[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 24 (Friday, February 4, 2022)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 6404-6406]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-02398]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2022-0088; Project Identifier AD-2022-00041-A; 
Amendment 39-21941; AD 2022-03-23]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Textron Aviation Inc. (Type Certificate 
Previously Held by Raytheon Aircraft Company, Hawker Beechcraft 
Corporation, and Beechcraft Corporation) Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain Textron Aviation Inc. (type certificate previously held by 
Raytheon Aircraft Company, Hawker Beechcraft Corporation, and 
Beechcraft Corporation) (Textron) Model 300, 300LW, B300, and B300C 
airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report of a timing issue where the 
yaw servo software can generate a motor position fault when the pilot 
applies rudder input at the same time the rudder boost system is 
activated, which disables the rudder boost function and leads to a 
reduced ability of the flight crew to maintain the safe flight and 
landing of the airplane or loss of control of the airplane. This AD 
requires updating the software version of the yaw servo. The FAA is 
issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: This AD is effective February 22, 2022.
    The FAA must receive comments on this AD by March 21, 2022.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR 
11.43 and 11.45, 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: Deliver to Mail address above between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    For service information identified in this final rule, contact 
Garmin International, Garmin Aviation Support, 1200 E 151st Street, 
Olathe, KS 66062; phone: (866) 739-5687; website: https://fly.garmin.com/fly-garmin/support/. You may view this service 
information at the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, Operational 
Safety Branch, 901 Locust St., Kansas City, MO 64106. For information 
on the availability of this material at the FAA, call (817) 222-5110.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket at https://www.regulations.gov by 
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2022-0088; 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 final rule, any 
comments received, and other information. The street address for the 
Docket Operations is listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Phil Petty, Aviation Safety Engineer, 
Wichita ACO Branch, FAA, 1801 Airport Road, Wichita, KS 67209; phone: 
(316) 946-4139; email: [email protected] or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Garmin informed the FAA of a problem during flight testing with the 
Garmin International, Inc., G1000 integrated avionics system installed 
on Textron Model 300, 300LW, B300, and B300C airplanes in accordance 
with Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) No. SA01535WI-D. A timing 
issue in the yaw servo software can generate a motor position fault 
when the pilot applies rudder input at the same time the rudder boost 
system is activated, which disables the rudder boost function.
    The rudder boost system applies additional rudder force, using the 
GSA 9000 yaw servo, following loss of an engine or significant loss of 
thrust, which limits the rudder force required to maintain directional 
control of the airplane. Loss of the rudder boost system without 
warning before the moment rudder boost is needed could result in the 
inability of the flight crew to maintain the safe flight and landing of 
the airplane or loss of control of the airplane. The FAA is issuing 
this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

FAA's Determination

    The FAA is issuing this AD because the agency has determined the 
unsafe condition described previously is likely to exist or develop in 
other products of the same type design.

Related Service Information

    The FAA reviewed Garmin STC Service Bulletin No. 21120, Revision A, 
dated December 10, 2021. This service information specifies updating 
the software version of the GSA 9000 yaw servo to version 2.14.
    The FAA also reviewed Garmin Service Alert No. 21119, Revision A, 
dated November 18, 2021; and Garmin Service Alert No. 21119, Revision 
B, dated December 10, 2021. Revision A of this service information 
advises owners and operators of the unsafe condition previously 
described, while Revision B identifies the resolution by complying with 
Garmin STC Service Bulletin No. 21120, Revision A, dated December 10, 
2021.

[[Page 6405]]

AD Requirements

    This AD requires updating the GSA 9000 yaw servo software to a 
version that is not 2.13 or earlier.

Justification for Immediate Adoption and Determination of the Effective 
Date

    Section 553(b)(3)(B) of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5 
U.S.C. 551 et seq.) authorizes agencies to dispense with notice and 
comment procedures for rules when the agency, for ``good cause,'' finds 
that those procedures are ``impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to 
the public interest.'' Under this section, an agency, upon finding good 
cause, may issue a final rule without providing notice and seeking 
comment prior to issuance. Further, section 553(d) of the APA 
authorizes agencies to make rules effective in less than thirty days, 
upon a finding of good cause.
    An unsafe condition exists that requires the immediate adoption of 
this AD without providing an opportunity for public comments prior to 
adoption. The FAA has found that the risk to the flying public 
justifies foregoing notice and comment prior to adoption of this rule 
because loss of rudder boost following an engine loss or significant 
loss of thrust is likely to occur. This could result in the inability 
of the flight crew to maintain the safe flight and landing of the 
airplane and loss of control of the airplane. Many of the affected 
airplanes operate more than 800 flight hours annually. Because of the 
nature of the unsafe condition and the utilization rate of these 
airplanes, the corrective actions to mitigate this unsafe condition 
must be done within 100 flight hours or 3 months, whichever occurs 
first after the effective date of this AD. Accordingly, notice and 
opportunity for prior public comment are impracticable and contrary to 
the public interest pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B).
    In addition, the FAA finds that good cause exists pursuant to 5 
U.S.C. 553(d) for making this amendment effective in less than 30 days, 
for the same reasons the FAA found good cause to forego notice and 
comment.

