4206 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 19 / Wednesday, January 29, 1997 / Proposed Rules

revised page 6 of the Grob SB 869–18,

dated March 7, 1996.

Cost Impact

The FAA estimates that 8 sailplanes

in the U.S. registry would be affected by

the proposed AD, that it would take

approximately 1 hour per sailplane to

accomplish the proposed initial

inspection and that the average labor

rate is approximately $60 an hour. The

estimated cost for the initial inspection

would be $60 per sailplane. Based on

this figure, the total cost impact of the

proposed AD on U.S. operators is

estimated to be $480.

Grob has informed the FAA that no

parts have been distributed to equip any

sailplane in the United States. The FAA

has no way of determining how many

owners/operators may have

incorporated the proposed action on

their sailplane.

Regulatory Impact

The regulations proposed herein

would not have substantial direct effects

on the States, on the relationship

between the national government and

the States, on the distribution of power

and responsibilities among the various

levels of government. Therefore, in

accordance with Executive Order 12612,

it is determined that this proposal

would not have sufficient federalism

implications to warrant the preparation

of a Federalism Assessment.

For the reasons discussed above, I

certify that this action (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) if

promulgated, 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. A copy of the draft

regulatory evaluation prepared for this

action has been placed in the Rules

Docket. A copy of it may be obtained by

contacting the Rules Docket at the

location provided under the caption

ADDRESSES.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation

safety, Safety.

The Proposed Amendment

Accordingly, pursuant to the

authority delegated to me by the

Administrator, the Federal Aviation

Administration proposes to amend part

39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations

(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. Section 39.13 is amended by

adding a new AD to read as follows:

Burkhardt Grob: Docket No. 96–CE–37–AD.

Applicability: Model G 103 C Twin III SL

sailplanes (serial numbers 35002 through

35051, including gliders), certificated in any

category.

Note 1: This AD applies to each sailplane

identified in the preceding applicability

provision, regardless of whether it has been

modified, altered, or repaired in the area

subject to the requirements of this AD. For

sailplanes that have been modified, altered,

or repaired so that the performance of the

requirements of this AD is affected, the

owner/operator must use the authority

provided in paragraph (d) of this AD to

request approval from the FAA. This

approval may address either no action, if the

current configuration eliminates the unsafe

condition, or different actions necessary to

address the unsafe condition described in

this AD. Such a request should include an

assessment of the effect of the changed

configuration on the unsafe condition

addressed by this AD. In no case does the

presence of any modification, alteration, or

repair remove any sailplane from the

applicability of this AD.

Compliance: Required as indicated in the

body of this AD, unless already

accomplished.

To prevent the loss of the sailplane engine

propeller and possibly causing loss of the

sailplane, accomplish the following:

(a) Within the next 5 engine operating

hours do one of the following:

(1) Modify the propeller bearing and upper

pulley wheel by installing parts of improved

design in accordance with the ‘‘Actions: 2.’’

and the ‘‘Installation Instructions’’ sections of

Grob service bulletin (SB) 869–18, dated

March 7, 1996, and Grob SB 869–18/2, dated

July 8, 1996; or,

(2) Inspect the propeller bearing and upper

pulley wheel for increased play (movement

that exceeds or is equal to 0.4 mm) in

accordance with the ‘‘Actions’’ section of

Grob service bulletin (SB) 869–18, dated

March 7, 1996.

(i) If increased play is found, prior to

further flight, accomplish the modification in

paragraph (a)(1) of this AD or,

(ii) If no increased play is found, continue

to repetitively inspect for increased play in

the propeller bearing and upper pulley wheel

every 5 engine operating hours in accordance

with the ‘‘Actions: 1.’’ section in Grob SB

869–18, dated March 7, 1996, and Grob SB

869–18/2, dated July 8, 1996. If increased

play is found during any inspection, then,

prior to further flight, accomplish the

modifications in paragraph (a)(1) of this AD.

(b) Accomplishing the modification in

paragraph (a)(1) of this AD is a terminating

action to the repetitive inspection required in

paragraph (a)(2)(ii) of this AD.

(c) Special flight permits may be issued in

accordance with sections 21.197 and 21.199

of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR

21.197 and 21.199) to operate the sailplane

to a location where the requirements of this

AD can be accomplished.

