[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 38 (Tuesday, February 26, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 12995-12998]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-04336]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2013-0093; Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-109-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 supersede an existing airworthiness directive 
(AD) that applies to all Gulfstream Aerospace

[[Page 12996]]

LP (Type Certificate Previously Held by Israel Aircraft Industries, 
Ltd.) Model Gulfstream 100 airplanes, and Model Astra SPX and 1125 
Westwind Astra airplanes. The existing AD currently requires amending 
the airplane flight manuals (AFMs) to include additional procedures for 
verifying complete closure and locking of the main entry door (MED). 
The existing AD also currently requires modifying the warning and 
caution lights panel (WACLP), changing the WACLP and MED wiring, 
changing the wiring harness connecting the MED to the WACLP, and 
revising the log of modification of the AFM if necessary. Since we 
issued that AD, we have determined that the compliance time must be 
revised to ensure the unsafe condition is addressed on low utilization 
airplanes. We have also removed one airplane from the applicability. We 
are proposing this AD to prevent incomplete closure of the MED, which 
may result in the door opening in flight and possible separation of the 
door, causing damage to the airplane structure and left engine by 
flying debris and objects.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by April 12, 2013.

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 
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, P.O. Box 2206, Mail Station D-25, 
Savannah, Georgia 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 Stafford, Aerospace Engineer, 
International Branch, ANM-116, Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 
1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057-3356; phone: 425-227-1622; 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-2013-0093; 
Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-109-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

    On May 7, 2010, we issued AD 2010-11-02, Amendment 39-16307 (75 FR 
28485, May 21, 2010), which superseded AD 2007-03-05, Amendment 39-
14916 (72 FR 4414, January 31, 2007). That AD required actions intended 
to address an unsafe condition on the products listed above.
    Since we issued AD 2010-11-02, Amendment 39-16307 (75 FR 28485, May 
21, 2010), we have determined that the compliance time must be revised 
to ensure the unsafe condition is addressed on low utilization 
airplanes. We have also removed one airplane from the applicability. 
The Civil Aviation Authority of Israel (CAAI), which is the aviation 
authority for Israel, has issued Israeli Airworthiness Directive 31-06-
11-05R1, dated May 18, 2011 (referred to after this as ``the MCAI''), 
to correct an unsafe condition for the specified products. The MCAI 
states:

    To increase pilots' awareness to the possibility of incomplete 
closure of the Main Entry Door (MED) by the following means:
    1. Splitting the common caution light CABIN DOOR signaling both 
MED Improper Closure and MED Inflatable Seal Failure into two 
separate lights: CABIN DOOR and CABIN DOOR SEAL.
    2. Converting the separated CABIN DOOR Caution light into a 
Warning light by changing its color to red.

Note: Airplane Flight Manuals (AFM'S) refer to these changes as MOD 
G1-20052.
    Incomplete closure of the MED may be followed by in-flight 
opening and possible separation of the door. As a result, the MED, 
the adjacent fuselage structure and other parts of the aircraft may 
be damaged due to opening forces and landing impact.
    Damage to the aircraft structure and to the left engine by 
flying debris and objects may also occur.
* * * * *
This proposed AD retains the actions required by AD 2010-11-02. This 
proposed AD limits the existing compliance time by specifying ``no 
later than 6 months after the effective date of this AD.'' This 
proposed AD also removes the airplane having serial number (S/N) 158 
from the applicability because the modification was done in production. 
You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI in the AD 
docket.

Relevant Service Information

    Gulfstream Aerospace LP (Type Certificate Previously Held by Israel 
Aircraft Industries, Ltd.) has issued Service Bulletin 100-31-284, 
Revision 1, dated May 27, 2011. 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

    The new requirements of this AD add no additional economic burden. 
The current costs for this AD are repeated for the convenience of 
affected operators, as follows:
    Based on the service information, we estimate that this proposed AD 
would

[[Page 12997]]

affect about 160 products of U.S. registry.
    The actions that are required by AD 2010-11-02, Amendment 39-16307 
(75 FR 28485, May 21, 2010) and retained in this proposed AD take about 
60 work-hours per product, at an average labor rate of $85 per work 
hour. Required parts cost about $600 per product. Based on these 
figures, the estimated cost of the currently required actions is $5,700 
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

0
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]

0
2. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by removing airworthiness directive (AD) 
2010-11-02, Amendment 39-16307 (75 FR 28485, May 21, 2010), and adding 
the following new AD:

Gulfstream Aerospace LP (Type Certificate Previously Held by Israel 
Aircraft Industries, Ltd.): Docket No. FAA-2013-0093; Directorate 
Identifier 2011-NM-109-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by April 12, 2013.

(b) Affected ADs

    This AD supersedes AD 2010-11-02, Amendment 39-16307 (75 FR 
28485, May 21, 2010).

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Gulfstream Aerospace LP (Type Certificate 
previously held by Israel Aircraft Industries, Ltd.) Model 
Gulfstream 100 airplanes, and Model Astra SPX and 1125 Westwind 
Astra airplanes; certificated in any category; all serial numbers 
except serial number 158.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 31: Indicating/
Recording Systems.

(e) Reason

    This AD was prompted by a report of a main entry door (MED) 
opening in flight on an unmodified airplane. We are issuing this AD 
to prevent incomplete closure of the main entry door, which may 
result in the door opening in flight and possible separation of the 
door, causing damage to the airplane structure and left engine by 
flying debris and objects.

