[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 155 (Monday, August 12, 2019)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 39782-39784]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-16917]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2019-0615; Product Identifier 2018-CE-053-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; GA 8 Airvan (Pty) Ltd Airplanes

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 GA 
8 Airvan (Pty) Ltd Model GA8 and Model GA8-TC320 airplanes. 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 design change to the fuselage 
strut pick up ribs No. 5 and 6 that requires a reduced life limit. We 
are issuing this proposed AD to require actions to address the unsafe 
condition on these products.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by September 26, 
2019.

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 GA 
8 Airvan (Pty) Ltd, c/o GippsAero Pty Ltd, Attn: Technical Services, 
P.O. Box 881, Morwell Victoria 3840, Australia; telephone: + 61 03 5172 
1200; fax: +61 03 5172 1201; email: 
[email protected]. You may review this referenced 
service information at the FAA, Policy and Innovation Division, 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-2019-
0615; or in person at Docket Operations 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 Docket Operations (telephone 
(800) 647-5527) is in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available 
in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Doug Rudolph, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, 
Small Airplane Standards Branch, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, 
Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-4059; 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-2019-0615; 
Product Identifier 2018-CE-053-AD'' at the beginning of your comments. 
We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, economic, 
environmental, and energy

[[Page 39783]]

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 Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), which is the aviation 
authority for Australia, has issued AD No. AD/GA8/10, dated October 17, 
2018 (referred to after this as ``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe 
condition for the specified products. The MCAI states:

    Airworthiness Limitations are promulgated in the GippsAero 
Service Manual [Airworthiness Limitations Section] ALS Chapter 4 
Airworthiness Limitations. The change to the Airworthiness 
Limitations by GippsAero on 15 May 2018 was the result of the 
manufacturer changing the design of the fuselage strut pick up ribs 
no. 5 and 6. The revised rib designs have a different life 
limitation to the earlier rib designs. These Airworthiness 
Limitations are approved by CASA and non-compliance with these 
limitations could result in an unsafe condition developing. The 
Service Manual Chapter 4 Airworthiness Limitations dated 15 May 2018 
are mandatory in Australia however foreign National Aviation 
Authorities may not automatically require revision of service 
manuals without the issue of this AD.

    While the U.S. type certificate holder is GA8 Airvan C/O GippsAero, 
service manuals for the GA8 and GA8-TC320 model airplanes are issued by 
GippsAero.
    You may examine the MCAI on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2019-
0615.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    The FAA has reviewed the following updated service information from 
the aircraft service manuals for Model GA8 and Model GA8-TC320 
airplanes:
     C01-00-04, Chapter 4, Airworthiness Limitations, dated May 
14, 2018, for the Model GA8; and
     C01-00-06, Chapter 4, Airworthiness Limitations, dated May 
14, 2018, for the Model GA8-TC 320.
    This service information establishes life limits for certain 
fuselage strut pick up ribs No. 5 and 6. 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.

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 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 30 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 this proposed AD on 
U.S. operators to be $2,550, 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.
    This AD is issued in accordance with authority delegated by the 
Executive Director, Aircraft Certification Service, as authorized by 
FAA Order 8000.51C. In accordance with that order, issuance of ADs is 
normally a function of the Compliance and Airworthiness Division, but 
during this transition period, the Executive Director has delegated the 
authority to issue ADs applicable to small airplanes, gliders, 
balloons, airships, domestic business jet transport airplanes, and 
associated appliances to the Director of the Policy and Innovation 
Division.

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 airworthiness 
directive (AD):

GA 8 Airvan (Pty) Ltd: Docket No. FAA-2019-0615; Product Identifier
    2018-CE-053-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by September 26, 2019.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to GA 8 Airvan (Pty) Ltd Model GA8 and Model 
GA8-TC320 airplanes, all serial numbers, certificated in any 
category.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association of America (ATA) Code 5: Time Limits.

[[Page 39784]]

(e) Reason

    This AD was prompted by mandatory continuing airworthiness 
information (MCAI) issued by the aviation authority of another 
country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation 
product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as a change to the 
airworthiness limitations because of a design change by the 
manufacturer to the fuselage strut pick up ribs No. 5 and 6. We are 
issuing this AD to require a revision of the service manuals and 
incorporate new airworthiness limitations.

(f) Actions and Compliance

    Unless already done, before further flight, comply with the 
actions in paragraphs (f)(1) through (3) of this AD.
    (1) Remove and replace Chapter 4, Airworthiness Limitations, in 
your airplane service manual with GippsAero GA8 Service Manual, C01-
00-04, Chapter 4, dated May 14, 2018, or GippsAero GA8-TC 320 
Service Manual, C01-00-06, Chapter 4, dated May 14, 2018, as 
applicable to your model airplane.
    (2) Remove from service each part listed in Chapter 4, 
Airworthiness Limitations, in your airplane service manual that has 
reached or exceeded its new life limit.
    (3) Except as provided in paragraph (g)(1) of this AD, no 
alternative life limits may be approved for the parts listed in 
GippsAero GA8 Service Manual, C01-00-04, Chapter 4, dated May 14, 
2018, and GippsAero GA8-TC 320 Service Manual, C01-00-06, Chapter 4, 
dated May 14, 2018.

(g) Other FAA AD Provisions

    The following provisions also apply to this AD:
    (1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, 
Small Airplane Standards Branch, FAA, has the authority to approve 
AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 
39.19. Send information to ATTN: Doug Rudolph, Aerospace Engineer, 
FAA, Small Airplane Standards Branch, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas 
City, Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-4059; 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) Contacting the Manufacturer: For any requirement in this AD 
to obtain corrective actions from a manufacturer, the action must 
instead be accomplished using a method approved by the Manager, 
Small Airplane Standards Branch, FAA; or the Civil Aviation Safety 
Authority for the Commonwealth of Australia (CASA).

(h) Related Information

    Refer to MCAI issued by CASA, AD No. AD/GA8/10, dated October 
17, 2018, for related information. You may examine the MCAI on the 
internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating 
Docket No. FAA-2019-0615. For service information related to this 
AD, contact GA 8 Airvan (Pty) Ltd, c/o GippsAero Pty Ltd, Attn: 
Technical Services, P.O. Box 881, Morwell Victoria 3840, Australia; 
telephone: + 61 03 5172 1200; fax: +61 03 5172 1201; email: 
[email protected]. You may review this 
referenced service information at the FAA, Policy and Innovation 
Division, 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 July 29, 2019.
Melvin J. Johnson,
Aircraft Certification Service Deputy Director, Policy and Innovation 
Division, AIR-601.
[FR Doc. 2019-16917 Filed 8-9-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P