[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 162 (Monday, August 25, 2025)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 41350-41353]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-16263]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2025-2265; Project Identifier MCAI-2024-00714-A]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; DAHER AEROSPACE (Type Certificate
Previously Held by SOCATA) Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD)
2007-06-11, which applies to certain SOCATA (type certificate now held
by DAHER AEROSPACE) Model TBM 700 airplanes. AD 2007-06-11 requires
repetitively inspecting the vertical stabilizer attachment fittings and
bolts for cracks or corrosion, and, if necessary, repairing or
replacing the damaged part and then applying a corrosion protection
reinforcement. Since the FAA issued AD 2007-06-11, the European Union
Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical Agent for the
Member States of the European Union, superseded the previous Direction
generale de l'aviation civile (DGAC) France AD to introduce new service
information providing instructions for installing new vertical
stabilizer attachment fittings having improved corrosion resistant
material as an optional terminating action for the repetitive
inspections. This proposed AD would retain the requirements of AD 2007-
06-11 and include a new optional terminating action for the repetitive
inspections. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe
condition on these products.
DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this NPRM by October 9, 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-2025-2265; 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 NPRM, the mandatory continuing airworthiness
information (MCAI) any comments received, and other information. The
street address for Docket Operations is listed above.
Material Incorporated by Reference:
For DAHER AEROSPACE and EADS SOCATA material identified in
this proposed AD, contact DAHER AEROSPACE, Customer Support, Airplane
Division, 65921 Tarbes Cedex 9, France; phone: 33 (0)5 62.41.73.00;
email: daher.com">tbmcare@daher.com; website: daher.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 (817) 222-5110.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Hye Yoon Jang, Aviation Safety
Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590;
phone: (206) 231-3758; email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed
under ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2025-2265; Project Identifier
MCAI-2024-00714-A'' at the beginning of your comments. The most helpful
comments reference a specific portion of the proposal, 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
the proposal 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 NPRM.
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 Hye
Yoon Jang, 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 FAA issued AD 2007-06-11, Amendment 39-14992 (72 FR 12546,
March 16, 2007) (AD 2007-06-11), for certain serial-numbered SOCATA
(type certificate now held by DAHER AEROSPACE) Model TBM 700 airplanes.
AD 2007-06-11 was prompted by DGAC France AD F-2003-366 R1, dated
November 24, 2004 (DGAC France AD F-2003-366 R1).
[[Page 41351]]
DGAC was the aviation authority for France prior to EASA.
AD 2007-06-11 requires repetitively inspecting the vertical
stabilizer attachment fittings and bolts for cracks or corrosion, and,
if necessary, repairing or replacing the damaged part and then applying
a corrosion protection reinforcement. The FAA issued AD 2007-06-11 to
address cracks in a vertical stabilizer attachment fitting, which, if
not addressed, could result in reduced structural integrity of the
vertical stabilizer.
Actions Since AD 2007-06-11 Was Issued
Since the FAA issued AD 2007-06-11, EASA superseded DGAC France AD
F-2003-366 R1, and issued EASA AD 2019-0070, dated March 28, 2019 (also
referred to as the MCAI). The MCAI states that cracks were found on a
vertical stabilizer attachment fitting on a TBM 700 aeroplane in
service. Investigation results showed that these cracks were due to
corrosion. This unsafe condition could result in reduced structural
integrity of the vertical stabilizer. To address this condition, EASA
AD 2019-0070 retained all of the requirements of DGAC France AD F-2003-
366 R1 and included an optional terminating action for the repetitive
inspections of the vertical stabilizer attachment fittings and bolts.
The optional terminating action requires installing new vertical
stabilizer attachment fittings (referred to as serviceable parts in
EASA AD 2019-0070) made from material that has improved corrosion
resistance.
The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on
these products. You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at
regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2025-2265.
Material Incorporated by Reference Under 1 CFR Part 51
The FAA reviewed EADS SOCATA TBM Aircraft Mandatory Service
Bulletin No. SB 70-104, Amendment 3, dated December 2007. This material
species procedures for inspecting the vertical stabilizer attachment
fittings for crack(s) and corrosion, repairing or replacing any damaged
part, and applying corrosion protection reinforcement on the attachment
fittings.
The FAA also reviewed DAHER Aerospace TBM Aircraft Mandatory
Service Bulletin No. SB 70-104, Revision 4, dated December 2018. This
material specifies procedures for inspecting the vertical stabilizer
attachment fittings for crack(s) and corrosion, repairing or replacing
any damaged part, and applying corrosion protection on the attachment
fittings.
