Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 250 / Thursday, December 29, 2011 / Proposed Rules 81889 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call (425) 227–1221. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on 

December 16, 2011. 

Ali Bahrami, 

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–33359 Filed 12–28–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2011–1410; Directorate 

Identifier 2011–NM–033–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Saab AB, 

Saab Aerosystems Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for all Saab 

AB, Saab Aerosystems Model SAAB 

2000 airplanes. This proposed AD was 

prompted by reports of hydraulic 

accumulator failure. This proposed AD 

would require replacing certain 

hydraulic accumulators with stainless 

steel hydraulic accumulators, and 

structural modifications in the nose 

landing gear bay. We are proposing this 

AD to prevent failure of hydraulic 

accumulators, which may result in 

damage to the airplane and injury to 

occupants. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by February 13, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments 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: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, 

M–30, West Building Ground Floor, 

Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE., 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 Saab AB, 

Saab Aerosystems, SE–581 88, 

Linko ̈ping, Sweden; telephone +46 13 

18 5591; fax +46 13 18 4874; email 

saab2000.techsupport@saabgroup.com; 

Internet http://www.saabgroup.com. 

You may review copies of the 

referenced service information at the 

FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, 

Washington. 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; or in person at the 

Docket Operations office 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 Operations 

office (telephone (800) 647–5527) is in 

the ADDRESSES section. Comments will 

be available in the AD docket shortly 

after receipt. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Shahram Daneshmandi, Aerospace 

Engineer, International Branch, ANM– 

116, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

FAA, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, 

Washington 98057–3356; telephone 

(425) 227–1112; fax (425) 227–1149. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to send any written 

relevant data, views, or arguments about 

this proposed AD. Send your comments 

to an address listed under the 

ADDRESSES section. Include ‘‘Docket No. 

FAA–2011–1410; Directorate Identifier 

2011–NM–033–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 based on 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 

The European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA), which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Community, has issued EASA 

Airworthiness Directive 2011–0004, 

dated January 17, 2011 (referred to after 

this as ‘‘the MCAI’’), to correct an unsafe 

condition for the specified products. 

The MCAI states: 

Three cases of failure have been reported, 

affecting the same type of hydraulic 

accumulator as installed on SAAB 2000 

aeroplanes, although all occurred on other 

aeroplane types. The reported cause of these 

failures has been traced to corrosion. Any of 

the end parts on the accumulator may depart 

from the pressure vessel if they are affected 

by corrosion. 

This condition, if not detected and 

corrected, may lead to fatigue failure of a 

hydraulic accumulator, possibly resulting in 

damage to the aeroplane and injury to 

occupants. In addition, a quality issue during 

the replacement of the base material in the 

end parts of the accumulator may have 

affected the service life of the accumulator. 

To address this unsafe condition, SAAB 

has introduced a new type of hydraulic 

accumulator, which is made of stainless 

steel. 

For the reasons described above, this 

[EASA] AD requires the replacement of all 

Part Number (P/N) 08 8423 030 1 hydraulic 

accumulators with stainless steel P/N 40800– 

2050 hydraulic accumulators and associated 

structural modifications in the nose landing 

gear bay. 

You may obtain further information by 

examining the MCAI in the AD docket. 

Relevant Service Information 

Saab has issued Service Bulletin 

2000–29–024, Revision 01, dated 

November 5, 2010. The actions 

described in this service information are 

intended to correct the unsafe condition 

identified in the MCAI. 

FAA’s Determination and Requirements 

of This Proposed AD 

This product has been approved by 

the aviation authority of another 

country, and is approved for operation 

in the United States. Pursuant to our 

bilateral agreement with the State of 

Design Authority, we have been notified 

of the unsafe condition described in the 

MCAI and service information 

referenced above. We are proposing this 

AD because we evaluated all pertinent 

information and determined an unsafe 

condition exists and is likely to exist or 

develop on other products of the same 

type design. 

Costs of Compliance 

Based on the service information, we 

estimate that this proposed AD would 

affect about 8 products of U.S. registry. 