(d) An alternative method of compliance or

adjustment of the initial and repetitive

compliance time that provides an equivalent

level of safety may be approved by the

Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, FAA,

1201 Walnut, suite 900, Kansas City,

Missouri, 64106. The request shall be

forwarded through an appropriate FAA

Maintenance Inspector, who may add

comments and then send it to the Manager,

Small Airplane Directorate, FAA, 1201

Walnut, suite 900, Kansas City, Missouri,

64106.

Note 2: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Small Airplane

Directorate.

(e) All persons affected by this directive

may obtain copies of the document referred

to herein upon request to Burkhart Grob

Luftund Raumfahrt, D–86874 Mattsies,

Germany; or may examine this document at

the FAA, Central Region, Office of the

Assistant Chief Counsel, Room 1558, 601 E.

12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106.

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on January

22, 1997.

Henry A. Armstrong,

Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate,

Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR DOC. 97–2104 Filed 1–28 97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 96–CE–60–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Raytheon

Aircraft Company (Formerly Beech

Aircraft Corporation) Models 1900,

1900C, and 1900D Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking

(NPRM).

SUMMARY: This document proposes to

adopt a new airworthiness directive

(AD) that would apply to certain

Raytheon Aircraft Company (Raytheon)

Models 1900, 1900C, and 1900D

airplanes (formerly referred to as Beech

Models 1900, 1900C, and 1900D

airplanes). The proposed AD would

require installing lubrication fittings in

the airstair door handle and latch

housing mechanisms. The proposed AD

results from reports of the airstair door
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 19 / Wednesday, January 29, 1997 / Proposed Rules 4207

not opening because the door was

frozen shut. The actions specified by the

proposed AD are intended to prevent

moisture from accumulating and

freezing in the airstair door handle and

latch housing, which could result in the

door freezing shut and passengers not

being able to evacuate the airplane in an

emergency situation.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before April 7, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in

triplicate to the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Central Region,

Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel,

Attention: Rules Docket No. 96–CE–60–

AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street,

Kansas City, Missouri 64106. Comments

may be inspected at this location

between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday

through Friday, holidays excepted.

Service information that applies to the

proposed AD may be obtained from the

Raytheon Aircraft Company, P.O. Box

85, Wichita, Kansas 67201–0085. This

information also may be examined at

the Rules Docket at the address above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Steven E. Potter, Aerospace Safety

Engineer, FAA, Wichita Aircraft

Certification Office, 1801 Airport Road,

Mid-Continent Airport, Wichita, Kansas

67209; telephone (316) 946–4124;

facsimile (316) 946–4407.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

Interested persons are invited to

participate in the making of the

proposed rule by submitting such

written data, views, or arguments as

they may desire. Communications

should identify the Rules Docket

number and be submitted in triplicate to

the address specified above. All

communications received on or before

the closing date for comments, specified

above, will be considered before taking

action on the proposed rule. The

proposals contained in this notice may

be changed in light of the comments

received.

Comments are specifically invited on

the overall regulatory, economic,

environmental, and energy aspects of

the proposed rule. All comments

submitted will be available, both before

and after the closing date for comments,

in the Rules Docket for examination by

interested persons. A report that

summarizes each FAA-public contact

concerned with the substance of this

proposal will be filed in the Rules

Docket.

Commenters wishing the FAA to

acknowledge receipt of their comments

submitted in response to this notice

must submit a self-addressed, stamped

postcard on which the following

statement is made: ‘‘Comments to

Docket No. 96–CE–60–AD.’’ The

postcard will be date stamped and

returned to the commenter.

Availability of NPRMs

Any person may obtain a copy of this

NPRM by submitting a request to the

FAA, Central Region, Office of the

Assistant Chief Counsel, Attention:

Rules Docket No. 96–CE–60–AD, Room

1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City,

Missouri 64106.

Discussion

The FAA has received numerous

reports of the airstair door not opening

because the door was frozen shut on

Raytheon Models 1900, 1900C, and

1900D airplanes (formerly referred to as

Beech Models 1900, 1900C, and 1900D

airplanes). Under the current

configuration of these airplanes,

moisture accumulates and freezes in the

airstair door handle and latch housings,

resulting in the door freezing shut. This

condition, if not detected and corrected,

could result in passengers not being able

to evacuate the airplane in an

emergency situation.

