[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 22 (Monday, February 3, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 6109-6111]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-02161]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2014-0007; Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-038-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Fokker Services B.V. 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 
Fokker Services B.V. Model F.28 Mark 0070 and 0100 airplanes. This 
proposed AD was prompted by reports that the bracket of the rod in the 
carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) main landing gear (MLG) outboard 
door had detached. In addition, we received reports of broken recessed 
heads on titanium attachment bolts of the operating rod brackets on the 
modified CFRP MLG outboard doors. This proposed AD would require a 
detailed inspection of the CFRP MLG outboard door for play or cracks in 
the recessed countersunk heads of the operating rod bracket attachment 
bolts; replacement of the bolt if necessary; and, for certain 
airplanes, modification of the CFRP MLG outboard doors and attachment 
to the MLG. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct the affected 
MLG from moving to the down and locked position, which could result in 
MLG collapse during landing or roll-out, and consequent damage to the 
airplane and injury to passengers.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by March 20, 2014.

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 
Fokker Services B.V., Technical Services Dept., P.O. Box 1357, 2130 EL 
Hoofddorp, the Netherlands; telephone +31 (0)88-6280-350; fax +31 
(0)88-6280-111; email [email protected]; Internet http://www.myfokkerfleet.com. You may view this 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 Management Facility 
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 Rodriguez, Aerospace Engineer, 
International Branch, ANM-116, Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 
1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057-3356; telephone (425) 227-1137; 
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-2014-0007; 
Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-038-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 
Airworthiness Directive 2012-0023, dated February 6, 2012 (referred to 
after this as the Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information, or 
``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition for the specified 
products. The MCAI states:

    In 2005, several occurrences were reported where the bracket of 
the rod in the Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) MLG outboard 
door had detached, preventing the MLG to lock properly when selected 
down. Prompted by these reports, CAA-NL [Civil Aviation Authority-
Netherlands] issued AD NL-2006-001 (EASA approval 2006-0002) to 
require the inspection and modification of the attachment of the 
operating rod bracket as detailed in Fokker Service Bulletin (SB) 
SBF100-52-080.
    After that [EASA] AD was issued, several operators reported 
broken recessed heads of titanium attachment bolts of the operating 
rod bracket on modified (i.e. post-SBF100-52-080) CFRP MLG outboard 
doors. In such a situation, the remaining bolt shafts can get pulled 
through the external repair patch and the carbon fibre door outer 
skin, causing the operating rod, with the detached bracket, to get 
stuck between the MLG main fitting and wing lower skin. The primary 
factor to the

[[Page 6110]]

cause of breaking bolt heads has been determined to be incorrect 
adjustment of the MLG outboard door.
    This condition, if not detected and corrected, would prevent the 
affected MLG from moving to the down and locked position, possibly 
resulting in MLG collapse during landing or roll-out and consequent 
damage to the aeroplane and/or injury to the occupants.
    To address this potential unsafe condition, Fokker Services has 
published SBF100-52-090, providing modification instructions to 
install an improved attachment of the MLG outboard door operating 
rod.
    For the reasons described above, this new [EASA] AD requires a 
one-time detailed inspection for play or cracks in the recessed bolt 
heads and, depending on findings, applicable corrective actions, 
modification of the operating rod bracket attachment to the CFRP MLG 
outboard door, and introduction of a weaker (aluminium) bolt in the 
attachment of the MLG outboard door operating rod.

    You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating it in Docket No. 
FAA-2014-0007.

Relevant Service Information

    Fokker Services B.V. has issued the following service information:
     Fokker Component Service Bulletin D13312-52-09, December 
12, 2005;
     Fokker Component Service Bulletin D13312-52-015, dated 
November 17, 2011; and
     Fokker Service Bulletin SBF100-52-090, dated November 17, 
2011, including Fokker Manual Change Notification F100-147, dated 
October 28, 2011, and Fokker Service Bulletin Change Notification 
SBF100-52-090101, dated January 24, 2012.
    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.

Differences Between This Proposed AD and the MCAI or Service 
Information

    Paragraph (2) of the MCAI specifies to ``accomplish one of the 
actions specified in paragraph B of part 1 of the accomplishment 
instructions of Fokker Services SBF100-52-090'' before further flight. 
However, this proposed AD requires (before further flight) replacing 
the operating rod bracket attachment with a new bolt, in accordance 
with the Accomplishment Instructions of Fokker Service Bulletin SBF100-
52-090, dated November 17, 2011, including Fokker Manual Change 
Notification F100-147, dated October 28, 2011, including Fokker Service 
Bulletin Change Notification SBF100-52-090101, dated January 24, 2012. 
This difference has been coordinated with EASA.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD affects 4 airplanes of U.S. 
registry.
    We estimate the following costs to comply with this proposed AD:

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                    Cost per       Cost on U.S.
              Action                        Labor cost            Parts cost        product         operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Modification......................  12 work-hours x $85 per           $10,000          $11,020          $44,080
                                     hour = $1,020.
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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 proposed 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.

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 adding the following new AD:

Fokker Services B.V.: Docket No. FAA-2014-0007; Directorate 
Identifier 2012-NM-038-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by March 20, 2014.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Fokker Services B.V. Model F.28 Mark 0070 and 
0100 airplanes,

[[Page 6111]]

certificated in any category, all serial numbers.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 52, Doors.

