Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 49 / Monday, March 14, 2016 / Proposed Rules 13301 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2016–4223; Directorate 

Identifier 2015–NM–108–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Gulfstream 

Aerospace Corporation Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 

Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation 

Model GV and GV–SP airplanes. This 

proposed AD was prompted by a new 

revision to the airworthiness limitations 

of the maintenance planning document 

based on fatigue and damage tolerance 

testing, and updated analysis. This 

proposed AD would require revising the 

maintenance or inspection program to 

update inspection requirements and life 

limits that address fatigue cracking of 

principal structural elements (PSEs). We 

are proposing this AD to ensure fatigue 

cracking of PSEs is detected and 

corrected; such fatigue cracking could 

result in reduced structural integrity of 

the PSEs and critical components. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by April 28, 2016. 

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 

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: Deliver to Mail 

address above between 9 a.m. and 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

For service information identified in 

this NPRM, contact Gulfstream 

Aerospace Corporation, Technical 

Publications Dept., P.O. Box 2206, 

Savannah, GA 31402–2206; telephone: 

800–810–4853; fax: 912–965–3520; 

email: pubs@gulfstream.com; Internet: 

http://www.gulfstream.com/product_

support/technical_pubs/pubs/

index.htm. You may view this 

referenced service information at the 

FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 

98057–3356. For information on the 

availability of this material at the FAA, 

call 425–227–1221. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the Internet at http://

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2016– 

4223; 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 this proposed AD, the 

regulatory evaluation, any comments 

received, and other information. The 

street address for the Docket Office 

(phone: 800–647–5527) is in the 

ADDRESSES section. Comments will be 

available in the AD docket shortly after 

receipt. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Ronald Wissing, Aerospace Engineer, 

Airframe Branch, ACE–117A, FAA, 

Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office 

(ACO), 1701 Columbia Avenue, College 

Park, GA 30337; phone: 404–474–5552; 

fax: 404–474–5606; email: 

ronald.wissing@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to send any written 

relevant data, views, or arguments about 

this proposal. Send your comments to 

an address listed under the ADDRESSES

section. Include ‘‘Docket No. FAA– 

2016–4223; Directorate Identifier 2015– 

NM–108–AD’’ at the beginning of your 

comments. We specifically invite 

comments on the overall regulatory, 

economic, environmental, and energy 

aspects of this proposed AD. We will 

consider all comments received by the 

closing date and may amend this 

proposed AD because 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 

about this proposed AD. 

Discussion 

We received a new revision to the 

airworthiness limitations of the 

maintenance planning document based 

on fatigue and damage tolerance testing, 

and updated analysis. The airworthiness 

limitations of the maintenance planning 

document update inspection 

requirements and life limits that address 

fatigue cracking of PSEs. We determined 

that these actions are necessary to 

address the identified unsafe condition. 

This condition, if not corrected, could 

result in fatigue cracking of PSEs, which 

could result in reduced structural 

integrity of the PSEs and critical 

components. 

Related Service Information Under 1 

CFR Part 51 

We reviewed Gulfstream Document 

GV–GER–9973, Summary of Changes to 

the GV Series Airworthiness 

Limitations, Revision C, dated January 

8, 2015. The service information 

describes inspection requirements and 

life limits that address fatigue cracking 

of the PSEs. This service information 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 

We are proposing this AD because we 

evaluated all the relevant information 

and determined the unsafe condition 

described previously is likely to exist or 

develop in other products of the same 

type design. 

Proposed AD Requirements 

This proposed AD would require 

revising the maintenance or inspection 

program to update inspection 

requirements and life limits to detect 

fatigue cracking of PSEs. 

This proposed AD would require 

revisions to certain operator 

maintenance documents to include new 

actions (e.g., inspections). Compliance 

with these actions is required by 14 CFR 

91.403(c). For airplanes that have been 

previously modified, altered, or repaired 

in the areas addressed by this AD, the 

operator may not be able to accomplish 

the actions described in the revisions. In 

this situation, to comply with 14 CFR 

91.403(c), the operator must request 

approval for an alternative method of 

compliance (AMOC) according to 

paragraph (i) of this AD. The request 

should include a description of changes 

to the required actions that will ensure 

the continued operational safety of the 

airplane. 

Differences Between This Proposed AD 

and the Service Information 

Section 4.0, ‘‘Excluded Aircraft Due to 

Special Operation or Modifications,’’ of 

Gulfstream Document GV–GER–9973, 

Summary of Changes to the GV Series 

Airworthiness Limitations, Revision C, 

dated January 8, 2015, states that aircraft 

on which the listed supplemental type 

certificates (STCs) have been 

accomplished are excluded from the 

effectivity of that document. However, 

we have determined that these airplanes 

could have inspections and limits 

specified in Gulfstream Document GV– 

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13302 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 49 / Monday, March 14, 2016 / Proposed Rules 

GER–9973, Summary of Changes to the 

GV Series Airworthiness Limitations, 

Revision C, dated January 8, 2015, that 

are applicable and, therefore, those 

airplanes are included in the 

applicability of this proposed AD. The 

referenced STCs provide a specific 

airworthiness limitation section (ALS). 

