[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 174 (Thursday, September 8, 2016)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 62037-62040]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-21052]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2016-9000; Directorate Identifier 2016-CE-027-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Various Aircraft Equipped With BRP-
Powertrain GmbH & Co KG 912 A Series Engine

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
various

[[Page 62038]]

aircraft equipped with a BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co KG (formerly Rotax 
Aircraft Engines) 912 A series engine. This proposed AD results from 
mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated 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 a manufacturing defect found in certain carburetor floats. 
We are issuing this proposed AD to prevent the fuel supply to the 
affected cylinder from becoming reduced or blocked, which could cause 
an in-flight engine shutdown and result in a forced landing and damage 
to the airplane or injury to the occupants.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by October 24, 
2016.

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 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    For service information identified in this proposed AD, contact 
BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co. KG, Welser Strasse 32, A-4623 Gunskirchen, 
Austria; phone: +43 7246 601 0; fax: +43 7246 601 9130; Internet: 
www.rotax-aircraft-engines.com. You may review this referenced service 
information at the FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Kansas 
City, Missouri 64106. For information on the availability of this 
material at the FAA, call (816) 329-4148.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2016-
9000; 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 
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: Jim Rutherford, Aerospace Engineer, 
FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, 
Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-4165; fax: (816) 329-4090; email: 
[email protected].

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-2016-9000; 
Directorate Identifier 2016-CE-027-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 because of those comments.
    We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://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 AD 
No.: 2016-0144, correction dated July 25, 2016, to correct an unsafe 
condition for the specified products. The MCAI states:

    Due to a quality escape in the manufacturing process of certain 
floats, Part Number (P/N) 861185, a partial separation of the float 
outer skin may occur during engine operation. Separated particles 
could lead to a restriction of the jets in the carburetor, possibly 
reducing or blocking the fuel supply to the affected cylinder.
    This condition, if not detected and corrected, could lead to in-
flight engine shutdown and forced landing, possibly resulting in 
damage to the aeroplane and injury to occupants.
    To address this potential unsafe condition, BRP-Powertrain 
published Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) ASB-912-069/ASB-914-051 
(single document, hereafter referred to as `the ASB' in this AD), 
providing instructions for identification and replacement of the 
affected parts.
    For the reasons stated above, this AD required identification 
and replacement of the affected floats with serviceable parts.
    This AD is republished to correct one typographical error in 
Table 2 of Appendix 2, and to include reference to revision 1 of the 
ASB in the Referenced Publications.

You may examine the MCAI on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov 
by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2016-9000.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    BRP-Powertrain GmbH & CO KG has issued Rotax Aircraft Engines BRP 
Alert Service Bulletin ASB-912-069R1/ASB-914-051R1 (co-published as one 
document), dated July 22, 2016. The service information describes 
procedures for identifying and replacing defective carburetor floats. 
This service information is reasonably available because the interested 
parties have access to it through their normal course of business or by 
the means identified in the ADDRESSES section of this NPRM.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of the 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 this State of Design Authority, 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 and determined the unsafe condition exists 
and is likely to exist or develop on other products of the same type 
design.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD will affect 65 products of U.S. 
registry. We also estimate that it would take about 2 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 $100 per product.
    Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of the proposed AD on 
U.S. operators to be $17,550, or $270 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

[[Page 62039]]

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.

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:

Various Aircraft: Docket No. FAA-2016-9000; Directorate Identifier 
2016-CE-027-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by October 24, 2016.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to all serial numbers (S/N) of the airplanes 
listed in table 1 of paragraph (c) of this AD, certificated in any 
category, that incorporate one of the following:
    (1) a BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co KG (formerly Rotax Aircraft 
Engines) 912 A series engine having a serial number with a 
carburetor part number (P/N) and S/N listed in table 2 of paragraph 
(c) of this AD, installed as noted, in cylinder head position 1 
through 4; or
    (2) an engine that, after May 8, 2016, has had an affected 
float, P/N 861185, installed in service as part of the airframe. 
Affected floats were initially delivered between May 9, 2016, and 
July 17, 2016, and do not have three dots stamped on the surface, as 
shown in paragraph 3.3) of the Accomplishment/Instructions in Rotax 
Aircraft Engines BRP Alert Service Bulletin ASB-912-069R1/ASB-914-
051R1 (co-published as one document), dated July 22, 2016. A 
certification document (e.g., Form 1), delivery document or record 
of previous installation of the float are acceptable to determine an 
initial delivery on or before May 8, 2016.