(e) Reason

    This AD was prompted by reports that the bracket of the rod in 
the carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) main landing gear (MLG) 
outboard door had detached. In addition, we received reports of 
broken recessed heads on titanium attachment bolts of the operating 
rod brackets on the modified CFRP MLG outboard doors. We are issuing 
this AD to detect and correct the affected MLG from moving to the 
down and locked position, which could result in MLG collapse during 
landing or roll-out, and consequent damage to the airplane and 
injury to passengers.

(f) Compliance

    Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, 
unless already done.

(g) Inspection

    Within 9 months after the effective date of this AD, do a 
detailed inspection of the CFRP MLG outboard door for play and 
cracks in the recessed countersunk heads of the operating rod 
bracket attachment bolts, in accordance with Part 1 of the 
Accomplishment Instructions of Fokker Service Bulletin SBF100-52-
090, dated November 17, 2011, including Fokker Manual Change 
Notification F100-147, dated October 28, 2011, and Fokker Service 
Bulletin Change Notification SBF100-52-090101, dated January 24, 
2012.

(h) Corrective Action

    If, during the inspection required by paragraph (g) of this AD, 
any play or crack is found in any countersunk bolt head, and the 
configuration deviation list (CDL) item 52-07 cannot be applied: 
Before further flight, replace the bolt with a new bolt, in 
accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions of Fokker Service 
Bulletin SBF100-52-090, dated November 17, 2011, including Fokker 
Manual Change Notification F100-147, dated October 28, 2011, and 
Fokker Service Bulletin Change Notification SBF100-52-090101, dated 
January 24, 2012.

(i) Modification Prior to CFRP Door Installation

    At the applicable time specified in paragraph (i)(1) or (i)(2) 
of this AD: Modify the CFRP MLG outboard doors and attachment to the 
MLG, in accordance with Part 2 of the Accomplishment Instructions of 
Fokker Service Bulletin SBF100-52-090, dated November 17, 2011, 
including Fokker Manual Change Notification F100-147, dated October 
28, 2011, and Fokker Service Bulletin Change Notification SBF100-52-
090101, dated January 24, 2012. Accomplishing the modification in 
this paragraph terminates the inspection required by paragraph (g) 
of this AD.
    (1) For airplanes on which a CFRP MLG outboard door is installed 
as of the effective date of this AD: Do the modification within 24 
months after the effective date of this AD.
    (2) For airplanes on which an aluminum door is installed as of 
the effective date of this AD: Do the modification prior to the 
installation of the CFRP MLG outboard door.

    Note 1 to paragraph (i) of this AD:  The aluminum MLG outboard 
doors and the CFRP MLG outboard doors are two-way interchangeable.

(j) Parts Installation Prohibition

    As of the effective date of this AD, do not install on any 
airplane a MLG outboard door having part number (P/N) D13310-401 
through -418 or any MLG outboard door assembly having P/N D13312-401 
through -410.

    Note 2 to paragraph (j) of this AD:  Civil Aviation Authority-
Netherlands (CAA-NL) AD NL-2006-001 (European Aviation Safety Agency 
(EASA) approval 2006-002) contains the information on how to modify 
all spare MLG outboard door assemblies having P/N D13312-401 through 
-410, to P/N D13312-7XX standard, as specified in the Accomplishment 
Instructions of Fokker Component Service Bulletin D13312-52-09, 
December 12, 2005.

(k) Parts Installation Limitation

    As of the effective date of this AD, do not install on any 
airplane a P/N D13310-701 through-708 MLG outboard door or a P/N 
D13312-702 through-711 MLG outboard door assembly, unless the part 
has been inspected for cracks in the recessed bolt heads, all 
applicable corrective actions have been done, and the CFRP MLG 
outboard door has been modified, in accordance with the 
Accomplishment Instructions of Fokker Component Service Bulletin 
D13312-52-015, dated November 17, 2011.

(l) 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 
Rodriguez, Aerospace Engineer, International Branch, ANM-116, 
Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, 
WA 98057-3356; telephone (425) 227-1137; 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, use these actions if they 
are FAA-approved. Corrective actions are considered FAA-approved if 
they were approved by the State of Design Authority (or its 
delegated agent, or the DAH with a State of Design Authority's 
design organization approval). For a repair method to be approved, 
the repair approval must specifically refer to this AD. You are 
required to ensure the product is airworthy before it is returned to 
service.

(m) Related Information

    (1) Refer to Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information EASA 
Airworthiness Directive 2012-0023, dated February 6, 2012, for 
related information. This MCAI may be found in the AD docket on the 
Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating 
it in Docket No. FAA-2014-0007.
    (2) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Fokker Services B.V., Technical Services Dept., P.O. Box 1357, 2130 
EL Hoofddorp, the Netherlands; telephone +31 (0)88-6280-350; fax +31 
(0)88-6280-111; email [email protected]; Internet http://www.myfokkerfleet.com. You may view this 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 January 22, 2014.
Jeffrey E. Duven,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-02161 Filed 1-31-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P