4216 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 16 / Tuesday, January 25, 2011 / Rules and Regulations 

(c) No party acquiring a covered 

financial company or any operational 

unit, subsidiary or assets thereof from 

the Corporation as receiver or from any 

bridge financial company shall be 

bound by a personal service agreement 

unless the acquiring party expressly 

assumes the personal services 

agreement. 

(d) The acceptance by the Corporation 

as receiver for a covered financial 

company, by any bridge financial 

company or the Corporation as receiver 

of a bridge financial company of 

services subject to a personal service 

agreement shall not limit or impair the 

authority of the Corporation as receiver 

to disaffirm or repudiate any personal 

service agreement in the manner 

provided for the disaffirmance or 

repudiation of any agreement under 12 

U.S.C. 5390. 

(e) Paragraph (b) of this section shall 

not apply to any personal service 

agreement with any senior executive or 

director of the covered financial 

company or covered subsidiary, nor 

shall it in any way limit or impair the 

ability of the receiver to recover 

compensation from any senior executive 

or director of a failed financial company 

under 12 U.S.C. 5390. 

§ 380.4 Provability of claims based on 

contingent obligations. 

(a) The Corporation as receiver shall 

not disallow a claim based on an 

obligation of the covered financial 

company solely because the obligation 

is contingent. To the extent the 

obligation is contingent, the receiver 

shall estimate the value of the claim, as 

such value is measured based upon the 

likelihood that such contingent 

obligation would become fixed and the 

probable magnitude thereof. 

(b) If the receiver repudiates a 

contingent obligation of a covered 

financial company consisting of a 

guarantee, letter of credit, loan 

commitment, or similar credit 

obligation, the actual direct 

compensatory damages for repudiation 

shall be no less than the estimated value 

of the claim as of the date the 

Corporation was appointed receiver of 

the covered financial company, as such 

value is measured based upon the 

likelihood that such contingent claim 

would become fixed and the probable 

magnitude thereof. 

§ 380.5 Treatment of covered financial 

companies that are subsidiaries of 

insurance companies. 

The Corporation shall distribute the 

value realized from the liquidation, 

transfer, sale or other disposition of the 

direct or indirect subsidiaries of an 

insurance company, that are not 

themselves insurance companies, solely 

in accordance with the order of 

priorities set forth in 12 U.S.C. 

5390(b)(1). 

§ 380.6 Limitation on liens on assets of 

covered financial companies that are 

insurance companies or covered 

subsidiaries of insurance companies. 

(a) In the event that the Corporation 

makes funds available to a covered 

financial company that is an insurance 

company or is a covered subsidiary or 

affiliate of an insurance company or 

enters into any other transaction with 

respect to such covered entity under 12 

U.S.C. 5384(d), the Corporation will 

exercise its right to take liens on some 

or all assets of the covered entities 

receiving such funds to secure 

repayment of any such transactions only 

when the Corporation, in its sole 

discretion, determines that: 

(1) Taking such lien is necessary for 

the orderly liquidation of the entity; and 

(2) Taking such lien will not either 

unduly impede or delay the liquidation 

or rehabilitation of such insurance 

company, or the recovery by its 

policyholders. 

(b) This section shall not be construed 

to restrict or impair the ability of the 

Corporation to take a lien on any or all 

of the assets of any covered financial 

company or covered subsidiary or 

affiliate in order to secure financing 

provided by the Corporation or the 

receiver in connection with the sale or 

transfer of the covered financial 

company or covered subsidiary or 

affiliate or any or all of the assets of 

such covered entity. 

By order of the Board of Directors. 

Dated at Washington, DC, this 18th day of 

January, 2011. 

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. 

Robert E. Feldman, 

Executive Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2011–1379 Filed 1–24–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6741–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2010–0948; Directorate 

Identifier 2010–CE–041–AD; Amendment 

39–16575; AD 2011–02–02] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; SOCATA 

Model TBM 700 Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are superseding an 

existing airworthiness directive (AD) for 

the products listed above. This AD 

results from mandatory continuing 

airworthiness information (MCAI) 

issued 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: 

Following the rupture of an alternator and 

vapour cycle cooling system pulley drive 

assembly, the AD 2008–0067–E was 

published to require the replacement of the 

pulley drive assembly by a new one of an 

improved design. 

