[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 187 (Wednesday, September 27, 2006)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 56414-56416]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-8277]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2006-25637; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-43-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; EADS SOCATA Model TBM 700 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 
certain EADS SOCATA Model TBM 700 airplanes. This proposed AD would 
require you to inspect the pilot door locking stop-fittings for correct 
length and, if any incorrect length pilot door locking stop-fittings 
are found, replace them. This proposed AD results from mandatory 
continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the airworthiness 
authority for France. We are proposing this AD to detect and replace 
incorrect length pilot door locking stop-fittings. This condition, if 
not corrected, could result in depressurization of the airplane.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by October 27, 
2006.

ADDRESSES: Use one of the following addresses to comment on this 
proposed AD:
    <bullet> DOT Docket Web site: Go to http://dms.dot.gov and follow 
the instructions for sending your comments electronically.
    <bullet> Government-wide rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the instructions for sending your 
comments electronically.
    <bullet> Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-401, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    <bullet> Fax: (202) 493-2251.
    <bullet> Hand Delivery: Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the 
Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    For service information identified in this proposed AD, contact 
EADS SOCATA, Direction des Services, 65921 Tarbes Cedex 9, France; 
telephone: 33 (0)5 62 41 73 00; fax: 33 (0)5 62 41 76 54; or SOCATA 
AIRCRAFT, INC., North Perry Airport, 7501 South Airport Rd., Pembroke 
Pines, FL 33023; telephone: (954) 893-1400; fax: (954) 964-4141.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gunnar Berg, Aerospace Safety 
Engineer, FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas 
City, Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-4141; fax: (816) 329-4090.

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-
2006-25637; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-43-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://dms.dot.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

    The Direction g[eacute]n[eacute]rale de l'aviation civile (DGAC), 
which is the aviation authority for France, notified FAA that an unsafe 
condition may exist on certain EADS SOCATA Model TBM 700 airplanes. The 
DGAC reports that the pilot door adjustment procedure was improperly 
done, and the pilot door locking stop-fittings may be of incorrect 
length. This condition, if not corrected, could result in 
depressurization of the airplane.

Relevant Service Information

    We have reviewed EADS SOCATA Service Bulletin SB 70-131, ATA No. 
53, dated July 2005.
    The service information describes procedures for:
    <bullet> Inspecting the pilot door locking stop-fittings for 
correct length and
    <bullet> Replacing any incorrect length pilot door locking stop-
fittings.

Foreign Airworthiness Authority Information

    The DGAC classified this service bulletin as mandatory and issued 
French AD Number F-2005-134, dated August 03, 2005, to ensure the 
continued airworthiness of these airplanes in France. These EADS SOCATA 
Model TBM 700 airplanes are manufactured in France and are type-
certificated for operation in the United States under the provisions of 
section 21.29 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 21.29) and 
the applicable bilateral airworthiness agreement.
    Under this bilateral airworthiness agreement, the DGAC has kept us 
informed of the situation described above.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of the Proposed AD

    We are proposing this AD because we have examined the DGAC's 
findings, evaluated all information and determined the unsafe condition 
described previously is likely to exist or develop on other products of 
the same type design that are certificated for operation in the United 
States.
    This proposed AD would require you to inspect the pilot door 
locking stop-fittings for correct length and, if any incorrect length 
pilot door locking stop-fittings are found, replace them.

[[Page 56415]]

Differences Between This Proposed AD and the Service Information

    The service information allows for unpressurized flight if any 
incorrect length pilot door locking-stop fittings are found. If parts 
have been ordered but are not available, the proposed AD would permit 
unpressurized flight for 90 days after the required inspection or until 
parts become available, whichever occurs first. In addition, a placard 
in view of the pilot would be installed prohibiting pressurized flight 
until the repairs are done. The service information does not have a 
compliance time for the repairs or a placard requirement if incorrect 
length pilot door locking stop-fittings are found. The requirements of 
this proposed AD, if adopted as a final rule, would take precedence 
over the provisions in the service information.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD would affect 157 airplanes in the 
U.S. registry.
    We estimate the following costs to do the proposed inspection and 
repair:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                 Total cost per   Total cost on
                          Labor cost                              Parts cost        airplane      U.S. operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.5 work-hours x $80 per hour = $360.........................             $15             $375          $58,875
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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:
    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://dms.dot.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) 647-5227) 
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, 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.


Sec.  39.13  [Amended]

    2. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new AD:

EADS SOCATA: Docket No. FAA-2006-25637; Directorate Identifier 2006-
CE-43-AD.

Comments Due Date

    (a) We must receive comments on this airworthiness directive 
(AD) action by October 27, 2006.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Model TBM 700 airplanes, serial numbers 
126 through 322, that are certificated in any category.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from a pilot door adjustment procedure not 
being done properly. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct 
incorrect length pilot door locking stop-fittings. This condition, 
if not corrected, could result in depressurization of the airplane.

Compliance

    (e) To address this problem, you must do the following:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Actions                  Compliance          Procedures
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Inspect the pilot door        Within 30 days      Follow EADS SOCATA
 locking stop-fittings for         after the           Service Bulletin
 correct length                    effective date of   SB 70-131, ATA
                                   this AD, unless     No. 53, dated
                                   already done        July 2005.
(2) If any incorrect length       Before further      Follow EADS SOCATA
 pilot door locking stop-          flight after the    Service Bulletin
 fittings are found, replace       inspection by       SB 70-131, ATA
 them                              paragraph (e)(1)    No. 53, dated
                                   of this AD          July 2005.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (f) If you have ordered parts and they are not available, then 
you may fly unpressurized until parts become available or for a 
period not to exceed 90 days after the inspection required in 
paragraph (e)(1) of this AD, whichever occurs first. You must also 
fabricate and install a placard as described below. Completing the 
action of paragraph (e)(2) of this AD terminates the placard 
requirement.
    (1) Fabricate (using letters at least \1/8\ inch in height) a 
warning placard which states ``This airplane is prohibited from 
pressurized flight.''

[[Page 56416]]

    (2) Install the placard in full view of the pilot. The owner/
operator holding at least a private pilot certificate as authorized 
by section 43.7 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 43.7) 
may install the placard as required in paragraph (f) of this AD.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (g) The Manager, Standards Office, Small Airplane Directorate, 
FAA, ATTN: Gunnar Berg, Aerospace Safety Engineer, FAA, Small 
Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 
64106; telephone: (816) 329-4141; fax: (816) 329-4090, has the 
authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the 
procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.

Related Information

    (h) This AD is related to French AD Number F-2005-134, dated 
August 3, 2005. To get copies of the service information referenced 
in this AD, contact EADS SOCATA, Direction des Services, 65921 
Tarbes Cedex 9, France; telephone: 33 (0)5 62 41 73 00; fax: 33 (0)5 
62 41 76 54; or SOCATA AIRCRAFT, INC., North Perry Airport, 7501 
South Airport Rd., Pembroke Pines, FL 33023; telephone: (954) 893-
1400; fax: (954) 964-4141. To view the AD docket, go to the Docket 
Management Facility; U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh 
Street, SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-401, Washington, DC, or on the 
Internet at http://dms.dot.gov. The docket number is Docket No. FAA-
2006-25637; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-43-AD.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on September 20, 2006.
David R. Showers,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 06-8277 Filed 9-26-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P