28914 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 97 / Thursday, May 19, 2011 / Proposed Rules 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2011–0518; Directorate 

Identifier 2010–NM–150–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model 

A300 B4–600, B4–600R, and F4–600R 

Series Airplanes, and Model C4–605R 

Variant F Airplanes (Collectively Called 

A300–600 Series Airplanes); and Model 

A310 Series Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for the 

products listed above. This proposed 

AD was prompted by events of 

excessive rudder pedal inputs and 

consequent high loads on the vertical 

stabilizer on several airplanes. High 

loads on the vertical stabilizer that 

exceed ultimate design loads could 

cause failure of the vertical stabilizer 

and consequent reduced controllability 

of the airplane. The proposed AD would 

require actions that are intended to 

address this unsafe condition. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by July 5, 2011. 

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 20590, between 9 a.m. 

and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket 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 AD 

docket contains this proposed AD, the 

regulatory evaluation, any comments 

received, and other information. The 

street address for the Docket 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: Dan 

Rodina, Aerospace Engineer, 

International Branch, ANM–116, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 

1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, 

Washington 98057–3356; telephone 

425–227–2125; 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–2011–0518; Directorate Identifier 

2010–NM–150–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 have received reports of events of 

excessive rudder pedal inputs that 

resulted in high vertical stabilizer loads 

on Airbus Model A300–600 and A310 

series airplanes. In one case, the inflight separation of the vertical stabilizer 

resulted from loads beyond ultimate 

design that were created by the pilot 

making excessive rudder pedal 

reversals. In another incident, during 

stall recovery, the airplane accelerations 

were so high that the rudder travel 

limiter was not capable of appropriately 

limiting rudder travel. Rudder pedal 

inputs in this case also resulted in high 

vertical stabilizer loads. Contributing to 

these rudder pedal inputs were 

characteristics of the rudder system 

design. Rudder pedal sensitivity on 

Model A300–600 and A310 series 

airplanes is greater than that of other 

transport category airplane designs. 

Such rudder control sensitivity could 

result in rudder over-control and 

contribute to hazardous rudder pedal 

inputs such as rudder reversals. 

Hazardous rudder pedal inputs could 

result in loads that exceed ultimate 

design loads, potentially causing failure 

of the vertical stabilizer and consequent 

reduced controllability of the airplane. 

Currently, there are no service 

instructions to address this unsafe 

condition. However, one option under 

consideration consists of a modification 

to the rudder control system that is 

called the pedal travel limiter unit 

(PTLU). The PTLU limits rudder pedal 

stroke and allows the yaw damper to 

decrease the rudder deflection. The 

PTLU also provides limiting rates that 

ensure that rudder travel is 

appropriately limited during high 

acceleration maneuvers. Other potential 

design changes are also under review. 

We anticipate that one of these design 

changes will be approved within three 

years and will meet the requirements of 

this proposed AD. 

FAA’s Determination and Requirements 

of This Proposed AD 

These 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. 

We are proposing this AD because we 

evaluated all relevant information and 

determined that the unsafe condition 

described previously is likely to exist or 

develop in other products of the same 

type design. 

The proposed AD would require 

actions to address this unsafe condition. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this proposed AD 

would affect 215 airplanes of U.S. 

registry. 

One way, but not the only way, to 

modify the rudder control system is to 

install a PTLU. The following table 

provides the estimated costs for U.S. 

operators to comply with this proposed 

AD if a PTLU is installed based on 

preliminary information provided by 

the manufacturer. 

WReier-Aviles on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with PROPOSALS

Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 97 / Thursday, May 19, 2011 / Proposed Rules 28915 

ESTIMATED COSTS FOR PTLU INSTALLATION

Work hours Average labor 

rate per hour Parts Cost per product Fleet cost 

100 ................................................................................................................... $85 $190,000 $198,500 $42,677,500 

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. 

You can find our regulatory 

evaluation and the estimated costs of 

compliance in the AD Docket. 

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. 

§ 39.13 [Amended] 

2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by adding 

the following new AD: 

Airbus: Docket No. FAA–2011–0518; 

Directorate Identifier 2010–NM–150–AD. 

Comments Due Date 

(a) We must receive comments by July 5, 

2011. 

Affected ADs 

(b) None. 

Applicability 

(c) This AD applies to all Airbus Model 

A300 B4–601, B4–603, B4–620, and B4–622 

airplanes; A300 B4–605R and B4–622R 

airplanes; A300 F4–605R and F4–622R 

airplanes; A300 C4–605R Variant F airplanes; 

and A310–203, –204, –221, –222, –304, –322, 

–324, and –325 airplanes; certificated in any 

category. 

Subject 

(d) Air Transport Association (ATA) of 

America Code 27: Flight controls. 

Unsafe Condition 

(e) This AD was prompted by events of 

excessive rudder pedal inputs and 

consequent loads on the vertical stabilizer 

that exceed ultimate design loads. Such 

events could lead to failure of the vertical 

stabilizer and consequent reduced 

controllability of the airplane. 

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. 

Modification 

(g) Within 48 months after the effective 

date of this AD, incorporate a design change 

to the rudder control system and/or other 

systems to address the unsafe condition 

identified in paragraph (e) of this AD, in 

accordance with a method approved by the 

Manager, International Branch, ANM–116, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA. 

Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(h)(1) The Manager, International Branch, 

ANM–116, 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 manager of the ACO, send it to the 

attention of the person identified in the 

Related Information section 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. 

Related Information 

(i) For more information about this AD, 

contact Dan Rodina, Aerospace Engineer, 

International Branch, ANM–116, Transport 

Airplane Directorate, FAA, 1601 Lind 

Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057– 

3356; telephone 425–227–2125; fax 425–227– 

1149. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on April 26, 

2011. 

Ali Bahrami, 

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–12309 Filed 5–18–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 71 

[Docket No. FAA–2011–0403; Airspace 

Docket No. 11–AWP–3] 

Proposed Modification of Class E 

Airspace; Alturas, CA 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: This action proposes to 

modify Class E airspace at Alturas 

Municipal Airport, Alturas, CA. 

Controlled airspace is necessary to 

accommodate aircraft using Area 

Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning 

System (GPS) standard instrument 

approach procedures at Alturas 

Municipal Airport. The FAA is 

proposing this action to enhance the 

safety and management of aircraft 

operations at Alturas Municipal Airport, 

Alturas, CA. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before July 5, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments on this 

proposal to the U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

WReier-Aviles on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with PROPOSALS