An operator that has one of these STCs 

installed may be able to review their 

installation and the ALS revisions being 

mandated, and develop an alternate 

program. The alternate program may be 

submitted for approval as an AMOC 

under the provisions of paragraph (i) of 

this proposed AD. We have coordinated 

this difference with Gulfstream. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this proposed AD 

affects 392 airplanes of U.S. registry. 

We estimate the following costs to 

comply with this proposed AD: 

ESTIMATED COSTS

Action Labor cost Parts cost Cost per 

product 

Cost on U.S. 

operators 

Revise the maintenance or inspection program ...... 1 work-hour × $85 per hour = $85 ............... $0 $85 $33,320. 

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 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 this proposed regulation: 

(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), 

(3) Will not affect intrastate aviation 

in Alaska, and 

(4) 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. 

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 airworthiness 

directive (AD): 

Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation: Docket 

No. FAA–2016–4223; Directorate 

Identifier 2015–NM–108–AD. 

(a) Comments Due Date 

We must receive comments by April 28, 

2016. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to Gulfstream Aerospace 

Corporation Model GV airplanes, serial 

numbers 501 through 693 inclusive and 

serial number 699; and Model GV–SP 

airplanes, serial numbers 5001 through 5433 

inclusive; certificated in any category. 

(d) Subject 

Air Transport Association (ATA) of 

America Code 32, Landing Gear; 53, 

Fuselage; 54, Nacelles/Pylons; 55, Stabilizers; 

and 57, Wings. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by a new revision 

to the airworthiness limitations of the 

maintenance planning document based on 

fatigue and damage tolerance testing, and 

updated analysis. We are issuing this AD to 

ensure fatigue cracking of principal structural 

elements (PSEs) is detected and corrected; 

such fatigue cracking could result in reduced 

structural integrity of the PSEs and critical 

components. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Revise Maintenance or Inspection 

Program 

Within 12 months after the effective date 

of this AD, revise the maintenance or 

inspection program, as applicable, to 

incorporate the airworthiness limitations 

specified in Gulfstream Document GV–GER– 

9973, Summary of Changes to the GV Series 

Airworthiness Limitations, Revision C, dated 

January 8, 2015. The initial compliance times 

for the tasks identified in Gulfstream 

Document GV–GER–9973, Summary of 

Changes to the GV Series Airworthiness 

Limitations, Revision C, dated January 8, 

2015, are at the applicable times specified in 

Gulfstream Document GV–GER–9973, 

Summary of Changes to the GV Series 

Airworthiness Limitations, Revision C, dated 

January 8, 2015, or within twelve months 

after the effective date of this AD, whichever 

occurs later. 

Note 1 to paragraph (g) of this AD: For 

Model GV airplanes, the airplane 

maintenance manual (AMM) is currently at 

Revision 43, dated February 15, 2015. For 

Model GV–SP airplanes, the G500 AMM is 

currently at Revision 24, dated February 15, 

2015, and the G550 AMM is currently at 

Revision 24, dated February 15, 2015. 

(h) No Alternative Actions or Intervals 

After the maintenance or inspection 

program has been revised as required by 

paragraph (g) of this AD, no alternative 

actions (e.g., inspections) or intervals may be 

used unless the actions or intervals are 

approved as an alternative method of 

compliance (AMOC) in accordance with the 

procedures specified in paragraph (i) of this 

AD. 

(i) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Atlanta ACO, 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 

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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 49 / Monday, March 14, 2016 / Proposed Rules 13303 

appropriate. If sending information directly 

to the manager of the ACO, send it to the 

attention of the person identified in 

paragraph (j)(1) of this AD. 

(2) 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. 

(j) Related Information 

(1) For more information about this AD, 

contact Ronald Wissing, Aerospace Engineer, 

Airframe Branch, ACE–117A, FAA, Atlanta 

ACO, 1701 Columbia Avenue, College Park, 

GA 30337; phone: 404–474–5552; fax: 404– 

474–5606; email: ronald.wissing@faa.gov. 

(2) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Gulfstream Aerospace 

Corporation, Technical Publications Dept., 

P.O. Box 2206, Savannah, GA 31402–2206; 

telephone: 800–810–4853; fax: 912–965– 

3520; email: pubs@gulfstream.com; Internet: 

http://www.gulfstream.com/product_

support/technical_pubs/pubs/index.htm. 

You may view this referenced service 

information at the FAA, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, 

WA 98057–3356. For information on the 

availability of this material at the FAA, call 

425–227–1221. 

