This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.

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# Rules and Regulations Federal Register 

### 9515

Vol. 75, No. 41

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

**DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION**

**Federal Aviation Administration**

**14 CFR Part 39**

**[Docket No. FAA–2009–1107; Directorate Identifier 2009–NM–138–AD; Amendment**  **39–16202; AD 2010–04–09]**

**RIN 2120–AA64**

**Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model A330–200 Series Airplanes and Model**  **A340–200 and –300 Series Airplanes**

Correction

In rule document 2010–3119 beginning on page 7940 in the issue of February 23, 2010, make the following correction:

On page 7941, in the second column, under the header ‘‘Applicability

, ’’ item (1) should read: ‘‘ (1) Airbus Model A330–201, –202, –203, –223, and –243 airplanes, all manufacturer serial numbers. ’’

[FR Doc. C1–2010–3119 Filed 3–2–10; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 1505–01–D**

**DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION**

**Federal Aviation Administration**

**14 CFR Part 39**

**[Docket No. FAA–2008–0545; Directorate Identifier 2008–NE–16–AD; Amendment 39–**  **16219; AD 2010–05–09]**

**RIN 2120–AA64**

**Airworthiness Directives; Dowty Propellers Models R354/4–123–F/13,**  **R354/4–123–F/20, R375/4–123–F/21, R389/4–123–F/25, R389/4–123–F/26,**  **and R390/4–123–F/27 Propellers**

**AGENCY :**  Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

**ACTION :**  Final rule. **SUMMARY :**  We are adopting a new 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:

A number of propeller blade outer sleeves have been found with cracks since 1996. Testing has shown that blade retention integrity is not affected by this cracking. However, this condition, if not detected and corrected, can lead to blade counterweight release, possibly resulting in damage to the aircraft and injury to occupants or persons on the ground. We are issuing this AD to prevent blade counterweight release, which could result in injury or damage to the airplane.

**DATES :**  This AD becomes effective April 7, 2010.

**ADDRESSES :**  The Docket Operations office is located at Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., West Building Ground Floor, Room W12–140, Washington, DC
20590–0001.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Terry Fahr, Aerospace Engineer, Boston Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; e-mail: terry.fahr@faa.gov; telephone (781) 238– 7155; fax (781) 238–7170.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :** 

Discussion

We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) and a supplemental 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 June 30, 2008 (73 FR 36819), and the supplemental NPRM was published in the Federal Register on May 18, 2009 (74 FR 23131). Those NPRMs proposed to correct an unsafe condition for the specified products. The MCAI states that:

A number of propeller blade outer sleeves have been found with cracks since 1996. Testing has shown that blade retention integrity is not affected by this cracking. However, this condition, if not detected and corrected, can lead to blade counterweight release, possibly resulting in damage to the aircraft and injury to occupants or persons on the ground.

Comments

We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing this AD. We responded to the comments received on the NPRM, in the supplemental NPRM. We considered the one comment received on the supplemental NPRM, as follows: Claim That Tracking of Individual Propeller Blades Is Not Required

One commenter, a private citizen, states that if the proposed AD was rewritten against the propeller assembly, instead of the propeller blades, then all four propeller blades are inspected at the same time, and tracking of individual propeller blades is not required. Also, because the propeller blades could be moved from propeller to propeller, a requirement to inspect all four propeller blades at the time the propeller is assembled, ‘‘ zeroing out’’ the inspection, would prevent any propeller blade in the assembly from exceeding its inspection interval.

We do not agree. Since the propeller blade log cards are with the propeller blades, it is appropriate in writing the AD against the propeller blades; not the propeller assembly. Also, since the AD is related to propeller blade inspections, and propeller assembly total time is independent of propeller blade total time, tracking propeller assembly time could result in a propeller blade exceeding the 1,600 flight hour or 15,000 flight hour time-in-service inspection interval. We did not change the AD.

Conclusion

We have carefully reviewed the available data, including the comments received, and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD as proposed. Costs of Compliance

Based on the service information, we estimate that this AD will affect about 292 propellers installed on airplanes of U.S. registry. We also estimate that it will take 0.5 work-hour per propeller to visually inspect for cracks. The average labor rate is $80 per work-hour. Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of the AD on U.S. operators to be $11,680.