Later on, cases of rupture of the alternator 

and vapour cycle cooling system compressor 

drive shaft and of cracks on the standbyalternator and compressor support were 

reportedly found. 

Such failures could lead to the loss of the 

alternator and of the vapour cycle cooling 

systems, and could also cause mechanical 

damage inside the power plant compartment. 

To address this condition, the AD 2008– 

0129–E superseded AD 2008–0067–E and 

mandates the removal, as a temporary 

measure, of the compressor drive belt and of 

the torque limiter, the conditional 

replacement of the pulley drive shear shaft, 

and repetitive inspections for cracks of the 

pulley drive assembly and of the alternator/ 

compressor support. 

We are issuing this AD to require 

actions to correct the unsafe condition 

on these products. 

DATES: This AD becomes effective 

March 1, 2011. 

On March 1, 2011, the Director of the 

Federal Register approved the 

incorporation by reference of SOCATA 

Mandatory TBM Aircraft Service 

Bulletin SB 70–176, amendment 1, 

dated February, 2010, listed in this AD. 

As of October 8, 2008 (73 FR 54067, 

September 18, 2008), the Director of the 

Federal Register approved the 

incorporation by reference of EADS 

SOCATA Mandatory TBM Aircraft Alert 

Service Bulletin SB 70–161, amendment 

2, dated July 2008, listed in this AD. 

ADDRESSES: You may examine the AD 

docket on the Internet at http:// 

www.regulations.gov or in person at the 

Docket Management Facility, U.S. 

Department of Transportation, Docket 

Operations, M–30, West Building 

Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, 

DC 20590. 

For service information identified in 

this AD, contact SOCATA—Direction 

des Services, 65921 Tarbes Cedex 9, 

France; telephone: +33 (0)5 62 41 73 00; 

fax: +33 (0)5 62 41 7–54; or in the 

United States contact SOCATA North 

America, Inc., North Perry Airport, 7501 


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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 16 / Tuesday, January 25, 2011 / Rules and Regulations 4217 

South Airport Road, Pembroke Pines, 

Florida 33023; telephone: (954) 893– 

1400; fax: (954) 964–4141. You may 

review copies of the referenced service 

information at the FAA, Small Airplane 

Directorate, 901 Locust, Kansas City, 

Missouri 64106. For information on the 

availability of this material at the FAA, 

call 816–329–4148. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Albert Mercado, Aerospace Engineer, 

FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 

Locust, Room 301, ACE–112, Kansas 

City, Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 

329–4119; fax: (816) 329–4090. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

We issued a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 

part 39 to include an AD that would 

apply to the specified products. That 

NPRM was published in the Federal 

Register on September 28, 2010 (75 FR 

59658), and proposed to supersede AD 

2008–19–06, Amendment 39–15673 (73 

FR 54067; September 18, 2008). That 

NPRM proposed to correct an unsafe 

condition for the specified products. 

The MCAI states that: 

Following the rupture of an alternator and 

vapour cycle cooling system pulley drive 

assembly, the AD 2008–0067–E was 

published to require the replacement of the 

pulley drive assembly by a new one of an 

improved design. 

Later on, cases of rupture of the alternator 

and vapour cycle cooling system compressor 

drive shaft and of cracks on the standbyalternator and compressor support were 

reportedly found. 

Such failures could lead to the loss of the 

alternator and of the vapour cycle cooling 

systems, and could also cause mechanical 

damage inside the power plant compartment. 

To address this condition, the AD 2008– 

0129–E superseded AD 2008–0067–E and 

mandates the removal, as a temporary 

measure, of the compressor drive belt and of 

the torque limiter, the conditional 

replacement of the pulley drive shear shaft, 

and repetitive inspections for cracks of the 

pulley drive assembly and of the alternator/ 

compressor support. 

