[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 147 (Thursday, July 30, 2020)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 45810-45812]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-16215]



[[Page 45810]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2020-0719 Product Identifier 2019-CE-041-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. Airplanes

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

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) 
for certain Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. (Pilatus) Model PC-24 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 identifies the unsafe condition as movement of the aft fuel pipe 
within the coupling, which can cause damage to the O-rings and lead to 
a fuel leak, fuel fire or explosion, and consequent loss of control of 
the airplane. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe 
condition on these products.

DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this proposed AD by September 
14, 2020.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://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 Pilatus Aircraft Ltd., Customer Support General Aviation, CH-
6371 Stans, Switzerland, +41 848 24 7 365, aircraft.com">techsupport.ch@pilatus-aircraft.com, www.pilatus-aircraft.com. You may view this service 
information at the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, Operational 
Safety Branch, 901 Locust, Kansas City, MO 64106. For information on 
the availability of this material at the FAA, call 816-329-4148. It is 
also available on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by 
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2020-0719.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2020-
0719; 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 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

    The FAA invites 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-2020-0719; 
Product Identifier 2019-CE-041-AD'' at the beginning of your comments. 
The FAA will consider all comments received by the closing date and may 
amend this proposed AD because of those comments.
    Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in 
the following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR 
11.35, the FAA will post all comments we receive, without change, to 
https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you 
provide. The FAA will also post a report summarizing each substantive 
verbal contact it receives about this proposed AD.

Confidential Business Information

    Confidential Business Information (CBI) is commercial or financial 
information that is both customarily and actually treated as private by 
its owner. Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), 
CBI is exempt from public disclosure. If your comments responsive to 
this NPRM contain commercial or financial information that is 
customarily treated as private, that you actually treat as private, and 
that is relevant or responsive to this NPRM, it is important that you 
clearly designate the submitted comments as CBI. Please mark each page 
of your submission containing CBI as ``PROPIN.'' The FAA will treat 
such marked submissions as confidential under the FOIA, and they will 
not be placed in the public docket of this NPRM. Submissions containing 
CBI should be sent to 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]. Any commentary that the FAA receives which is not 
specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket for 
this rulemaking.

Discussion

    The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the 
Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Community, has 
issued EASA AD No. 2019-0240, dated September 25, 2019 (referred to 
after this as ``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition for Pilatus 
Model PC-24 airplanes. The MCAI states:

    An occurrence was reported where, during maintenance, when 
system pressure was applied to a motive-flow fuel pipe, the aft fuel 
pipe was found to move to the end stop within the coupling. When 
system pressure was released, the aft fuel pipe returned to its 
point of origin. This movement can cause damage to the O-rings.
    This condition, if not corrected, could lead to a fuel leak and 
consequently a fuel contamination of the rear fuselage, which, in 
combination with an ignition source in this area, could possibly 
result in a fuel fire or fuel vapour explosion and consequent loss 
of the aeroplane.
    To address this potential unsafe condition, Pilatus issued the 
[service bulletin] SB to provide modification instructions.
    For the reason described above, this [EASA] AD requires 
replacement of affected parts with serviceable parts, as defined in 
this AD, and prohibits (re-)installation of affected parts.

    You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI in the AD 
docket on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for 
and locating Docket No. FAA-2020-0719.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    The FAA reviewed Pilatus Service Bulletin No: 28-002, dated May 3, 
2019. The service information contains procedures for replacing the two 
flexible saddle clamps on the left-hand (LH) motive-flow fuel pipe and 
the two flexible saddle clamps on the right-hand

[[Page 45811]]

(RH) motive-flow fuel pipe with fixed saddle clamps. This service 
information also contains procedures for replacing the four O-rings on 
the LH and RH motive-flow fuel pipes. 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 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, it has 
notified the FAA of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI and 
service information referenced above. The FAA is proposing this AD 
because the FAA 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

    The FAA estimates that this proposed AD would affect 16 products of 
U.S. registry. The FAA also estimates that it would take about 7 work-
hours per product to comply with the requirements of this proposed AD. 
The average labor rate is $85 per work-hour. Required parts would cost 
about $5,000 per product.
    Based on these figures, the FAA estimates the cost of the proposed 
AD on U.S. operators would be $89,520 or $5,595 per product.
    According to the manufacturer, all or some of the costs of this 
proposed AD may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost 
impact on affected individuals. The FAA does not control warranty 
coverage for affected individuals. As a result, the FAA has included 
all costs in this cost estimate.

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.
    The FAA is 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

    The FAA 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) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
    (3) 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):


Pilatus Aircraft Ltd.: Docket No. FAA-2020-0719; Product Identifier 
2019-CE-041-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    The FAA must receive comments by September 14, 2020.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. Model PC-24 airplanes, 
all serial numbers, with a flexible saddle clamp part number (P/N) 
946.33.22.004 installed between frame 34 and 36, certificated in any 
category.

(d) Subject

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) Code 2800: Fuel.

(e) Reason

    This AD was prompted by an occurrence of movement of the aft 
fuel pipe within the coupling when system pressure was applied. This 
movement can cause damage to the O-rings, which could lead to a fuel 
leak and fuel contamination of the rear fuselage. The FAA is issuing 
this AD to prevent a fuel fire or fuel vapor explosion with 
consequent loss of airplane control.

 (f) Actions and Compliance

    Unless already done, do the following actions in accordance with 
the applicable compliance times:
    (1) Within 3 months after the effective date of this AD, replace 
each flexible saddle clamp with a fixed saddle clamp with P/N 
946.33.21.933, align the left-hand (LH) and right-hand (RH) motive-
flow fuel pipes, and test the LH and RH motive-flow fuel pipe for 
leaks in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions, sections 
3.B and 3.C, of Pilatus PC-24 Service Bulletin No. 28-002, dated May 
3, 2019.
    (2) As of the effective date of this AD, do not install a 
flexible saddle clamp P/N 946.33.22.004 between frame 34 and 36 on 
any airplane.

(g) 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. 
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.

(h) Related Information

    Refer to MCAI EASA AD No.: 2019-0240, dated September 25, 2019, 
for related information. You may examine the MCAI on the internet at 
https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. 
FAA-2020-0719. For service information related to this AD, contact 
Pilatus Aircraft Ltd., Customer Technical Support (MCC), P.O. Box 
992, CH-6371 Stans, Switzerland; telephone: +41 (0)41 619 67 74; 
fax: +41 (0)41 619 67 73; email: aircraft.com">techsupport@pilatus-aircraft.com; 
internet: https://www.pilatus-aircraft.com/en. You may review this 
referenced service information at the FAA, Airworthiness Products 
Section, Operational Safety Branch, 901 Locust, Kansas City, 
Missouri 64106. For information on the availability of this material 
at the FAA, call (816) 329-4148.


[[Page 45812]]


    Issued on July 22, 2020.
Lance T. Gant,
Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification 
Service .
[FR Doc. 2020-16215 Filed 7-29-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P