Comments Invited

    The FAA invites you to send any written data, views, or arguments 
about this final rule. Send your comments to an address listed under 
ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2022-0088 and Project Identifier 
AD-2022-00041-A'' at the beginning of your comments. The most helpful 
comments reference a specific portion of the final rule, explain the 
reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data. The FAA 
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend 
this final rule 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 received, without change, to 
https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you 
provide. The agency will also post a report summarizing each 
substantive verbal contact received about this final rule.

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 AD 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 AD, 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 AD. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Phil 
Petty, Aviation Safety Engineer, Wichita ACO Branch, FAA, 1801 Airport 
Road, Wichita, KS 67209. Any commentary that the FAA receives which is 
not specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket 
for this rulemaking.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) do not 
apply when an agency finds good cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 to adopt 
a rule without prior notice and comment. Because FAA has determined 
that it has good cause to adopt this rule without prior notice and 
comment, RFA analysis is not required.

Costs of Compliance

    The FAA estimates that this AD affects 300 airplanes of U.S. 
registry. The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this AD:

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     Cost per      Cost on U.S.
              Action                    Labor cost             Parts cost            airplane        operators
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Update yaw servo software........  1 work-hour x $85    Not Applicable..........             $85         $25,500
                                    per hour = $85.
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    The FAA has included all known costs in its cost estimate. 
According to the manufacturer, however, some of the costs of this AD 
may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost impact on 
affected operators.

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

    This AD will not have federalism implications under Executive Order 
13132. This AD will 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 that this AD:
    (1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive 
Order 12866, and

[[Page 6406]]

    (2) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by 
reference, Safety.

The Amendment

    Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the FAA amends 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:

2022-03-23 Textron Aviation Inc. (type certificate previously held 
by Raytheon Aircraft Company, Hawker Beechcraft Corporation, and 
Beechcraft Corporation): Amendment 39-21941; Docket No. FAA-2022-
0088; Project Identifier AD-2022-00041-A.

(a) Effective Date

    This airworthiness directive (AD) is effective February 22, 
2022.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Textron Aviation Inc. (type certificate 
previously held by Raytheon Aircraft Company, Hawker Beechcraft 
Corporation, and Beechcraft Corporation) Model 300, 300LW, B300, and 
B300C airplanes, all serial numbers, certificated in any category, 
that are equipped with a Garmin International, Inc., G1000 
integrated avionics system installed in accordance with Supplemental 
Type Certificate No. SA01535WI-D with GSA 9000 yaw servo software 
version 2.13 or earlier.

(d) Subject

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) Code 2720, Rudder Control 
System.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by a report of a timing issue where the yaw 
servo software can generate a motor position fault when the pilot 
applies rudder input at the same time the rudder boost system is 
activated, which disables the rudder boost. The FAA is issuing this 
AD to prevent excessive rudder forces following loss of an engine or 
significant loss of thrust. The unsafe condition, if not addressed, 
could result in the inability of the flight crew to maintain the 
safe flight and landing of the airplane and loss of control of the 
airplane.

(f) Actions and Compliance

    (1) Unless already done, within 100 hours time-in-service (TIS) 
after the effective date of this AD or within 90 days after the 
effective date of this AD, whichever occurs first, update the GSA 
9000 yaw servo software to a version that is not 2.13 or earlier.
    (2) As of the effective date of this AD, do not install yaw 
servo software version 2.13 or earlier on the Garmin G1000 
integrated avionics system on any airplane.

(g) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, Wichita ACO Branch, 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 
manager of the certification office, send it to the attention of the 
person identified in paragraph (h) of this AD.
    (2) 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

    For more information about this AD, contact Phil Petty, Aviation 
Safety Engineer, Wichita ACO Branch, FAA, 1801 Airport Road, 
Wichita, KS 67209; phone: (316) 946-4139; email: 
[email protected] or [email protected].

 (i) Material Incorporated by Reference

    None.

    Issued on February 1, 2022.
Gaetano A. Sciortino,
Deputy Director for Strategic Initiatives, Compliance & Airworthiness 
Division, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-02398 Filed 2-1-22; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P