Revision 1 of the AD 2008–0129–E 

introduced an alternative temporary solution 

with the aim to restore the capability to make 

use of the air conditioning system. This 

solution consists in replacing the original 

pulley drive assembly by a time-limited 

assembly of a new design, corresponding to 

the SOCATA modification MOD 70–0240–21. 

A definitive solution has been released to 

production aeroplanes by implementation of 

SOCATA modification MOD 70–0243–21 or 

Service Bulletin (SB) 70–176–21 for inservice aeroplanes. 

This AD which supersedes EASA AD 

2008–0129R1–E retaining its requirements, 

limits the AD applicability and requires 

accomplishment of the terminating action. 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this AD. We 

received no comments on the NPRM or 

on the determination of the cost to the 

public. 

Conclusion 

We reviewed the available data and 

determined that air safety and the 

public interest require adopting the AD 

as proposed. 

Differences Between This AD and the 

MCAI or Service Information 

We have reviewed the MCAI and 

related service information and, in 

general, agree with their substance. But 

we might have found it necessary to use 

different words from those in the MCAI 

to ensure the AD is clear for U.S. 

operators and is enforceable. In making 

these changes, we do not intend to differ 

substantively from the information 

provided in the MCAI and related 

service information. 

We might also have required different 

actions in this AD from those in the 

MCAI in order to follow FAA policies. 

Any such differences are highlighted in 

a Note within the AD. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD will affect 

66 products of U.S. registry. We also 

estimate that it will take about 8 workhours per product to comply with the 

basic requirements of this AD. The 

average labor rate is $85 per work-hour. 

Required parts will cost about $0 per 

product. Where the service information 

lists required parts costs that are 

covered under warranty, we have 

assumed that there will be no charge for 

these parts. As we do not control 

warranty coverage for affected parties, 

some parties may incur costs higher 

than estimated here. 

Based on these figures, we estimate 

the cost of this AD to the U.S. operators 

to be $44,880, or $680 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. 

Regulatory Findings 

We determined that 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 this AD: 

(1) Is not a ‘‘significant regulatory 

action’’ under Executive Order 12866; 

(2) Is not a ‘‘significant rule’’ under 

DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures 

(44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); 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. 

We prepared a regulatory evaluation 

of the estimated costs to comply with 

this AD and placed it in the AD Docket. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the Internet at http:// 

www.regulations.gov; or in person at the 

Docket Management Facility between 9 

a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 

Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD 

docket contains the NPRM, the 

regulatory evaluation, any comments 

received, and other information. The 

street address for the Docket Office 

(telephone (800) 647–5527) is in the 

ADDRESSES section. Comments will be 

available in the AD docket shortly after 

receipt. 

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39 

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation 

safety, Incorporation by reference, 

Safety. 

Adoption of 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 

■ 1. The authority citation for part 39 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701. 


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4218 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 16 / Tuesday, January 25, 2011 / Rules and Regulations 

§ 39.13 [Amended] 

■ 2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by 

removing Amendment 39–15673 (73 FR 

54067; September 18, 2008) and adding 

the following new AD: 

2011–02–02 SOCATA: Amendment 39– 

16575; Docket No. FAA–2010–0948; 

Directorate Identifier 2010–CE–041–AD. 

Effective Date 

(a) This airworthiness directive (AD) 

becomes effective March 1, 2011. 

Affected ADs 

(b) This AD supersedes AD 2008–19–06, 

Amendment 39–15673. 

Applicability 

(c) This AD applies to SOCATA TBM 700 

airplanes, serial numbers (S/Ns) 434 through 

509, 511 through 516, 519, 520, and 522 

through 525, certificated in any category. 

Subject 

(d) Air Transport Association of America 

(ATA) Code 21: Air Conditioning. 

Reason 

(e) The mandatory continuing 

airworthiness information (MCAI) states: 

Following the rupture of an alternator and 

vapour cycle cooling system pulley drive 

assembly, the AD 2008–0067–E was 

published to require the replacement of the 

pulley drive assembly by a new one of an 

improved design. 

Later on, cases of rupture of the alternator 

and vapour cycle cooling system compressor 

drive shaft and of cracks on the standbyalternator and compressor support were 

reportedly found. 