Applicable Service Information

Raytheon has issued Mandatory

Service Bulletin No. 2572, dated July,

1996, which includes procedures for

installing lubrication fittings in the

airstair door handle and latch housing

mechanisms on certain Raytheon

Models 1900, 1900C, and 1900D

airplanes.

The FAA’s Determination

After examining the circumstances

and reviewing all available information

related to the incidents described above,

including the referenced service

information, the FAA has determined

that AD action should be taken to

prevent moisture from accumulating

and freezing in the airstair door handle

and latch housing, which could result in

the door freezing shut and passengers

not being able to evacuate the airplane

in an emergency situation.

Explanation of the Provisions of the

Proposed AD

Since an unsafe condition has been

identified that is likely to exist or

develop in other Raytheon Models 1900,

1900C, and 1900D airplanes of the same

type design, the proposed AD would

require installing lubrication fittings in

the airstair door handle and latch

housing mechanisms. Accomplishment

of the proposed installation would be in

accordance with Raytheon Mandatory

Service Bulletin No. 2572, dated July,

1996.

Cost Impact

The FAA estimates that 408 airplanes

in the U.S. registry would be affected by

the proposed AD, that it would take

approximately 14 workhours per

airplane to accomplish the proposed

installation, and that the average labor

rate is approximately $60 an hour. Parts

cost approximately $50 per airplane.

Based on these figures, the total cost

impact of the proposed AD on U.S.

operators is estimated to be $363,120 or

$890 per airplane. This figure is based

on the presumption that no owner/

operator of the affected airplanes has

accomplished the proposed installation.

Raytheon has informed the FAA that

parts have been distributed to equip

approximately 36 of the affected

airplanes. Presuming that each set of

parts has been incorporated on one of

the affected airplanes, the cost impact of

the proposed AD upon U.S. operators of

the affected airplanes would be reduced

$32,040 from $363,120 to $331,080.

Regulatory Impact

The regulations proposed herein

would not have substantial direct effects

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. Therefore,

in accordance with Executive Order

12612, it is determined that this

proposal would not have sufficient

federalism implications to warrant the

preparation of a Federalism Assessment.

For the reasons discussed above, I

certify that this action (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) if

promulgated, 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. A copy of the draft

regulatory evaluation prepared for this

action has been placed in the Rules

Docket. A copy of it may be obtained by

contacting the Rules Docket at the

location provided under the caption

ADDRESSES.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation

safety, Safety.

The Proposed Amendment

Accordingly, pursuant to the

authority delegated to me by the

Administrator, the Federal Aviation
4208 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 19 / Wednesday, January 29, 1997 / Proposed Rules

Administration proposes to amend part

39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations

(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. Section 39.13 is amended by

adding a new airworthiness directive

(AD) to read as follows:

Raytheon Aircraft Company (formerly Beech

Aircraft Corporation): Docket No. 96–

CE–60–AD.

Applicability: The following airplane

models and serial numbers, certificated in

any category:

Model Serial Nos.

1900 ................ UA–1 through UA–3.

1900C ............. UB–1 through UB–74, and

UC–1 through UC–174.

1900D ............. UE–1 through UE–157.

1900D (C–12J) UD–1 through UD–6.

Note 1: This AD applies to each airplane

identified in the preceding applicability

provision, regardless of whether it has been

modified, altered, or repaired in the area

subject to the requirements of this AD. For

airplanes that have been modified, altered, or

repaired so that the performance of the

requirements of this AD is affected, the

owner/operator must request approval for an

alternative method of compliance in

accordance with paragraph (c) of this AD.

The request should include an assessment of

the effect of the modification, alteration, or

repair on the unsafe condition addressed by

this AD; and, if the unsafe condition has not

been eliminated, the request should include

specific proposed actions to address it.

Compliance: Required within the next 200

hours time-in-service after the effective date

of this AD, unless already accomplished.

