Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 239 / Tuesday, December 14, 2004 / Rules and Regulations 74411

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. 2003–NE–09–AD; Amendment 

39–13906; AD 2004–25–18] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & 

Whitney Canada PT6A–60A and PT6A–

65B Turboprop Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for Pratt & 

Whitney Canada (PWC) PT6A–60A and 

PT6A–65B turboprop engines. This AD 

requires replacing Woodward propeller 

governor assemblies, part number (P/N) 

8210–212H. This AD results from six 

incidents during airplane acceptance 

flight testing where directional control 

of the airplane was difficult to maintain 

during landing. We are issuing this AD 

to prevent loss of directional control 

and damage to the airplane.

DATES: This AD becomes effective 

January 18, 2005.

ADDRESSES: You can get the service 

information identified in this AD from 

Pratt & Whitney Canada, 1000 MarieVictorin, Longueuil, Quebec, Canada 

J4G1A1. 

You may examine the AD docket, by 

appointment, at the FAA, New England 

Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, 

12 New England Executive Park, 

Burlington, MA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ian 

Dargin, Aerospace Engineer, Engine 

Certification Office, FAA, Engine and 

Propeller Directorate, 12 New England 

Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803–

5299; telephone (781) 238–7178; fax 

(781) 238–7199.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA 

proposed to amend 14 CFR part 39 with 

a proposed airworthiness directive (AD). 

The proposed AD applies to PWC 

PT6A–60A and PT6A–65B turboprop 

engines. We published the proposed AD 

in the Federal Register on June 17, 

2003, (68 FR 35826). That action 

proposed to require replacing 

Woodward propeller governor 

assemblies, P/N 8210–212H. 

Comments 

We provided the public the 

opportunity to participate in the 

development of this AD. We have 

considered the comments received. 

Suggestion That the Solenoid-Actuated 

Design Is Not Hazardous 

One commenter suggests that the 

solenoid-actuated design is not 

considered hazardous and will not 

cause ‘‘total’’ loss of directional control. 

The commenter admits that this 

condition will affect directional control 

but states, based on Raytheon Aircraft 

Company flight tests with one solenoid 

failed during certification, ‘‘at no time 

was directional control totally lost or 

any damage incurred to the aircraft.’’

We do not agree. Although Raytheon 

Aircraft Company conducted a flight 

test that did not result in ‘‘total’’ loss of 

control or damage to the airplane, we 

feel the test was flown under more 

controlled circumstances than those 

occurring in service and with 

knowledge that one solenoid was failed 

during the test. The commenter doesn’t 

address the situation where an average 

pilot, experiencing this failure 

unexpectedly, would make the correct 

control responses at the correct times to 

prevent ‘‘total’’ loss of directional 

control and damage to the aircraft. We 

have not changed the AD. 

Request To Add Models PT6A–60AG, 

PT6A–65AR, and PT6A–65R to the 

Applicability 

The same commenter asks us to add 

PWC models PT6A–60AG, PT6A–65AR, 

and PT6A–65R to the applicability of 

the AD. The commenter points to the 

discrepancy in engine models between 

the proposed AD and the PWC Service 

Bulletin (SB) PT6A–72–13354, dated 

July 6, 2001. 

We do not agree. Although the SB 

addresses both propeller governor 

configurations, this AD only addresses 

those propeller governors, P/N 8210–

212H, that connect to a solenoid valve 

installed on an airplane. The engine 

models PT6A–60A and PT6A–65B are 

installed on airplanes operating with a 

solenoid valve. The other engine 

models, incorporating Woodward 

Propeller Governor, P/N 8210–212J, are 

installed on airplanes configured with a 

push-pull rod mechanism. These engine 

models are not affected by this AD. We 

have not changed the AD. 

Request To Write the AD Against the 

Propeller Governor Rather Than the 

Engine 

One commenter requests that the AD 

be written against the propeller 

governor rather than the engine. The 

commenter states that there is nothing 

wrong with the engine except when it 

is used with a particular propeller 

governor.

We do not agree. Even though there is 

nothing wrong with either the propeller 

governor or the engine if isolated from 

the aircraft system, the propeller 

governor design is compromised when 

it operates on aircraft configured with a 

solenoid valve. Therefore, the combined 

system level interaction between an 

aircraft level component (solenoid 

valve) and the engine level part 

(propeller governor) makes this AD 

action necessary. We have not changed 

the AD. 

Request To Include Additional Aircraft 

to the Applicability 

One commenter requests that both the 

Air Tractor AT–802A and the CASA C–

212–DE aircraft be included in the 

applicability. The commenter states that 

the PT6A–65B engine model is installed 

on these aircraft. 

We do not agree. While PT6A–65B 

engines are installed on these airplanes, 

the airplanes have a push-pull rod 

activation mechanism. This AD does not 

affect those engines. We have not 

changed the AD. 

Revision 1 to PWC SB PT6A–72–13354 

After we issued the NPRM, we 

learned that PWC issued P&WC SB No. 

PT6A–72–13354, Revision 1, dated July 

11, 2003. This SB calls out certain 

PT6A–60 and PT6A–65B engines by 

engine serial number. We added the 

affected engine serial numbers to the 

applicability section of this AD, and 

changed the reference to the SB in 

compliance paragraph (f) to P&WC SB 

No. PT6A–72–13354, Revision 1, dated 

July 11, 2003. 