Such failures could lead to the loss of the 

alternator and of the vapour cycle cooling 

systems, and could also cause mechanical 

damage inside the power plant compartment. 

To address this condition, the AD 2008– 

0129–E superseded AD 2008–0067–E and 

mandates the removal, as a temporary 

measure, of the compressor drive belt and of 

the torque limiter, the conditional 

replacement of the pulley drive shear shaft, 

and repetitive inspections for cracks of the 

pulley drive assembly and of the alternator/ 

compressor support. 

Revision 1 of the AD 2008–0129–E 

introduced an alternative temporary solution 

with the aim to restore the capability to make 

use of the air conditioning system. This 

solution consists in replacing the original 

pulley drive assembly by a time-limited 

assembly of a new design, corresponding to 

the SOCATA modification MOD 70–0240–21. 

A definitive solution has been released to 

production aeroplanes by implementation of 

SOCATA modification MOD 70–0243–21 or 

Service Bulletin (SB) 70–176–21 for inservice aeroplanes. 

This AD which supersedes EASA AD 

2008–0129R1–E retaining its requirements, 

limits the AD applicability and requires 

accomplishment of the terminating action. 

Actions and Compliance 

(f) For airplanes S/Ns 434 through 459 

only, unless already done, before further 

flight as of September 18, 2008 (the effective 

date of AD 2008–19–06), do the following 

actions following EADS SOCATA Mandatory 

TBM Aircraft Alert Service Bulletin SB 70– 

161, amendment 2, dated July 2008: 

(1) Remove the pulley drive assembly, the 

torque limiter, the compressor drive belt, and 

the alternator/compressor support. 

(2) Inspect for cracks the pulley drive 

surfaces and the alternator/compressor 

support welds. 

(i) If any crack is detected, before further 

flight, replace the pulley drive assembly 

following the accomplishment instructions in 

SOCATA Mandatory TBM Aircraft Service 

Bulletin SB 70–176, amendment 1, dated 

February 2010. 

(ii) Replacement of the assembly 

incorporates replacement of the pulley drive 

sheer shaft required by paragraph (f)(3) of 

this AD for airplanes with 30 hours time-inservice (TIS) or more with the torque limiter 

installed on the pulley drive shear shaft. 

(3) Replace any pulley drive shear shaft 

that has accumulated 30 hours TIS or more 

with the torque limiter installed. This action 

is not required if you replaced the whole 

assembly per paragraph (f)(2)(i) of this AD. 

(4) Re-install the pulley drive assembly and 

the alternator/compressor support, without 

re-installing the compressor drive belt or the 

torque limiter. 

(5) Insert EADS SOCATA Mandatory TBM 

Aircraft Alert Service Bulletin SB 70–161, 

amendment 2, dated July 2008, in the 

limitations section of the pilot’s operating 

handbook and install on the instrument 

panel and in the pilot’s primary field of 

vision a placard with the following text: 

‘‘AIR COND’’ INOPERATIVE 

RECOMMENDED ‘‘AIR COND’’ SWITCH 

POSITION: ‘‘MANUAL’’ 

(g) For all S/N airplanes; 

(1) Within 100 hours TIS after September 

18, 2008 (the effective date of AD 2008–19– 

06), and repetitively thereafter at intervals 

not to exceed 100 hours TIS, inspect for 

cracks on the pulley drive surfaces and the 

alternator/compressor support welds, 

following EADS SOCATA Mandatory TBM 

Aircraft Alert Service Bulletin SB 70–161, 

amendment 2, dated July 2008. 

(i) For airplanes S/Ns 434 through 459, the 

inspection required in paragraph (f)(2) of this 

AD is considered the initial inspection 

required in paragraph (g)(1) of this AD. 

(ii) For accomplishment of the repetitive 

inspections required by paragraph (g)(1) of 

this AD, paragraph C.2 of the 

accomplishment instructions of EADS 

SOCATA Mandatory TBM Aircraft Alert 

Service Bulletin SB 70–161, amendment 2, 

dated July 2008, does not apply since the 

torque limiter has already been removed. 

