thielert Aircraft Engines GmbH, 
Platanenstrasse 14 D-09350, Lichtenstein, Germany, telephone: +49-
37204-696-0; fax: +49-37204-696-55; e-mail: engines.com">info@centurion-engines.com, for a copy of this service information.

[[Page 66344]]

    (i) Contact Alan Strom, Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification 
Office, FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New England 
Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; e-mail: [email protected]; 
telephone (781) 238-7143; fax (781) 238-7199, for more information 
about this AD.

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on October 21, 2010.
Peter A. White,
Assistant Manager, Engine and Propeller Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-27228 Filed 10-27-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P