[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 183 (Thursday, September 20, 2012)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 58323-58325]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-23149]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2012-0986; Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-077-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Gulfstream Aerospace LP (Type 
Certificate Previously Held by Israel Aircraft Industries, Ltd.) 
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 
Gulfstream Aerospace LP (Type Certificate Previously Held by Israel 
Aircraft Industries, Ltd.) Model Gulfstream G150 airplanes. This 
proposed AD was prompted by a review that determined that the runway 
slope and anti-ice corrections to V1 and take-off distances 
in the Gulfstream G150 Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) were presented in a 
non-conservative manner. This proposed AD would require revising the 
performance section of the AFM to include procedures to advise the 
flightcrew of certain runway slope and anti-ice corrections and take-
off distance values. We are proposing this AD to prevent the use of 
published non-conservative data, which could result in the inability to 
meet the required take-off performance, with consequent hazard to safe 
operation during performance-limited take-off operations.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by November 5, 
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

[[Page 58324]]

p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    For service information identified in this proposed AD, contact 
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, P.O. Box 2206, Mail Station D-25, 
Savannah, GA 31402-2206; telephone 800-810-4853; fax 912-965-3520; 
email [email protected]; Internet http://www.gulfstream.com/product_support/technical_pubs/pubs/index.htm. You may review copies of the 
referenced service information at the FAA, Transport Airplane 
Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA. 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: Tom Groves, Aerospace Engineer, 
International Branch, ANM-116, Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 
1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057-3356; telephone 425-227-1503; 
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-2012-0986; 
Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-077-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 Civil Aviation Authority of Israel (CAAI), which is the 
aviation authority for Israel, has issued Israeli Airworthiness 
Directive 01-12-02-02, dated March 2, 2012 (referred to after this as 
``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition for the specified 
products. The MCAI states:

    This [Israeli] AD mandates revised limitations in the G150 AFM, 
pertaining to the Performance Section. Each operator must 
incorporate Temporary Rev.3 to the G150 AFM.

The unsafe condition is the use of published non-conservative data, 
which could result in the inability to meet the required take-off 
performance, with consequent hazard to safe operation during 
performance-limited take-off operations. You may obtain further 
information by examining the MCAI in the AD docket.

Relevant Service Information

    Gulfstream has issued Gulfstream G150 Temporary Revision 3, dated 
December 14, 2011, to Section V, Performance, of the Gulfstream G150 
AFM. 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 56 products of U.S. registry. We also estimate that 
it would take about 1 work-hour per product to comply with the basic 
requirements of this proposed AD. The average labor rate is $85 per 
work-hour. Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of the proposed 
AD on U.S. operators to be $4,760, or $85 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);
    3. Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska; and
    4. 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:

Gulfstream Aerospace LP (Type Certificate Previously Held by Israel 
Aircraft

[[Page 58325]]

Industries, Ltd.): Docket No. FAA-2012-0986; Directorate Identifier 
2012-NM-077-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by November 5, 2012.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Gulfstream Aerospace LP (Type Certificate 
previously held by Israel Aircraft Industries, Ltd.) Model 
Gulfstream G150 airplanes; certificated in any category; all serial 
numbers.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 01, Operations 
information.

(e) Reason

    This AD was prompted by a review that determined that the runway 
slope and anti-ice corrections to V1 and take-off 
distances in the G150 Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) were presented in 
a non-conservative manner. We are issuing this AD to prevent the use 
of published non-conservative data, which could result in the 
inability to meet the required take-off performance, with consequent 
hazard to safe operation during performance-limited take-off 
operations.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) AFM Revision

    Within 60 days after the effective date of this AD, revise 
Section V, Performance, of the Gulfstream G150 AFM to include the 
information in Gulfstream G150 Temporary Revision 3, dated December 
14, 2011. This TR introduces corrections for runway slope. Operate 
the airplane according to the procedures in the TR.

    Note 1 to paragraph (g) of this AD: This may be done by 
inserting copies of Gulfstream G150 TR Revision 3, dated December 
14, 2011, in the AFM. When this TR has been included in general 
revisions of the AFM, the general revisions may be inserted in the 
AFM, provided the relevant information in the general revision is 
identical to that in Gulfstream G150 TR Revision 3, dated December 
14, 2011, and the TR may be removed.

(h) Other FAA AD Provisions

    The following provisions also apply to this AD:
    (1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, 
International Branch, ANM-116, 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: Tom Groves, 
Aerospace Engineer, International Branch, ANM-116, Transport 
Airplane Directorate, FAA, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057-
3356; telephone 425-227-1503; 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.

(i) Special Flight Permits

    Special flight permits, as described in Section 21.197 and 
Section 21.199 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 21.197 
and 21.199), are not allowed.

(j) Related Information

    (1) Refer to MCAI Israeli Airworthiness Directive 01-12-02-02, 
dated March 2, 2012; and Gulfstream G150 TR Revision 3, dated 
December 14, 2011, to Section V, Performance of the Gulfstream G150 
AFM; for related information.
    (2) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, P.O. Box 2206, Mail Station D-25, 
Savannah, GA 31402-2206; telephone 800-810-4853; fax 912-965-3520; 
email [email protected]; Internet http://www.gulfstream.com/product_support/technical_pubs/pubs/index.htm. You may review 
copies of the referenced service information at the FAA, Transport 
Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA. For 
information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 
425-227-1221.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on September 7, 2012.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-23149 Filed 9-19-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P