(2) If cracks are found during any of the 

inspections required in paragraph (g)(1) of 

this AD, before further flight, replace the 

assembly following SOCATA Mandatory 

TBM Aircraft Service Bulletin SB 70–176, 

amendment 1, dated February 2010. 

(h) At the next annual inspection or within 

5 months after March 1, 2011 (the effective 

date of this AD), whichever occurs first, 

replace the alternator/compressor support 

and pulley drive assemblies with P/N 

T700G215500700100 (alternator/compressor 

support) and P/N T700G215513500000 

(Pulley drive assembly), following the 

accomplishment instructions of SOCATA 

Mandatory TBM Aircraft Service Bulletin SB 

70–176, amendment 1, dated February, 2010. 

(1) After March 1, 2011 (the effective date 

of this AD), do not install alternator/ 

compressor support P/N 

T700G215500700000 and a pulley drive 

assembly P/N T700G215510000000. 

(2) Accomplishment of corrective actions 

as required by paragraph (f)(2)(i), paragraph 

(g)(2), or paragraph (h) of this AD terminates 

the actions required in paragraphs (f) and (g) 

of this AD. 

Note 1: SOCATA SB 70–161, amendment 

4, dated October 2009, has been published by 

SOCATA in order to close the range of 

airplane S/Ns concerned by temporary 

actions. 

FAA AD Differences 

Note 2: This AD differs from the MCAI 

and/or service information as follows: No 

differences. 

Other FAA AD Provisions 

(i) The following provisions also apply to 

this AD: 

(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs): The Manager, Standards Office, 

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: Albert Mercado, Aerospace Engineer, 

FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, 

Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; 

telephone: (816) 329–4119; fax: (816) 329– 

4090. 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) Airworthy Product: For any requirement 

in this AD to obtain corrective actions from 

a manufacturer or other source, use these 

actions if they are FAA-approved. Corrective 

actions are considered FAA-approved if they 

are approved by the State of Design Authority 

(or their delegated agent). You are required 

to assure the product is airworthy before it 

is returned to service. 

(3) Reporting Requirements: For any 

reporting requirement in this AD, under the 

provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act 

(44 U.S.C. 3501 et. seq.), the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) has 

approved the information collection 

requirements and has assigned OMB Control 

Number 2120–0056. 

Special Flight Permit 

(j) We are allowing permission to ferry an 

airplane to a maintenance location to 

accomplish actions required by paragraph (1) 

of this AD provided that the air conditioning 

is switched off during the entire flight 

duration. 

Related Information 

(k) Refer to MCAI EASA AD No.: 2010– 

0130, dated June 29, 2010; EADS SOCATA 

Mandatory TBM Aircraft Alert Service 

Bulletin SB 70–161, amendment 2, dated July 

2008; and SOCATA Mandatory TBM Aircraft 


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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 16 / Tuesday, January 25, 2011 / Rules and Regulations 4219 

Service Bulletin SB 70–176, amendment 1, 

dated February, 2010, for related information. 

Material Incorporated by Reference 

(h) You must use SOCATA Mandatory 

TBM Aircraft Service Bulletin Service 

Bulletin SB 70–176, amendment 1, dated 

February, 2010, and EADS SOCATA 

Mandatory TBM Aircraft Alert Service 

Bulletin SB 70–161, amendment 2, dated July 

2008, to do the actions required by this AD, 

unless the AD specifies otherwise. 

(1) The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference of 

SOCATA Mandatory TBM Aircraft Service 

Bulletin SB 70–176, amendment 1, dated 

February, 2010 under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 

CFR part 51. 

(2) On October 8, 2008 (73 FR 54067, 

September 18, 2008), the Director of the 

Federal Register previously approved the 

incorporation by reference of EADS SOCATA 

Mandatory TBM Aircraft Alert Service 

Bulletin SB 70–161, amendment 2, dated July 

2008. 

(3) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact SOCATA—Direction des 

Services, 65921 Tarbes Cedex 9, France; 

telephone: +33 (0)5 62 41 73 00; fax: +33 (0)5 

62 41 7–54; or in the United States contact 

SOCATA North America, Inc., North Perry 

Airport, 7501 South Airport Road, Pembroke 

Pines, Florida 33023; telephone: (954) 893– 

1400; fax: (954) 964–4141. 