In addition, the FAA reviewed DAHER AEROSPACE TBM Aircraft
Recommended Service Bulletin SB 70-255, dated December 2018. This
material specifies procedures for modifying the vertical stabilizer and
fuselage by installing new front and rear fittings.
This proposed AD would also require EADS SOCATA TBM Aircraft
Mandatory Service Bulletin No. SB 70-104, Amendment 1, dated August
2004, which the Director of the Federal Register approved for
incorporation by reference as of April 20, 2007 (72 FR 12546, dated
March 16, 2007).
Furthermore, this proposed AD would also require EADS SOCATA TBM
Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin No. SB 70-104, Amendment 2, dated
January 2007, which the Director of the Federal Register approved for
incorporation by reference as of April 20, 2007 (72 FR 12546, dated
March 16, 2007).
This material 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
These products have been approved by the 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, it has notified the FAA of the unsafe condition described in
the MCAI and material referenced above. The FAA is issuing this NPRM
after determining that the unsafe condition described previously is
likely to exist or develop on other products of the same type design.
Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM
This proposed AD would retain all of the requirements of AD 2007-
06-11. This proposed AD would also provide a new optional terminating
action for the repetitive inspections by replacing each affected part
with a new zero-time vertical stabilizer attachment fitting made from
improved corrosion resistant material.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect up to 309 airplanes of U.S. registry.
The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this proposed
AD:
Estimated Costs
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Cost on U.S.
Action Labor cost Parts cost Cost per product operators
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Inspect vertical stabilizer 4 work-hours x $85 $0 $340 (per $105,060 (per
attachment fittings. per hour = $340 inspection cycle). inspection cycle).
(per inspection
cycle).
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The FAA estimates the following costs to do any necessary
replacements that would be required based on the results of the
proposed inspections. The agency has no way of determining the number
of airplanes that might need these replacements.
Either the replacement of the vertical stabilizer attachment
fittings or the installation of improved design vertical stabilizer
attachment fittings, as presented below, can be done if required based
any inspection in this proposed AD. If the improved design fittings are
installed, then the repetitive inspections are terminated.
On-Condition Costs
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Action Labor cost Parts cost Cost per product
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Replace vertical stabilizer 10 work-hours x $85 per $5,000................. $5,850
attachment fittings. hour = $850.
[[Page 41352]]
Optional terminating action, install 10 work-hours x $85 per $5,000................. $5,850
(new) design vertical stabilizer hour = $850.
attachment fittings.
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The FAA has no way of determining the costs pertaining to necessary
repairs that would be required in accordance with a method approved by
the FAA, EASA, or Daher's EASA Designated Organization Approval.
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 that the proposed
regulation:
(1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive
Order 12866,
(2) Would not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
(3) Would 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:
0
a. Removing Airworthiness Directive 2007-06-11, Amendment 39-14992 (72
FR 12546, March 16, 2007); and
0
b. Adding the following new airworthiness directive:
DAHER AEROSPACE (Type Certificate previously held by SOCATA): Docket
No. FAA-2025-2265; Project Identifier MCAI-2024-00714-A.
(a) Comments Due Date
The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive
(AD) by October 9, 2025.
(b) Affected ADs
This AD replaces AD 2007-06-11, Amendment 39-14992 (72 FR 12546,
dated March 16, 2007) (AD 2007-06-11).
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to DAHER AEROSPACE (type certificate previously
held by SOCATA) Model TBM 700 airplanes, manufacturer serial numbers
001 through 308 inclusive and 310, certificated in any category.
(d) Subject
Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) Code 5530, Vertical
Stabilizer Structure.
(e) Unsafe Condition
This AD was prompted by reports of cracks due to corrosion on a
vertical stabilizer attachment fitting. The FAA is issuing this AD
to detect and address cracks on the vertical stabilizer attachment
fitting. The unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in
reduced structural integrity of the vertical stabilizer.
(f) Definitions
For the purpose of this AD, the following definitions apply:
(1) Affected Part: Vertical stabilizer attachment fitting having
part number (P/N) T700A5530072101, T700A5530073000, T700A5340023100,
T700A5340052100, or T700A5530072100.
(2) New Part: A new zero-time vertical stabilizer attachment
fitting having P/N T700A553007300151, T700A553007210251,
T700A534009810000, or T700A534009910000.
