[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 104 (Monday, June 2, 2025)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 23269-23271]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-10045]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2025-0921; Project Identifier MCAI-2025-00442-Q;
Amendment 39-23056; AD 2025-11-10]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Cameron Balloons Ltd. Fuel Cylinders
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
Cameron Balloons Ltd. (Cameron) fuel cylinders fitted with certain
pressure relief valve (PRV) adaptors on hot air balloons. This AD was
prompted by the discovery of cracks on the upper hex portion of PRV
adaptors. This AD requires repetitively visually checking the PRV
adaptor for cracks and removing any fuel cylinder with a cracked PRV
adaptor from service. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe
condition on these products.
DATES: This AD is effective June 17, 2025.
The FAA must receive comments on this AD by July 17, 2025.
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 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.
AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under
Docket No. FAA-2025-0921; 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, the mandatory continuing airworthiness
information (MCAI), any comments received, and other information. The
street address for Docket Operations is listed above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Weir, Aviation Safety Engineer,
FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; phone: (817)
222-4045; email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
The FAA invites you to send any written data, views, or arguments
about this final rule. Send your comments using a method listed under
the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2025-0921; Project
Identifier MCAI-2025-00442-Q'' 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
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 George
Weir, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410,
Westbury, NY 11590. Any commentary that the FAA receives which is not
specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket for
this rulemaking.
Background
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which is the airworthiness
authority for the United Kingdom (UK), has issued CAA UK Emergency AD
G-2025-0001R1-E, dated April 11, 2025 (also referred to as ``the
MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition on hot air balloons with
Cameron fuel cylinders fitted with PRV adaptor part number (P/N)
CB8426. The MCAI states that within the previous nine months, Cameron
received three reports that fuel cylinders with PRV adaptor P/N CB8426
had cracks on the upper hex portion of the PRV adaptor. The MCAI
further states that the cause of the failed adaptors is unknown, but
likely due to a manufacturing or maintenance non-conformity issue. A
cracked PRV adaptor could lead to uncontrolled leakage of liquefied
petroleum gas (LPG), which could result in an in-flight fire and
consequent emergency landing.
You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at regulations.gov under
Docket No. FAA-2025-0921.
FAA's Determination
These products have been approved by the civil aviation authority
of another country and are approved for operation in the United States.
Pursuant to the FAA's bilateral agreement with this State of Design
Authority, that authority has notified the FAA of the unsafe condition
described in the MCAI and material referenced above. The FAA is issuing
this AD after determining that the unsafe condition described
previously is likely to exist or develop on other products of the same
type design.
AD Requirements
This AD requires repetitive visual checks of the fuel cylinder PRV
adaptor for cracks, reporting any findings of a crack, and removing any
fuel cylinder with a cracked PRV adaptor from service. The owner/
operator (pilot) holding at least a private pilot certificate may
perform the visual check and must enter compliance with the applicable
paragraph(s) of the AD into the balloon maintenance records in
accordance with 14 CFR 43.9(a) and 91.417(a)(2)(v). The pilot may
perform this action because it only involves visually checking each PRV
adaptor for cracks. This action could be performed equally well by a
pilot or a mechanic. This is an exception to the FAA's standard
maintenance regulations.
Differences Between This AD and the MCAI
The MCAI applies to hot air balloons and certain airships. This AD
only
[[Page 23270]]
applies to hot air balloons because the airships identified in the MCAI
do not have an FAA type certificate.
Although the MCAI specifies that if any fuel cylinder is found with
a cracked PRV adaptor, it must be emptied of fuel prior to being
removed from service, this AD does not require that action. While that
action is encouraged for the general safety related to the leakage of
LPG, it is not required to address the unsafe condition identified in
this AD.
This AD requires reporting to Cameron Balloons the results of each
check if a crack is found, whereas the MCAI does not. The MCAI states
in the ``Reason'' section that it requires reporting the results of the
inspections because the cause of the failed adaptors is not known and
inspection reports will help determine the extent of the failures in
the affected fleet. However, the MCAI does not explicitly include a
reporting requirement in the ``Required Action(s) and Compliance
Time(s)'' section. The FAA infers that the MCAI intended to have this
reporting as a required action to ensure proper corrective measures can
be taken based on the gathered data, and therefore has included a
reporting requirement in this AD.
Interim Action
The FAA considers this AD to be an interim action. This unsafe
condition is still under investigation by the manufacturer and,
depending on the results of that investigation, the FAA may consider
further rulemaking action.
Justification for Immediate Adoption and Determination of the Effective
Date
Section 553(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 forgoing notice and comment prior to adoption of this rule
because an LPG leak on the fuel cylinder could result in an in-flight
fire or explosion, damaging the hot air balloon and leading to a forced
emergency landing, which could injure balloon occupants and persons on
the ground. Additionally, the corrective actions must be accomplished
before further flight and before each flight thereafter. Accordingly,
notice and opportunity for prior public comment are impracticable and
contrary to the public interest pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(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 forgo notice and
comment.