              Table 1 of Paragraph (c)--Affected Airplanes
------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Type certificate holder         Aircraft model       Engine model
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aeromot-Ind[uacute]stria          AMT-200............             912 A2
 Mec[acirc]nico-
 Metal[uacute]rgica Ltda.
Diamond Aircraft Industries.....  HK 36 R ``SUPER                  912 A
                                   DIMONA''.
DIAMOND AIRCRAFT INDUSTRIES GmbH  HK 36 TS and HK 36              912 A3
                                   TC.
Diamond Aircraft Industries Inc.  DA20-A1............             912 A3
HOAC-Austria....................  DV 20 KATANA.......             912 A3
Iniziative Industriali Italiane   Sky Arrow 650 TC...             912 A2
 S.p.A.
SCHEIBE-Flugzeugbau GmbH........  SF 25C.............     912 A2, 912 A3
------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                 Table 2 of Paragraph (c)--Affected Carburetors
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                 Engine                        Cylinder  position                Carburetor P/N and S/N
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912A1, 912A2, 912A3, 912A4..............  1 or 3.....................  P/N 892500--S/Ns 161138 through 161143,
                                                                        161483 through 161490, 161493 through
                                                                        161507, 161516 through 161518, and
                                                                        161526.
                                          2 or 4.....................  P/N 892505--S/Ns 162193, 162194, 162196
                                                                        through 162199, and 162205.
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(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association of America (ATA) Code 73: Engine--Fuel 
and Control.

(e) Reason

    This AD was prompted by mandatory continuing airworthiness 
information (MCAI) originated 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 a manufacturing 
defect found in certain carburetor floats. We are issuing this AD to 
require actions to prevent the fuel supply to the affected cylinder 
from becoming reduced or blocked, which could cause an in-flight 
engine shutdown and result in a forced landing and damage to the 
airplane or injury to the occupants.

 (f) Actions and Compliance

    Unless already done, do the following actions:
    (1) Within the next 25 hours time-in-service after the effective 
date of this AD or within the next 30 days after the effective date 
of this AD, whichever occurs first, replace all affected floats with 
a serviceable float following paragraph (3) Accomplishment/
Instructions in Rotax Aircraft Engines BRP Alert Service Bulletin 
ASB-912-069R1/ASB-914-051R1 (co-published as one document), dated 
July 22, 2016.
    (2) As of the effective date of this AD, do not install a float, 
P/N 861185, that does not have three dots stamped on the surface, as 
shown in paragraph (3.3) of the Accomplishment/Instructions in Rotax 
Aircraft Engines BRP Alert Service Bulletin ASB-912-069R1/ASB-914-
051R1 (co-published as one document), dated July 22, 2016.

(g) Other FAA AD Provisions

    The following provisions also apply to this AD:
    (1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, 
Standards Office, FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this 
AD, if requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. Send 
information to

[[Page 62040]]

ATTN: Jim Rutherford, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Small Airplane 
Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; 
telephone: (816) 329-4165; fax: (816) 329-4090; email: 
[email protected]. Before using any approved AMOC on any 
airplane to which the AMOC applies, notify your appropriate 
principal inspector (PI) in the FAA Flight Standards District Office 
(FSDO), or lacking a PI, your local FSDO.
    (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.

(h) Related Information

    Refer to MCAI European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD No.: 
2016-0144, correction dated July 25, 2016, and BRP-Powertrain GmbH & 
CO KG Rotax Aircraft Engines BRP Alert Service Bulletin ASB-912-069/
ASB-914-051 (co-published as one document), dated July 14, 2016, for 
related information. You may examine the MCAI on the Internet at 
http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. 
FAA-2016-9000. For service information related to this AD, contact 
BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co. KG, Welser Strasse 32, A-4623 Gunskirchen, 
Austria; phone: +43 7246 601 0; fax: +43 7246 601 9130; Internet: 
www.rotax-aircraft-engines.com. You may review this referenced 
service information at the FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 
Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For information on the 
availability of this material at the FAA, call (816) 329-4148.


    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on August 25, 2016.
David R. Showers,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-21052 Filed 9-7-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P