[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 250 (Thursday, December 29, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 81889-81890]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-33275]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2011-1410; Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-033-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Saab AB, Saab Aerosystems Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all 
Saab AB, Saab Aerosystems Model SAAB 2000 airplanes. This proposed AD 
was prompted by reports of hydraulic accumulator failure. This proposed 
AD would require replacing certain hydraulic accumulators with 
stainless steel hydraulic accumulators, and structural modifications in 
the nose landing gear bay. We are proposing this AD to prevent failure 
of hydraulic accumulators, which may result in damage to the airplane 
and injury to occupants.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by February 13, 
2012.

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, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    For service information identified in this proposed AD, contact 
Saab AB, Saab Aerosystems, SE-581 88, Link[ouml]ping, Sweden; telephone 
+46 13 18 5591; fax +46 13 18 4874; email 
[email protected]; Internet http://www.saabgroup.com. 
You may review copies of the referenced service information at the FAA, 
Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, 
Washington. For information on the availability of this material at the 
FAA, call (425) 227-1221.

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 (telephone (800) 647-5527) is 
in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket 
shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shahram Daneshmandi, Aerospace 
Engineer, International Branch, ANM-116, Transport Airplane 
Directorate, FAA, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; 
telephone (425) 227-1112; fax (425) 227-1149.

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-2011-1410; 
Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-033-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 we 
receive about this proposed AD.

Discussion

    The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical 
Agent for the Member States of the European Community, has issued EASA 
Airworthiness Directive 2011-0004, dated January 17, 2011 (referred to 
after this as ``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition for the 
specified products. The MCAI states:

    Three cases of failure have been reported, affecting the same 
type of hydraulic accumulator as installed on SAAB 2000 aeroplanes, 
although all occurred on other aeroplane types. The reported cause 
of these failures has been traced to corrosion. Any of the end parts 
on the accumulator may depart from the pressure vessel if they are 
affected by corrosion.
    This condition, if not detected and corrected, may lead to 
fatigue failure of a hydraulic accumulator, possibly resulting in 
damage to the aeroplane and injury to occupants. In addition, a 
quality issue during the replacement of the base material in the end 
parts of the accumulator may have affected the service life of the 
accumulator.
    To address this unsafe condition, SAAB has introduced a new type 
of hydraulic accumulator, which is made of stainless steel.
    For the reasons described above, this [EASA] AD requires the 
replacement of all Part Number (P/N) 08 8423 030 1 hydraulic 
accumulators with stainless steel P/N 40800-2050 hydraulic 
accumulators and associated structural modifications in the nose 
landing gear bay.

You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI in the AD 
docket.

Relevant Service Information

    Saab has issued Service Bulletin 2000-29-024, Revision 01, dated 
November 5, 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 another 
country, and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant 
to our bilateral agreement with the State of Design Authority, we have 
been notified of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI and service 
information referenced above. We are proposing this AD because we 
evaluated all pertinent information and determined an unsafe condition 
exists and is likely to exist or develop on other products of the same 
type design.

Costs of Compliance

    Based on the service information, we estimate that this proposed AD 
would affect about 8 products of U.S. registry. We also estimate that 
it would take about 12 work-hours per product to comply with the basic 
requirements of this proposed AD. The average labor rate is $85 per 
work-hour. Required parts would cost about $9,995 per product. Where 
the service information lists required parts costs that are covered 
under warranty, we have assumed that there will be no charge for these 
parts. As we do not control warranty coverage for affected parties, 
some parties may incur costs higher

[[Page 81890]]

than estimated here. Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of 
the proposed AD on U.S. operators to be $88,120, or $11,015 per 
product.

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, Incorporation by 
reference, 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:

Saab AB, Saab Aerosystems: Docket No. FAA-2011-1410; Directorate 
Identifier 2011-NM-033-AD.

Comments Due Date

    (a) We must receive comments by February 13, 2012.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Saab AB, Saab Aerosystems Model SAAB 2000 
airplanes, all serial numbers; certificated in any category.

Subject

    (d) Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 29: 
Hydraulic Power.

Reason

    (e) This AD was prompted by reports of hydraulic accumulator 
failure. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of hydraulic 
accumulators, which may result in damage to the airplane and injury 
to occupants.

Compliance

    (f) You are responsible for having the actions required by this 
AD performed within the compliance times specified, unless the 
actions have already been done.

Actions

    (g) Within 12 months after the effective date of this AD, 
replace all hydraulic accumulators having part number (P/N) 08 8423 
030 1, with stainless steel hydraulic accumulators having P/N 40800-
2050, and do the structural modifications in the nose landing gear 
bay, in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions of Saab 
Service Bulletin 2000-29-024, Revision 01, dated November 5, 2010.

Parts Installation

    (h) After replacement of hydraulic accumulators having P/N 08 
8423 030 1 with hydraulic accumulators having P/N 40800-2050, and 
doing the structural modifications in the nose landing gear bay, as 
required by paragraph (g) of this AD, no person may install any 
hydraulic accumulator having P/N 08 8423 030 1 on any airplane.

Credit for Actions Accomplished in Accordance With Previous Service 
Information

    (i) Replacing the hydraulic accumulators and doing the 
structural modifications in the nose landing gear bay, in accordance 
with the Accomplishment Instructions of Saab Service Bulletin 2000-
29-024, dated November 18, 2009, before the effective date of this 
AD, is acceptable for compliance with the corresponding replacement 
and structural modifications required by paragraph (g) of this AD.

Other FAA AD Provisions

    (j) The following provisions also apply to this AD:
    (1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, ANM-
116, International Branch, Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, has 
the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the 
procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, 
send your request to your principal inspector or local Flight 
Standards District Office, as appropriate. If sending information 
directly to the International Branch, send it to ATTN: Shahram 
Daneshmandi, Aerospace Engineer, International Branch, ANM-116, 
Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, 
Washington 98057-3356; telephone (425) 227-1112; fax (425) 227-1149. 
Information may be emailed to: [email protected]. 
Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate principal 
inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager of the 
local flight standards district office/certificate holding district 
office. The AMOC approval letter must specifically reference this 
AD.
    (2) Airworthy Product: For any requirement in this AD to obtain 
corrective actions from a manufacturer or other source, use these 
actions if they are FAA-approved. Corrective actions are considered 
FAA-approved if they are approved by the State of Design Authority 
(or their delegated agent). You are required to assure the product 
is airworthy before it is returned to service.

Related Information

    (k) Refer to MCAI European Aviation Safety Agency Airworthiness 
Directive 2011-0004, dated January 17, 2011; and Saab Service 
Bulletin 2000-29-024, Revision 01, dated November 5, 2010; for 
related information.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on December 19, 2011.
Kalene C. Yanamura,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-33275 Filed 12-28-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P