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 the 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 2,000 fuel cylinders
installed on hot air balloons worldwide. The FAA has no way of knowing
the number of hot air balloons of U.S. Registry that may have an
affected fuel cylinder installed. The estimated cost on U.S. operators
reflects the maximum possible cost based on affected fuel cylinders
worldwide. The average labor rate is $85 per work-hour.
The FAA estimates that visually checking the fuel cylinder will
take 1 work-hour for an estimated cost of $85 per balloon per cycle,
for a U.S. fleet cost of $170,000 per cycle.
Removing an affected fuel cylinder from service and replacing it
with a new fuel cylinder will take 2 work-hours and a part cost of $29,
for a cost of $199 per balloon.
Reporting the results of any inspection where a crack is found will
take 1 work-hour for a cost of $85 per report.
Paperwork Reduction Act
A federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not
required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for
failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the
requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of
information displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. The OMB
Control Number for this information collection is 2120-0056. Public
reporting for this collection of information is estimated to take
approximately 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing
instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and
maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the
collection of information. All responses to this collection of
information are mandatory. Send comments regarding this burden estimate
or any other aspect of this collection of information, including
suggestions for reducing this burden, to: Information Collection
Clearance Officer, Federal Aviation Administration, 10101 Hillwood
Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76177-1524.
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
(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,
[[Page 23271]]
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:
2025-11-10 Cameron Balloons Ltd.: Amendment 39-23056; Docket No.
FAA-2025-0921; Project Identifier MCAI-2025-00442-Q.
(a) Effective Date
This airworthiness directive (AD) is effective June 17, 2025.
(b) Affected ADs
None.
(c) Applicability
(1) This AD applies to all hot air balloons, certificated in any
category, with a fuel cylinder installed that is fitted with Cameron
Balloons Ltd. pressure relief valve (PRV) adaptor part number
CB8426.
Note 1 to paragraph (c)(1): Cameron Balloons Alert Service
Bulletin No. 36, Revision 1, dated April 2, 2025, provides
information related to this AD, including fuel cylinders that may be
fitted with PRV adaptor part number CB8426.
(2) These fuel cylinders are installed on hot air balloon models
including, but not limited to, those of the design approval holders
identified in paragraphs (c)(2)(i) through (viii) of this AD.
(i) Adams Aerostats LLC.
(ii) Aerostar International Inc.
(iii) Ballonbau W[ouml]rner GmbH.
(iv) Cameron Balloons Ltd.
(v) Eagle Balloons Corp.
(vi) JR Aerosports, Ltd.
(vii) Kub[iacute][ccaron]ek Factory s.r.o. (formerly
Bal[oacute]ny Kub[iacute][ccaron]ek spol. s.r.o.).
(viii) Lindstrand Balloons Ltd.
(d) Subject
Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) Code 2800, Aircraft Fuel
System.
(e) Unsafe Condition
This AD was prompted by cracks on the upper hex portion of PRV
adaptors installed on certain Cameron Balloons Ltd. fuel cylinders.
The FAA is issuing this AD to address failure of a PRV adaptor. This
condition, if not addressed, could lead to uncontrolled leakage of
liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which could result in an in-flight
fire and consequent emergency landing.
(f) Compliance
Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified,
unless already done.
(g) Required Actions
(1) Before further flight after the effective date of this AD,
and thereafter before each flight, visually check the fuel cylinder
PRV adaptor for any cracks.
(2) The owner/operator (pilot) holding at least a private pilot
certificate may perform the visual checks required by paragraph
(g)(1) of this AD and must enter compliance with the applicable
paragraph of this AD into the balloon maintenance records in
accordance with 14 CFR 43.9(a) and 91.417(a)(2)(v). The record must
be maintained as required by 14 CFR 91.417, 121.380, or 135.439.
(3) If during any visual check required by paragraph (g)(1) of
this AD, any fuel cylinder PRV adaptor is found with a crack, remove
the fuel cylinder from service before further flight.
(h) Reporting
If a crack is found during any visual check required by
paragraph (g)(1) of this AD, within 10 days after the check or
within 10 days after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs
later, report the results to Cameron Balloons Ltd. at the address in
paragraph (k)(2) of this AD. The report must include the check
results, a description of any discrepancies found, the hot air
balloon serial number, and the hours time-in-service for the PRV
adaptor or the hot air balloon.
(i) Special Flight Permits
Special flight permits are prohibited.
(j) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
The Manager, International Validation 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 International Validation Branch, send
it to the attention of the person identified in paragraph (k)(1) of
this AD and email 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.
(k) Additional Information
(1) For more information about this AD, contact George Weir,
Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410,
Westbury, NY 11590; phone: (817) 222-4045; email:
[email protected].
(2) For material identified in this AD that is not incorporated
by reference, contact Cameron Balloons Ltd., St John Street,
Bedminster, Bristol, BS3 4NH, United Kingdom; phone: +44 0 117
9637216; email: cameronballoons.co.uk">technical@cameronballoons.co.uk; website:
cameronballoons.co.uk.
(l) Material Incorporated by Reference
None.
Issued on May 28, 2025.
Steven W. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-10045 Filed 5-29-25; 2:00 pm]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P