Increased Labor Rate in the Costs of 

Compliance 

After we issued the NPRM, the Office 

of Aviation Policy and Plans changed 

the average labor rate in the Costs of 

Compliance from $60.00 to $65.00. We 

changed the labor rate in the Costs of 

Compliance to $65.00 and adjusted the 

total cost to operators. 

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 with the changes described 

previously. 

Costs of Compliance 

There are about 73 PWC PT6A–60A 

and PT6A–65B turboprop engines of the 

affected design in the worldwide fleet. 

We estimate that 70 engines installed on 

airplanes of U.S. registry will be affected 

by this AD. We also estimate that it will 

take about 2 work hours per engine to 

perform the actions, and that the 

average labor rate is $65 per work hour. 

74412 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 239 / Tuesday, December 14, 2004 / Rules and Regulations 

Required parts would cost 

approximately $24,228 per engine. 

Based on these figures, we estimate the 

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

be $1,705,060. The manufacturer 

informed us that it might provide the 

parts and labor to the operators at no 

cost, substantially reducing the cost 

impact of this rule. 

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 have 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 that 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 summary of the costs 

to comply with this AD and placed it in 

the AD Docket. You may get a copy of 

this summary by sending a request to us 

at the address listed under ADDRESSES.

Include ‘‘AD Docket No. 2003–NE–09–

AD’’ in your request.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39 

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation 

safety, Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

■ Accordingly, under the authority 

delegated to me by the Administrator, 

the Federal Aviation Administration 

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.

§ 39.13 [Amended]

■ 2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by adding 

the following new airworthiness 

directive (AD):

2004–25–18 Pratt & Whitney Canada:

Amendment 39–13906. Docket No. 

2003–NE–09–AD. 

Effective Date 

(a) This AD becomes effective January 18, 

2005. 

Affected ADs 

(b) None. 

Applicability 

(c) This AD applies to Pratt & Whitney 

Canada (PWC) PT6A–60A turboprop engines, 

with an engine serial number (SN) which is 

before and includes SN PCE–PK0425, and 

SNs PCE–95006 thru PCE–95828, and PT6A–

65B turboprop engines, with a SN which is 

before and includes SN PCE–PP0062, and 

PCE–32001 thru PCE–32644 and all engines 

converted to engine model PT6A–65B, that 

have Woodward propeller governor 

assemblies, part number (P/N) 8210–212H, 

installed. These engines are installed on, but 

not limited to, Raytheon Super Beech King 

Air 300/350 and Raytheon Beech 1900/1900C 

airplanes. 

Unsafe Condition 

(d) This AD results from six incidents 

during airplane acceptance flight testing, 

whereby directional control of the airplane 

was difficult to maintain during landing. The 

actions specified in this AD are intended to 

prevent loss of directional control and 

damage to the airplane. 

Compliance 

(e) Compliance with this AD is required as 

indicated, unless already done. 

Removal of Woodward Propeller Governor 

Assemblies 

(f) Replace Woodward propeller governor 

assemblies, P/N 8210–212H, at the next 

access to the governor or within six months 

after the effective date of this AD, whichever 

occurs earlier. Information on replacing the 

Woodward propeller governor assembly can 

be found in Pratt & Whitney Canada Service 

Bulletin No. PT6A–72–13354, Revision 1, 

dated July 11, 2003. 

(g) After the effective date of this AD, do 

not install any Woodward propeller governor 

assembly, P/N 8210–212H, on any engine. 

Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(h) The Manager, Engine Certification 

Office, has the authority to approve 

alternative methods of compliance for this 

AD if requested using the procedures found 

in 14 CFR 39.19. 

Related Information 

(i) The subject of this AD is addressed in 

Transport Canada airworthiness directive 

CF–2002–02, dated January 15, 2002. 

Material Incorporated by Reference 

(j) None.

Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on 

December 6, 2004. 

Francis A. Favara, 

Acting Manager, Engine and Propeller 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 04–27319 Filed 12–13–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2004–18579; Directorate 

Identifier 2004–CE–19–AD; Amendment 39–

13892; AD 2004–23–01] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Pilatus 

Aircraft Ltd. Model PC–7 Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; correction.

SUMMARY: This document makes a 

correction to Airworthiness Directive 

(AD) 2004–23–01, which was published 

in the Federal Register on November 9, 

2004 (69 FR 64832), and applies to 

certain Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. (Pilatus) 

Model PC–7 airplanes with any Lear 

Romec RR53710B type or Lear Romec 

RR53710K fuel booster pump (Pilatus 

part number 968.84.11.401; 

968.84.11.403; or 968.84.11.404) 

installed. We incorrectly referenced the 

amendment number as Amendment 39–

13856. The correct amendment number 

is Amendment 39–13892. This action 

corrects the regulatory text.

DATES: The effective date of this AD 

remains December 27, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Doug Rudolph, Aerospace Engineer, 

FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 

Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, 

Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329–

4059; facsimile: (816) 329–4090.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

On September 8, 2004, FAA issued 

AD 2004–23–01, Amendment 39–13856