(g) Compliance
Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified,
unless already done.
(h) Retained Actions From AD 2007-06-11 With Reference to New Service
Bulletins and Before Further Flight Compliance Time Added to Corrective
Action
(1) Within the next 600 hours time-in-service (TIS) or the next
12 months, whichever occurs first, after April 10, 2007 (the
effective date of AD 2007-06-11), inspect the affected part as
defined in paragraph (f)(1) of this AD, and the affected part bolts,
for cracks or corrosion, and, if necessary, before further flight,
repair or replace the damaged affected part and then apply a
corrosion protection reinforcement, in accordance with EADS SOCATA
TBM Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin No. SB 70-104, Amendment 1,
dated August 2004; EADS SOCATA TBM Aircraft Mandatory Service
Bulletin No. SB 70-104, Amendment 2, dated January 2007; EADS SOCATA
TBM Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin No. SB 70-104, Amendment 3,
dated December 2007; or DAHER Aerospace TBM Aircraft Mandatory
Service Bulletin No. SB 70-104, Revision 4, dated December 2018.
Where the material above states to send the damaged parts to Socata
and send photos of drawings if exfoliations is detected, this AD
does not require these actions.
(2) Repeat the actions required by paragraph (h)(1) of this AD
at intervals not to exceed 1,200 hour TIS or 24 months, whichever
occurs first in accordance with EADS SOCATA Service Bulletin SB 70-
104, Amendment 1, dated August 2004; EADS SOCATA TBM Aircraft
Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 70-104, Amendment 2, dated January
2007; EADS SOCATA TBM Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin No. SB 70-
104, Amendment 3, dated December 2007; or DAHER Aerospace TBM
Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin No. SB 70-104, Revision 4, dated
December 2018.
(i) New Optional Terminating Action
Modification of an airplane by replacing each affected part as
defined in paragraph (f)(1) of this AD with a new part as defined in
paragraph (f)(2) of this AD, in accordance with paragraphs A. and B.
of the Description of Accomplishment Instructions in DAHER AEROSPACE
TBM Aircraft Recommended Service Bulletin SB 70-255, dated December
2018, constitutes terminating action for the repetitive detailed
inspections required by paragraph (h)(2) of this AD for that
airplane.
[[Page 41353]]
Note 2 to paragraph (i): European Union Aviation Safety Agency
AD 2019-0070, dated March 28, 2019, refers to this new part as a
serviceable part and DAHER AEROSPACE TBM Aircraft Recommended
Service Bulletin SB 70-255, dated December 2018, refers to this part
as a new fitting.
(j) Installation Prohibition
After modification of an airplane as specified in paragraph (i)
of this AD, do not install on that airplane an affected part or a
vertical stabilizer equipped with an affected part.
(k) 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 (l) 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.
(l) Additional Information
For more information about this AD, contact Hye Yoon Jang,
Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410,
Westbury, NY 11590; phone: (206) 231-3758; email:
[email protected].
(m) Material Incorporated by Reference
(1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the
incorporation by reference (IBR) of the material listed in this
paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
(2) You must use this material as applicable to do the actions
required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.
(3) The following material was approved for IBR on [DATE 35 DAYS
AFTER PUBLICATION OF THE FINAL RULE].
(i) EADS SOCATA TBM Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin No. SB
70-104, Amendment 3, dated December 2007.
(ii) DAHER AEROSPACE TBM Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin No.
SB 70-104, Revision 4, dated December 2018.
(iii) DAHER AEROSPACE TBM Aircraft Recommended Service Bulletin
SB 70-255, dated December 2018.
(4) The following material was approved for IBR on April 20,
2007 (72 FR 12546, dated March 16, 2007).
(i) EADS SOCATA TBM Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin No. SB
70-104, Amendment 1, dated August 2004.
(ii) EADS SOCATA TBM Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin No. SB
70-104, Amendment 2, dated January 2007.
(5) For DAHER AEROSPACE and EADS SOCATA material identified in
this AD, contact DAHER AEROSPACE, Customer Support, Airplane
Division, 65921 Tarbes Cedex 9, France; phone: 33 (0)5 62.41.73.00;
email: daher.com">tbmcare@daher.com; website: daher.com.
(6) 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 (817) 222-5110.
(7) You may view this material at the National Archives and
Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability
of this material at NARA, visit www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations or email [email protected].
Issued on August 21, 2025.
Steven W. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-16263 Filed 8-22-25; 8:45 am]
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