To prevent moisture from accumulating

and freezing in the airstair door handle and

latch housing, which could result in the door

freezing shut and passengers not being able

to evacuate the airplane in an emergency

situation, accomplish the following:

(a) Install lubrication fittings in the airstair

door handle and latch housing mechanisms

in accordance with the ACCOMPLISHMENT

INSTRUCTIONS section of Raytheon

Mandatory Service Bulletin No. 2572, dated

July, 1996.

(b) Special flight permits may be issued in

accordance with sections 21.197 and 21.199

of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR

21.197 and 21.199) to operate the airplane to

a location where the requirements of this AD

can be accomplished.

(c) An alternative method of compliance or

adjustment of the compliance time that

provides an equivalent level of safety may be

approved by the Manager, Wichita Aircraft

Certification Office (ACO), 1801 Airport

Road, Room 100, Mid-Continent Airport,

Wichita, Kansas 67209. The request shall be

forwarded through an appropriate FAA

Maintenance Inspector, who may add

comments and then send it to the Manager,

Wichita ACO.

Note 2: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Wichita ACO.

(d) All persons affected by this directive

may obtain copies of the documents referred

to herein upon request to the Raytheon

Aircraft Company, P.O. Box 85, Wichita,

Kansas 67201–0085; or may examine these

documents at the FAA, Central Region, Office

of the Assistant Chief Counsel, Room 1558,

601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri

64106.

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on January

21, 1997.

Henry A. Armstrong,

Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate,

Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 97–2106 Filed 1–28–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 96–NM–44–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model

A310 Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking

(NPRM).

SUMMARY: This document proposes the

adoption of a new airworthiness

directive (AD) that is applicable to all

Airbus Model A310 series airplanes.

This proposal would require inspections

of the lower door surrounding structure

to detect cracks and corrosion, and

repair, if necessary. This proposal also

would require inspections to detect

cracking of the holes of the corner

doublers, the fail-safe ring, and the door

frames of the door structures; and

repair, if necessary. In addition, this

proposal would provide for optional

terminating action for certain

inspections. This proposal is prompted

by reports indicating that corrosion was

found between the scuff plates at exit

and cargo doors, and fatigue cracks

originated from certain fastener holes

located in adjacent structure. The

actions specified by the proposed AD

are intended to detect and correct such

corrosion and fatigue cracking, which

could result in reduced structural

integrity of the door surroundings.

DATES: Comments must be received by

March 10, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in

triplicate to the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Transport

Airplane Directorate, ANM–103,

Attention: Rules Docket No. 96–NM–

44–AD, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW.,

Renton, Washington 98055–4056.

Comments may be inspected at this

location between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00

p.m., Monday through Friday, except

Federal holidays.

The service information referenced in

the proposed rule may be obtained from

Airbus Industrie, 1 Rond Point Maurice

Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex, France.

This information may be examined at

the FAA, Transport Airplane

Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW.,

Renton, Washington.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Charles Huber, Aerospace Engineer,

Standardization Branch, ANM–113,

FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate,

1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton,

Washington 98055–4056; telephone

(206) 227–2589; fax (206) 227–1149.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

Interested persons are invited to

participate in the making of the

proposed rule by submitting such

written data, views, or arguments as

they may desire. Communications shall

identify the Rules Docket number and

be submitted in triplicate to the address

specified above. All communications

received on or before the closing date

for comments, specified above, will be

considered before taking action on the

proposed rule. The proposals contained

in this notice may be changed in light

of the comments received.

Comments are specifically invited on

the overall regulatory, economic,

environmental, and energy aspects of

the proposed rule. All comments

submitted will be available, both before

and after the closing date for comments,

in the Rules Docket for examination by

interested persons. A report

summarizing each FAA-public contact

concerned with the substance of this

proposal will be filed in the Rules

Docket.

Commenters wishing the FAA to

acknowledge receipt of their comments

submitted in response to this notice

must submit a self-addressed, stamped

postcard on which the following

statement is made: ‘‘Comments to

Docket Number 96–NM–44–AD.’’ The

postcard will be date stamped and

returned to the commenter.

Availability of NPRMs

Any person may obtain a copy of this

NPRM by submitting a request to the

FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate,

ANM–103, Attention: Rules Docket No.