Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 155 / Thursday, August 13, 2009 / Proposed Rules 40781 

required by section 91.417 (‘‘Maintenance 

records’’) or section 121.380 (‘‘Maintenance 

recording requirements’’) of the Federal 

Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 91.417 or 14 

CFR 121.380, respectively) for the actions 

required by this AD, provided that the 

recordkeeping method is approved by the 

FAA and is included in a revision to the 

maintenance/inspection program. For the 

purposes of this paragraph, ‘‘the FAA’’ is 

defined as the cognizant Principal 

Maintenance Inspector (PMI) for operators 

that are assigned a PMI (i.e., part 121, 125, 

and 135 operators), and the cognizant Flight 

Standards District Office for other operators 

(i.e., part 91 operators). 

(2) After the initial accomplishment of the 

ED/CPCP tasks required by paragraph (h) of 

this AD, any extension of the repetitive 

intervals specified in the manual must be 

approved by the Manager, New York Aircraft 

Certification Office (ACO), FAA. 

Corrective Actions 

(j) If any corrosion is found during 

accomplishment of any action required by 

paragraph (h) of this AD: Before further 

flight, rework, repair, or replace, as 

applicable, in accordance with a method 

approved by either the Manager, New York 

ACO, FAA; or Transport Canada Civil 

Aviation (TCCA) (or its delegated agent). 

Reporting Requirements for Level 3 

Corrosion Findings 

(k) If any Level 3 corrosion, as defined in 

Part 1 of the Bombardier (de Havilland) 

DHC–6 Twin Otter, Dash 7 & Dash 8 

Corrosion Prevention and Control Manual 

PSM 1–GEN–5, Revision 3, dated November 

30, 1998, is found during the 

accomplishment of any action required by 

this AD, do paragraphs (k)(1), (k)(2), and 

(k)(3) of this AD. Under the provisions of the 

Paperwork Reduction Act, the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) has 

approved the information collection 

requirements and has assigned OMB Control 

Number 2120–0056. 

(1) Within 3 days after the finding of Level 

3 corrosion, report findings to the Manager, 

New York ACO, FAA, in accordance with the 

Bombardier (de Havilland) DHC–6 Twin 

Otter, Dash 7 & Dash 8 Corrosion Prevention 

and Control Manual PSM 1–GEN–5, Revision 

3, dated November 30, 1998. 

(2) Within 10 days after the finding of 

Level 3 corrosion, either submit a plan to the 

FAA to identify a schedule for accomplishing 

the applicable CPCP task on the remainder of 

the airplanes in the operator’s fleet that are 

subject to this AD, or provide data 

substantiating that the Level 3 corrosion that 

was found is an isolated case. The FAA may 

impose a schedule other than that proposed 

in the plan upon finding that a change to the 

schedule is needed to ensure that any other 

Level 3 corrosion is detected in a timely 

manner. For the purposes of this paragraph, 

‘‘the FAA’’ is defined as the cognizant 

Principal Maintenance Inspector (PMI) for 

operators that are assigned a PMI (i.e., part 

121, 125, and 135 operators), and the 

cognizant Flight Standards District Office for 

other operators (i.e., part 91 operators). 

(3) Within the time schedule approved in 

accordance with paragraph (k)(2) of this AD, 

accomplish the applicable task on the 

remainder of the airplanes in the operator’s 

fleet that are subject to this AD. 

Limiting Future Corrosion Findings 

(l) If corrosion findings that exceed Level 

1 are found in any area during any repeat of 

any CPCP task after the initial 

accomplishment required by paragraph (h) of 

this AD: Within 60 days after such finding, 

implement a means approved by the FAA to 

reduce future findings of corrosion in that 

area to Level 1 or better. For the purposes of 

this paragraph, ‘‘the FAA’’ is defined as the 

cognizant PMI for operators that are assigned 

a PMI (i.e., part 121, 125, and 135 operators), 

and the cognizant Flight Standards District 

Office for other operators (i.e., part 91 

operators). 

Scheduling Corrosion Tasks for Transferred 

Airplanes 

(m) Before any airplane subject to this AD 

is transferred and placed into service by an 

operator: Establish a schedule for 

accomplishing the CPCP tasks required by 

this AD in accordance with paragraph (m)(1) 

or (m)(2) of this AD, as applicable. 

(1) For airplanes on which the CPCP tasks 

required by this AD have been accomplished 

previously at the schedule established by this 

AD: Perform the first CPCP task in each area 

in accordance with the previous operator’s 

schedule, or in accordance with the new 

operator’s schedule, whichever results in an 

earlier accomplishment of that CPCP task. 

After the initial accomplishment of each 

CPCP task in each area as required by this 

paragraph, repeat each CPCP task in 

accordance with the new operator’s schedule. 

(2) For airplanes on which the CPCP tasks 

required by this AD have not been 

accomplished previously, or have not been 

accomplished at the schedule established by 

this AD: The new operator must perform 

each initial CPCP task in each area before 

further flight or in accordance with a 

schedule approved by the FAA. For the 

purposes of this paragraph, ‘‘the FAA’’ is 

defined as the cognizant Principal 

Maintenance Inspector (PMI) for operators 

that are assigned a PMI (i.e., part 121, 125, 

and 135 operators), and the cognizant Flight 

Standards District Office for other operators 

(i.e., part 91 operators). 

Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(n)(1) The Manager, New York ACO, 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: 

Pong K. Lee, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe 

and Mechanical Systems Branch, ANE–171, 

FAA, New York Aircraft Certification Office, 

1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, 

New York 11590; telephone (516) 228–7324; 

fax (516) 794–5531. 

(2) To request a different method of 

compliance or a different compliance time 

for this AD, follow the procedures in 14 CFR 

39.19. Before using any approved AMOC on 

any airplane to which the AMOC applies, 

notify your principal maintenance inspector 

(PMI) or principal avionics inspector (PAI), 

as appropriate, or lacking a principal 

inspector, your local Flight Standards District 

Office. The AMOC approval letter must 

specifically reference this AD. 

Related Information 

(o) Canadian airworthiness directive CF– 

2007–06, dated April 10, 2007, also addresses 

the subject of this AD. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on August 

3, 2009. 

Ali Bahrami, 

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. E9–19420 Filed 8–12–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2009–0745; Directorate 

Identifier 2009–CE–036–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; American 

Champion Aircraft Corp. Models 7ECA, 

7GCAA, 7GCBC, 7KCAB, 8KCAB, and 

8GCBC Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for all 

American Champion Aircraft Corp. 

Models 7ECA, 7GCAA, 7GCBC, 7KCAB, 

8KCAB, and 8GCBC airplanes, 

manufactured prior to 1989 and 

equipped with folding rear seat backs. 

This proposed AD would require 

inspection of the rear seat back hinge 

areas for cracking and excessive 

elongation of the rear seat hinge bolt 

hole and, if cracking or excessive 

elongation is found, replacement of the 

rear seat frame. This proposed AD 

results from an occurrence of the rear 

seat hinge area failing in flight. We are 

proposing this AD to detect and correct 

cracking of the rear seat back hinge area 

and excessive elongation of the rear seat 

hinge bolt hole, either of which could 

result in failure of the seat back. This 

failure could lead to a rear-seated pilot 

or passenger inadvertently interfering 

with the control stick while attempting 

to not roll to the rear of the airplane 

upon seat back failure. Consequently, 

this failure could result in loss of 

control. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by September 28, 

2009. 


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40782 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 155 / Thursday, August 13, 2009 / Proposed Rules 

ADDRESSES: Use one of the following 

addresses to comment on this proposed 

AD: 

• 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 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 

Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. 

and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. 

For service information identified in 

this proposed AD, contact American 

Champion Aircraft Corporation, P.O. 

Box 37, 32032 Washington Ave., 

Rochester, Wisconsin 53167; telephone: 

(262) 534–6315; fax: (262) 534–2395; 

Internet: http:// 

www.amerchampionaircraft.com/ 

Technical/Technical.html. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Wess Rouse, Aerospace Engineer, 2300 

East Devon Avenue, Room 107, Des 

Plaines, Illinois 60018; telephone: (847) 

294–8113; fax: (847) 294–7834. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to send any written 

relevant data, views, or arguments 

regarding this proposed AD. Send your 

comments to an address listed under the 

ADDRESSES section. Include the docket 

number, ‘‘FAA–2009–0745; Directorate 

Identifier 2009–CE–036–AD’’ at the 

beginning of your comments. We 

specifically invite comments on the 

overall regulatory, economic, 

environmental, and energy aspects of 

the proposed AD. We will consider all 

comments received by the closing date 

and may amend the proposed AD in 

light of those comments. 

We will post all comments we 

receive, without change, to http:// 

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information you provide. We 

will also post a report summarizing each 

substantive verbal contact we receive 

concerning this proposed AD. 

Discussion 

We received information that during a 

training flight on an American 

Champion Aircraft Corp. Model 8KCAB 

airplane the rear seat hinge failed. While 

performing spins, with the student pilot 

in the front seat and the instructor pilot 

in the rear seat, the rear seat hinge 

broke, which resulted in the rear seat 

back failing. The instructor pilot 

partially fell into the baggage area. The 

student and the instructor were able to 

recover from the spins and landed safely 

at the airport. 

The Models 7GCAA, 7GCBC, 7KCAB, 

and 8GCBC airplanes incorporate the 

same or similar seat configuration. 

This condition, if not corrected, could 

result in failure of the rear seat back. 

This failure could lead to a rear-seated 

pilot or passenger inadvertently 

interfering with the control stick while 

attempting to not roll to the rear of the 

airplane upon seat back failure. 

Consequently, this failure could result 

in loss of control. 

Relevant Service Information 

We have reviewed American 

Champion Aircraft Corp. Service Letter 

No. 431, dated July 20, 2009. 

The service information describes 

procedures for inspecting the rear seat 

hinge areas for cracking and excessive 

elongation of the rear seat hinge bolt 

and, if cracking or excessive elongation 

is found, replacing the rear seat frame. 