(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) Retained Actions and Compliance

    This paragraph restates the requirements of paragraph (f) of AD 
2010-11-02, Amendment 39-16307 (75 FR 28485, May 21, 2010). Within 
10 days after February 15, 2007 (the effective date of AD 2007-03-
05, Amendment 39-14916 (72 FR 4414, January 31, 2007)), amend 
Section IV, Normal Procedures, of the following Gulfstream airplane 
flight manuals (AFMs): Model 1125 Astra, 25W-1001-1; Model Astra 
SPX, SPX-1001-1; and Model G100, G100-1001-1; as applicable; to 
include the following statement. Insertion of copies of this AD at 
the appropriate places of the AFMs is acceptable. The actions 
required by this paragraph may be accomplished by a holder of a 
Private Pilot's License.

1. BEFORE ENGINE START:

(PRE and POST Mod 20052/Gulfstream Service Bulletin 100-31-284):
    CABIN DOOR--CLOSED (Physically verify door latch handle pin is 
fully engaged in the handle lock)

2. BEFORE TAXIING:

Change the CABIN DOOR procedure as follows (POST Mod 20052/
Gulfstream Service Bulletin 100-31-284):
    Check CABIN DOOR light--OUT

3. BEFORE TAKE-OFF:

    Insert between the POSITION lights switch and the THRUST LEVERS 
procedures:

(PRE Mod 20052/Gulfstream Service Bulletin 100-31-284):
    Check CABIN DOOR light--OUT (50% N1 may be required)
(POST Mod 20052/Gulfstream Service Bulletin 100-31-284):
    Check CABIN DOOR light--OUT
    CABIN DOOR SEAL light--OUT (50% N1 may be required)

    Note 1 to paragraph (g) of this AD:  Mod 20052 is equivalent to 
Gulfstream Service Bulletin 100-31-284, dated August 17, 2006.

(h) Retained Modification With Reduced Compliance Time

    This paragraph restates the requirements of paragraph (g) of AD 
2010-11-02, Amendment 39-16307 (75 FR 28485, May 21, 2010), with 
reduced compliance time and new service information.
    (1) Within 250 flight hours after June 25, 2010 (the effective 
date of AD 2010-11-02, Amendment 39-16307 (75 FR 28485, May 21, 
2010)), but no later than within 6 months after the effective date 
of this AD: Modify the warning and caution lights panel (WACLP), in 
accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions of the applicable 
service bulletin identified in table 1 of this AD.

                Table 1--Modification Service Information
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      Honeywell Service  Bulletin--                   Dated--
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80-0548-31-0001.........................  April 1, 2006.
80-0548-31-0002.........................  March 1, 2006.
80-5090-31-0001.........................  March 1, 2006.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

     (2) Within 250 flight hours after June 25, 2010 (the effective 
date of AD 2010-11-02, Amendment 39-16307 (75 FR 28485, May 21, 
2010)), but no later than within 6 months after the effective date 
of this AD: Change the

[[Page 12998]]

WACLP and MED wiring, in accordance with the Accomplishment 
Instructions of Gulfstream Service Bulletin 100-31-284, dated August 
17, 2006; or Gulfstream Service Bulletin 100-31-284, Revision 1, 
dated May 27, 2011. As of the effective date of this AD, Gulfstream 
Service Bulletin 100-31-284, Revision 1, dated May 27, 2011, must be 
used to accomplish the actions required by this paragraph.
    (3) Within 250 flight hours after June 25, 2010 (the effective 
date of AD 2010-11-02, Amendment 39-16307 (75 FR 28485, May 21, 
2010)), but no later than within 6 months after the effective date 
of this AD: Change the wiring harness connecting the MED to the 
WACLP, in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions of 
Gulfstream Service Bulletin 100-31-284, dated August 17, 2006; or 
Gulfstream Service Bulletin 100-31-284, Revision 1, dated May 27, 
2011. As of the effective date of this AD, Gulfstream Service 
Bulletin 100-31-284, Revision 1, dated May 27, 2011, must be used to 
accomplish the actions required by this paragraph.
    (4) Within 250 flight hours after June 25, 2010 (the effective 
date of AD 2010-11-02, Amendment 39-16307 (75 FR 28485, May 21, 
2010)), but no later than within 6 months after the effective date 
of this AD: Verify that the log of modification of the relevant AFM 
includes reference to MOD G1-20052, and, if no reference is found, 
revise the log of modification of the AFM to include reference to 
the modification.
    (5) Doing the modifications specified in paragraphs (h)(1), 
(h)(2), (h)(3), and (h)(4) of this AD terminates the requirements of 
paragraph (g) of this AD, and after the modifications have been 
done, the AFM limitation required by paragraph (g) of this AD may be 
removed from the AFM.

(i) 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 Stafford, 
Aerospace Engineer, International Branch, ANM-116, Transport 
Airplane Directorate, FAA, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057-
3356; phone: 425-227-1622; 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.

(j) Related Information

    Refer to MCAI Israeli Airworthiness Directive 31-06-11-05R1, 
dated May 18, 2011; and the applicable service information 
identified in paragraphs (j)(1) through (j)(5) of this AD; for 
related information.
    (1) Gulfstream Service Bulletin 100-31-284, Revision 1, dated 
May 27, 2011.
    (2) Gulfstream Service Bulletin 100-31-284, dated August 17, 
2006.
    (3) Honeywell Service Bulletin 80-0548-31-0001, dated April 1, 
2006.
    (4) Honeywell Service Bulletin 80-0548-31-0002, dated March 1, 
2006.
    (5) Honeywell Service Bulletin 80-5090-31-0001, dated March 1, 
2006.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on February 11, 2013.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-04336 Filed 2-25-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P