[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 16 (Thursday, January 25, 2007)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 3355-3357]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-900]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2006-26597; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-86-AD; 
Amendment 39-14900; AD 2007-02-13]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; DORNIER LUFTFAHRT GmbH Model 228-212 
Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
DORNIER LUFTFAHRT GmbH Model 228-212 airplanes. This AD requires you to 
inspect the landing gear carbon brake assembly. This AD results from 
mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the 
European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the airworthiness 
authority for the European Union. We are issuing this AD to inspect the 
landing gear carbon brake assembly to detect and replace loose bolts or 
self-locking nuts, which could result in the brake assembly detaching 
and malfunctioning, degrade brake performance and potentially cause 
loss of control of the aircraft during landing and roll-out.

DATES: This AD becomes effective on March 1, 2007.
    As of March 1, 2007, the Director of the Federal Register approved 
the incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in the 
regulation.
    We must receive any comments on this AD by February 26, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Use one of the following addresses to comment on this AD.
    <bullet> DOT Docket Web site: Go to http://dms.dot.gov and follow 
the instructions for sending your comments electronically.
    <bullet> Fax: (202) 493-2251.
    <bullet> Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-401, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001.

[[Page 3356]]

    <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.
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    To get the service information identified in this AD, contact RVAG 
Aerospace Services GmbH, Dornier 228 Customer Support, PO Box 1253, D-
82231Wessling, Federal Republic of Germany; telephone: 49 8153 302280.
    To view the comments to this AD, go to http://dms.dot.gov. The 
docket number is FAA-2006-26597; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-86-AD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karl Schletzbaum, Aerospace Engineer, 
FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, 
Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-4146; fax: (816) 329-4090.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

    The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the 
airworthiness authority for the European Union, recently notified the 
FAA that an unsafe condition may exist on certain DORNIER LUFTFAHRT 
GmbH Dornier Model 228-212 airplanes. The EASA reports that during a 
maintenance inspection, loose bolts and nuts were detected on the 
landing gear carbon brake assembly.
    This condition, if not corrected, could result in the brake 
assembly detaching and malfunctioning, degrading brake performance, and 
potentially causing loss of control of the aircraft during landing or 
roll-out.

Relevant Service Information

    We reviewed DORNIER LUFTFAHRT GmbH Dornier 228 Alert Service 
Bulletin (ASB) No. ASB-228-265, dated November 17, 2006. The service 
information describes procedures for a visual inspection of the landing 
gear to detect loose bolts and self-locking nuts at the carbon brake 
assembly.
    The EASA classified this service bulletin as mandatory and issued 
EASA AD Number EAD 2006-0352-E, dated November 24, 2006, to ensure the 
continued airworthiness of these airplanes in Germany.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of This AD

    These DORNIER LUFTFAHRT GmbH Model 228-212 airplanes are 
manufactured in Germany 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 EASA has kept us 
informed of the situation described above. We are issuing this AD 
because we evaluated all the information and determined the unsafe 
condition described previously is likely to exist or develop on other 
products of the same type design. This AD requires an inspection of the 
landing gear carbon brake assembly to detect and replace loose bolts or 
self-locking nuts.

Cost Impact

    None of the DORNIER LUFTFAHRT GmbH Model 228-212 airplanes affected 
by this action are currently on the U.S. Registry. All airplanes 
included in the applicability of this rule currently are operated by 
non-U.S. operators under foreign registry; therefore, they are not 
directly affected by this AD action at this time. However, the FAA 
considers this rule necessary to ensure that the unsafe condition is 
addressed in the event that any of these subject airplanes are imported 
and placed on the U.S. Registry.
    Should an affected airplane be imported and placed on the U.S. 
Registry, accomplishment of the required action would take 
approximately 10 workhours at an average labor rate of $80 per 
workhour. Based on these figures, the total cost impact of this AD 
would be $800 per airplane.

Comments Invited

    Because there are no affected airplanes on the U.S. Registry, it 
has no adverse economic impact and imposes no additional burden on any 
person. Therefore, prior notice and public procedures hereon are 
unnecessary. We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments regarding this AD. Send your comments to an address listed 
under the ADDRESSES section. Include the docket number ``FAA-2006-
26597; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-86-AD'' at the beginning of your 
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the AD. We will consider 
all comments received by the closing date and may amend the 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 AD.

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 AD will not have federalism implications 
under Executive Order 13132. This AD will 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 this AD:
    (1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive 
Order 12866;
    (2) Is not a ``significant rule'' under 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 AD and placed it in the AD docket.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket that contains the 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.

[[Page 3357]]

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by 
reference, Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

0
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, 
the FAA amends 14 CFR part 39 as follows:

PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

0
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]

0
2. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness 
directive (AD):

2007-02-13 DORNIER LUFTFAHRT: Amendment 39-14900; Docket No. FAA-
2006-26597; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-86-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This AD becomes effective on March 1, 2007.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to DORNIER LUFTFAHRT GmbH Model 228-212 
airplanes, all serial numbers, if Carbon Brake Assemblies with Part 
Number (P/N) 5009850-1, 5009850-2, 5009850-3 or 5009850-4 are 
installed, that are certificated in any category.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD is the result of loose bolts and nuts being detected 
on the landing gear carbon brake assembly during a maintenance 
inspection. We are issuing this AD to require an inspection to 
detect loose bolts and self-locking nuts on the landing gear carbon 
brake assembly, which, if not corrected, could result in the brake 
assembly detaching and malfunctioning, degrading brake performance, 
and potentially causing loss of control of the aircraft during 
landing or roll-out.

Compliance

    (e) To address this problem, you must do the following, unless 
already done, before the next flight after the effective date of 
this AD: Inspect the landing gear carbon brake assembly in 
accordance with the instructions contained in DORNIER LUFTFAHRT GmbH 
Dornier 228 Alert Service Bulletin ASB-228-265 dated November 17, 
2006, and, if necessary, replace the affected brake assembly.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (f) The Manager, Standards Staff, FAA, ATTN: Karl Schletzbaum, 
Aerospace Engineer, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 
301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-4146; 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

    (g) This AD is related to EASA EAD No. 2006-0352-E, dated 
November 24, 2006, which references Dornier Luftfahrt GmbH ASB-228-
265, dated November 17, 2006.

Material Incorporated by Reference

    (h) You must use DORNIER LUFTFAHRT GmbH Service Bulletin No. 
ASB-228-265, dated November 17, 2006, to do the actions required by 
this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.
    (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference of this service information under 5 
U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
    (2) For service information identified in this AD, contact RVAG 
Aerospace Services GmbH, Dornier 228 Customer Support, P.O. Box 
1253, D-82231 Wessling, Federal Republic of Germany.
    (3) You may review copies at the FAA, Central Region, Office of 
the Regional Counsel, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; or at 
the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For 
information on the availability of this material at NARA, call 202-
741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on January 12, 2007.
Kim Smith,
Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
 [FR Doc. E7-900 Filed 1-24-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P