FAA’s Determination and Requirements 

of the Proposed AD 

We are proposing this AD because we 

evaluated all information and 

determined the unsafe condition 

described previously is likely to exist or 

develop on other products of the same 

type design. This proposed AD would 

require inspecting the rear seat back 

hinge areas for cracking and excessive 

elongation of the rear seat hinge bolt 

hole and, if cracking or excessive 

elongation is found, replacing the rear 

seat frame. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this proposed AD 

would affect 2,000 airplanes in the U.S. 

registry. 

We estimate the following costs to do 

the proposed inspection: 

Labor cost Parts cost Total cost per 

airplane 

Total cost on 

U.S. operators 

.5 work-hour × $80 per hour = $40 ........................................................... Not applicable .................................. $40 $80,000 

We estimate the following costs to do 

any necessary replacements that would 

be required based on the results of the 

proposed inspection. We have no way of 

determining the number of airplanes 

that may need this replacement: 

Labor cost Parts cost Total cost per airplane 

1.5 work-hours × $80 per hour = $120 .............. Remanufactured seat $200, New standard 

seat $645, New wide seat $765.

Remanufactured seat $320, New standard 

seat $765, New wide seat $885. 

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 

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: 


sroberts on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 155 / Thursday, August 13, 2009 / Proposed Rules 40783 

1. Is not a ‘‘significant regulatory 

action’’ under Executive Order 12866; 

2. Is not a ‘‘significant rule’’ under the 

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 proposed AD and placed it in the 

AD docket. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket that 

contains the proposed AD, the 

regulatory evaluation, any comments 

received, and other information 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 Docket Office (telephone 

(800) 647–5527) is located at the street 

address stated 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. 

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 

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 AD: 

American Champion Aircraft Corp.: Docket 

No. FAA–2009–0745; Directorate 

Identifier 2009–CE–036–AD. 

Comments Due Date 

(a) We must receive comments on this 

airworthiness directive (AD) action by 

September 28, 2009. 

Affected ADs 

(b) None. 

Applicability 

(c) This AD applies to Models 7ECA, 

7GCAA, 7GCBC, 7KCAB, 8KCAB, and 

8GCBC airplanes, all serial numbers, that are: 

(1) Manufactured prior to 1989; 

(2) Equipped with folding rear seat backs; 

and 

(3) Certificated in any category. 

Unsafe Condition 

(d) This AD results from an occurrence of 

the rear seat frame failing in flight. We are 

proposing this AD to detect and correct 

cracking of the rear seat back hinge area and 

excessive elongation of the rear seat hinge 

bolt hole, which could result in failure of the 

rear seat back. This failure could lead to a 

rear-seated pilot or passenger inadvertently 

interfering with the control stick while 

attempting to not roll to the rear of the 

airplane upon seat back failure. 

Consequently, this failure could result in loss 

of control. 

Compliance 

(e) To address this problem, you must do 

the following, unless already done: 

Actions Compliance Procedures 

(1) Inspect the rear seat back hinge area for 

cracking and elongation of the rear seat 

hinge bolt hole.

Within the next 25 hours time-in-service (TIS) 

after the effective date of this AD and repetitively thereafter at intervals not to exceed 

every 100 hours TIS or every 12 months, 

whichever occurs first.

Follow American Champion Aircraft Corp. 

Service Letter No. 431, dated July 20, 

2009. 

(2) If cracking or excessive elongation of the 

rear seat bolt hole is found during any inspection required in paragraph (e)(1) of this 

AD, replace the seat frame with a factory remanufactured seat frame, a new part number 

(P/N) 7–1500 (standard) seat frame, or a 

new P/N 7–1501 (wide) seat frame. Replacement of the seat frame terminates the repetitive inspections requirements of this AD.

Before further flight after the inspection where 

cracking or excessive elongation of the rear 

seat bolt hole is found.

Follow American Champion Aircraft Corp. 

Service Letter No. 431, dated July 20, 

2009. 

(3) You may at any time replace the rear seat 

frame with a factory remanufactured seat 

frame, a new part number (P/N) 7–1500 

(standard) seat frame, or a new P/N 7–1501 

(wide) seat frame to terminate the repetitive 

inspection requirements of this AD.

Not applicable .................................................. Follow American Champion Aircraft Corp. 

Service Letter No. 431, dated July 20, 

2009. 

Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(f) The Manager, Chicago Aircraft 

Certification 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: Wess Rouse, 

Aerospace Engineer, 2300 East Devon 

Avenue, Room 107, Des Plaines, Illinois 

60018; telephone: (847) 294–8113; fax: (847) 

294–7834. 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. 

Related Information 

(g) To get copies of the service information 

referenced in this AD, contact American 

Champion Aircraft Corporation, P.O Box 37, 

32032 Washington Ave., Rochester, 

Wisconsin 53167; telephone: (262) 534–6315; 

fax: (262) 534–2395; Internet: http:// 

www.amerchampionaircraft.com/Technical/ 

Technical.html. To view the AD docket, go 

to U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket 

Operations, M–30, West Building Ground 

Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, or on 

the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov. 

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on August 

7, 2009. 

Scott A. Horn, 

Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. E9–19448 Filed 8–12–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 


sroberts on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with PROPOSALS