Issued in Renton, WA, on March 3, 2016. 

Michael Kaszycki, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2016–05606 Filed 3–11–16; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2009–0559; Directorate 

Identifier 2008–SW–66–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Sikorsky 

Aircraft Corporation (Sikorsky) 

Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Proposed rule; withdrawal. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is withdrawing a 

notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM). 

The NPRM proposed a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for 

Sikorsky Model S–92A helicopters. The 

proposed action would have required 

revising the Limitations section of the 

Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM) to 

clarify that the Model S–92A helicopter 

was certificated as a transport category 

rotorcraft in both Categories A and B 

with different operating limitations for 

each category and must be operated 

accordingly. Since we issued the NPRM, 

we have determined that operating the 

helicopter in Category B with 10 or 

more passenger seats is not an unsafe 

condition but an inconsistency with 14 

CFR 29.1(c). Accordingly, we withdraw 

the proposed rule. 

DATES: As of March 14, 2016, the 

proposed rule to amend 14 CFR part 39 

published June 19, 2009 (74 FR 29148) 

is withdrawn. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John 

Coffey, Flight Test Engineer, Boston 

Aircraft Certification Office, Engine & 

Propeller Directorate, FAA, 1200 

District Avenue, Burlington, 

Massachusetts 01803; telephone (781) 

238–7173; email john.coffey@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA 

proposed to amend 14 CFR part 39 to 

add a new AD (74 FR 29148, June 19, 

2009) for Sikorsky Model S–92A 

helicopters. The NPRM proposed to 

require revising the Limitations section 

of the RFM by clarifying that the Model 

S–92A helicopter was certificated as a 

transport category rotorcraft in both 

Categories A and B with different 

operating limitations for each category 

and must be operated accordingly. 

When the Model S–92A is configured 

with 10 or more passenger seats, it is a 

Category A helicopter, and operators 

must follow the limitations for Category 

A. When it is configured with 9 or fewer 

passenger seats, it may be considered a 

Category B helicopter, and operators 

may follow the less stringent Category B 

limitations. At the time the NPRM was 

published, the limitation language in 

the RFM did not make a clear 

distinction between Category A and 

Category B based on the seating 

configuration. The proposed actions 

were intended to prevent operating 

under less stringent requirements. 

Actions Since NPRM (74 FR 29148, 

June 19, 2009) Was Issued 

Since we issued the NPRM (74 FR 

29148, June 19, 2009), one commenter 

noted the proposed AD misinterprets 

certification rules as operational rules. 

We considered the comment and reevaluated the details that went into the 

determination of the unsafe condition 

for this concern. We determined that 

operating the helicopter in Category B 

with 10 or more passengers is not an 

unsafe condition, and the associated 

level of risk does not warrant AD action. 

Rather, this was an inconsistency with 

14 CFR 29.1(c). Sikorsky has since 

revised the RFM to clarify that a 

helicopter configured with a maximum 

of 19 passenger seats must be operated 

as a Category A but if configured with 

9 or fewer passenger seats may be 

operated as a Category B. This action 

mitigates the inconsistency with 14 CFR 

29.1(c). 

Withdrawal of the NPRM constitutes 

only such action and does not preclude 

the agency from issuing another notice 

in the future nor does it commit the 

agency to any course of action in the 

future. 

Since this action only withdraws an 

NPRM, it is neither a proposed nor a 

final rule; therefore, it is not covered 

under Executive Order 12866, the 

Regulatory Flexibility Act, or DOT 

Regulatory Policies and Procedures (44 

FR 11034, February 26, 1979). 

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39 

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation 

safety, Incorporation by reference, 

Safety. 

The Withdrawal 

Accordingly, the notice of proposed 

rulemaking, Docket No. FAA–2009– 

0559; Directorate Identifier 2008–SW– 

66–AD, published in the Federal 

Register on June 19, 2009 (74 FR 29148), 

is withdrawn. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on March 4, 

2016. 

Scott A. Horn, 

Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2016–05517 Filed 3–11–16; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

15 CFR Part 922 

[Docket No. 140207122–4122–01] 

RIN 0648–BD97 

Withdrawal of Hawaiian Islands 

Humpback Whale National Marine 

Sanctuary Proposed Regulations 

AGENCY: Office of National Marine 

Sanctuaries (ONMS), National Oceanic 

and Atmospheric Administration 

(NOAA), Department of Commerce 

(DOC). 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking; 

withdrawal. 

SUMMARY: This action withdraws a 

notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) 

published in the Federal Register on 

March 26, 2015 (80 FR 16224), to amend 

the regulations for the Hawaiian Islands 

Humpback Whale National Marine 

Sanctuary (HIHWNMS or sanctuary) 

and to revise the sanctuary’s terms of 

designation and management plan. 

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