(4) You may review copies of the 

referenced service information at the FAA, 

Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, 

Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For information 

on the availability of this material at the 

FAA, call 816–329–4148. 

(5) You may also review copies of the 

service information incorporated by reference 

for this AD at the National Archives and 

Records Administration (NARA). For 

information on the availability of this 

material at NARA, call (202) 741–6030, or go 

to: http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/ 

code_of_federal_regulations/ 

ibr_locations.html. 

(3) You may review copies of the 

referenced service information at the FAA, 

Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, 

Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For information 

on the availability of this material at the 

FAA, call 816–329–4148. 

(4) You may also review copies of the 

service information incorporated by reference 

for this AD at the National Archives and 

Records Administration (NARA). For 

information on the availability of this 

material at NARA, call (202) 741–6030, or go 

to: http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/ 

code_of_federal_regulations/ 

ibr_locations.html. 

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on January 

4, 2011. 

Earl Lawrence, 

Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft 

Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–370 Filed 1–24–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2011–0029; Directorate 

Identifier 2010–NM–279–AD; Amendment 

39–16583; AD 2011–02–09] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model 

A330–200 Series Airplanes; Model 

A330–300 Series Airplanes; Model 

A340–200 Series Airplanes; and Model 

A340–300 Series Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Final rule; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for the 

products listed above. This 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: 

When there are significant differences 

between all airspeed sources, the flight 

controls of an Airbus A330 or A340 

aeroplane will revert to alternate law, the 

autopilot (AP) and the auto-thrust (A/THR) 

automatically disconnect, and the Flight 

Directors (FD) bars are automatically 

removed. 

It has been identified that, after such an 

event, if two airspeed sources become similar 

while still erroneous, the flight guidance 

computers will: 

—Display FD bars again, and 

—Enable autopilot and auto-thrust reengagement 

However, in some cases, the autopilot 

orders may be inappropriate, such as possible 

abrupt pitch command. 

* * * * * 

The unsafe condition is the potential for 

abrupt pitch command which may lead 

to unexpected maneuvers of the 

airplane and cause injuries of the crew 

and passengers, as well as reduced 

controllability of the airplane, and 

increased pilot workload. This AD 

requires actions that are intended to 

address the unsafe condition described 

in the MCAI. 

DATES: This AD becomes effective 

February 9, 2011. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of certain publications listed in the AD 

as of February 9, 2011. 

We must receive comments on this 

AD by March 11, 2011. 

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 W12–40, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between 

9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 

Friday, except Federal holidays. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the Internet at http:// 

www.regulations.gov; or in person at the 

Docket Operations office between 9 a.m. 

and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. The AD docket 

contains this AD, the regulatory 

evaluation, any comments received, and 

other information. The street address for 

the Docket Operations office (telephone 

(800) 647–5527) is in the ADDRESSES

section. Comments will be available in 

the AD docket shortly after receipt. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Vladimir Ulyanov, Aerospace Engineer, 

International Branch, ANM–116, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 

1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, 

Washington 98057–3356; telephone 

(425) 227–1138; fax (425) 227–1149. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

The European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA), which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Community, has issued EASA 

Airworthiness Directive 2010–0271, 

dated December 22, 2010 (referred to 

after this as ‘‘the MCAI’’), to correct an 

unsafe condition for the specified 

products. The MCAI states: 

When there are significant differences 

between all airspeed sources, the flight 

controls of an Airbus A330 or A340 

aeroplane will revert to alternate law, the 

autopilot (AP) and the auto-thrust (A/THR) 

automatically disconnect, and the Flight 

Directors (FD) bars are automatically 

removed. 

It has been identified that, after such an 

event, if two airspeed sources become similar 

while still erroneous, the flight guidance 

computers will: 

—Display FD bars again, and 

—Enable autopilot and auto-thrust reengagement 

However, in some cases, the autopilot 

orders may be inappropriate, such as possible 

abrupt pitch command. 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with RULES