We also estimate that it would take 

about 12 work-hours per product to 

comply with the basic requirements of 

this proposed AD. The average labor 

rate is $85 per work-hour. Required 

parts would cost about $9,995 per 

product. Where the service information 

lists required parts costs that are 

covered under warranty, we have 

assumed that there will be no charge for 

these parts. As we do not control 

warranty coverage for affected parties, 

some parties may incur costs higher 


wreier-aviles on DSK3TPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
81890 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 250 / Thursday, December 29, 2011 / Proposed Rules 

than estimated here. Based on these 

figures, we estimate the cost of the 

proposed AD on U.S. operators to be 

$88,120, or $11,015 per product. 

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); 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. 

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: 

Saab AB, Saab Aerosystems: Docket No. 

FAA–2011–1410; Directorate Identifier 2011– 

NM–033–AD. 

Comments Due Date 

(a) We must receive comments by February 

13, 2012. 

Affected ADs 

(b) None. 

Applicability 

(c) This AD applies to Saab AB, Saab 

Aerosystems Model SAAB 2000 airplanes, all 

serial numbers; certificated in any category. 

Subject 

(d) Air Transport Association (ATA) of 

America Code 29: Hydraulic Power. 

Reason 

(e) This AD was prompted by reports of 

hydraulic accumulator failure. We are issuing 

this AD to prevent failure of hydraulic 

accumulators, which may result in damage to 

the airplane and injury to occupants. 

Compliance 

(f) You are responsible for having the 

actions required by this AD performed within 

the compliance times specified, unless the 

actions have already been done. 

Actions 

(g) Within 12 months after the effective 

date of this AD, replace all hydraulic 

accumulators having part number (P/N) 08 

8423 030 1, with stainless steel hydraulic 

accumulators having P/N 40800–2050, and 

do the structural modifications in the nose 

landing gear bay, in accordance with the 

Accomplishment Instructions of Saab Service 

Bulletin 2000–29–024, Revision 01, dated 

November 5, 2010. 

Parts Installation 

(h) After replacement of hydraulic 

accumulators having P/N 08 8423 030 1 with 

hydraulic accumulators having P/N 40800– 

2050, and doing the structural modifications 

in the nose landing gear bay, as required by 

paragraph (g) of this AD, no person may 

install any hydraulic accumulator having P/ 

N 08 8423 030 1 on any airplane. 

Credit for Actions Accomplished in 

Accordance With Previous Service 

Information 

(i) Replacing the hydraulic accumulators 

and doing the structural modifications in the 

nose landing gear bay, in accordance with the 

Accomplishment Instructions of Saab Service 

Bulletin 2000–29–024, dated November 18, 

2009, before the effective date of this AD, is 

acceptable for compliance with the 

corresponding replacement and structural 

modifications required by paragraph (g) of 

this AD. 

Other FAA AD Provisions 

(j) The following provisions also apply to 

this AD: 

(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs): The Manager, ANM–116, 

International Branch, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, 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 

appropriate. If sending information directly 

to the International Branch, send it to ATTN: 

Shahram Daneshmandi, Aerospace Engineer, 

International Branch, ANM–116, Transport 

Airplane Directorate, FAA, 1601 Lind 

Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057– 

3356; telephone (425) 227–1112; fax (425) 

227–1149. Information may be emailed to: 

9-ANM-116-AMOC-REQUESTS@faa.gov. 

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. The AMOC 

approval letter must specifically reference 

this AD. 

(2) Airworthy Product: For any requirement 

in this AD to obtain corrective actions from 

a manufacturer or other source, use these 

actions if they are FAA-approved. Corrective 

actions are considered FAA-approved if they 

are approved by the State of Design Authority 

(or their delegated agent). You are required 

to assure the product is airworthy before it 

is returned to service. 

Related Information 

(k) Refer to MCAI European Aviation 

Safety Agency Airworthiness Directive 2011– 

0004, dated January 17, 2011; and Saab 

Service Bulletin 2000–29–024, Revision 01, 

dated November 5, 2010; for related 

information. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on 

December 19, 2011. 

Kalene C. Yanamura, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–33275 Filed 12–28–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2011–1326; Directorate 

Identifier 2010–NM–177–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing 

Company Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 


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