Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 154 / Monday, August 11, 1997 / Proposed Rules 42951

Manager, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification

Office (ACO), FAA, Transport Airplane

Directorate.

(2) If any crack is found during any LFEC

or x-ray inspection required by this

paragraph and the crack is 2 inches or less

in length: Prior to further flight, modify it in

accordance with the service bulletin. Prior to

the accumulation of 28,000 landings after

accomplishment of the modification, perform

a LFEC inspection to detect cracks on the

skin adjacent to the modification, in

accordance with the service bulletin.

(i) If no crack is detected during the LFEC

inspection required by this paragraph, repeat

the LFEC inspection thereafter at intervals

not to exceed 20,000 landings.

(ii) If any crack is detected during the LFEC

inspection required by this paragraph, prior

to further flight, repair it in accordance with

a method approved by the Manager, Los

Angeles ACO.

(3) If any crack is found during any LFEC

or x-ray inspection required by this

paragraph and the crack is greater than 2

inches in length: Prior to further flight, repair

it in accordance with a method approved by

the Manager, Los Angeles ACO.

(c) If the visual inspection required by

paragraph (a) of this AD reveals that the

corners of the aft lower cargo doorjamb have

been modified, but not in accordance with

the DC–9 Structural Repair Manual (SRM) or

Service Rework Drawing, prior to further

flight, repair it in accordance with a method

approved by the Manager, Los Angeles ACO.

(d) If the visual inspection required by

paragraph (a) of this AD reveals that the

corners of the aft lower cargo doorjamb have

been modified in accordance with DC–9 SRM

or Service Rework Drawing, prior to the

accumulation of 28,000 landings since

accomplishment of that modification, or

within 3,500 landings after the effective date

of this AD, whichever occurs later, perform

a LFEC inspection to detect cracks on the

skin adjacent to the modification, in

accordance with McDonnell Douglas Service

Bulletin DC9–53–278, dated November 4,

1996. Repeat the LFEC inspection thereafter

at intervals not to exceed 20,000 landings.

(1) If no crack is detected during any LFEC

inspection required by this paragraph, repeat

the LFEC inspection thereafter at intervals

not to exceed 20,000 landings.

(2) If any crack is detected during any

LFEC inspection required by this paragraph,

prior to further flight, repair it in accordance

with a method approved by the Manager, Los

Angeles ACO.

(e) An alternative method of compliance or

adjustment of the compliance time that

provides an acceptable level of safety may be

used if approved by the Manager, Los

Angeles Aircraft Certification Office (ACO),

FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate.

Operators shall submit their requests through

an appropriate FAA Principal Maintenance

Inspector, who may add comments and then

send it to the Manager, Los Angeles ACO.

Note 4: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Los Angeles ACO.

(f) 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.

Issued in Renton, Washington, on August

5, 1997.

John J. Hickey,

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 97–21096 Filed 8–8–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 97–NM–165–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Fokker

Model F28 Mark 0100 and 0070 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

certain Fokker Model F28 Mark 0100

and 0070 series airplanes. This proposal

would require replacement of the

fusible pin in the upper torque link of

the main landing gear with an improved

pin. This proposal is prompted by

issuance of mandatory continuing

airworthiness information by a foreign

civil airworthiness authority. The

actions specified by the proposed AD

are intended to prevent reduced

structural integrity and potential

collapse of the main landing gear.

DATES: Comments must be received by

September 22, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in

triplicate to the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Transport

Airplane Directorate, ANM–103,

Attention: Rules Docket No. 97–NM–

165–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

Fokker Aircraft USA, Inc., 1199 North

Fairfax Street, Alexandria, Virginia

22314. This information may be

examined at the FAA, Transport

Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind

Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tim

Dulin, Aerospace Engineer,

Standardization Branch, ANM–113,

FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate,

1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton,

Washington 98055–4056; telephone

(425) 227–2141; fax (425) 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 97–NM–165–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.

97–NM–165–AD, 1601 Lind Avenue,

SW., Renton, Washington 98055–4056.

Discussion

The Rijksluchtvaartdienst (RLD),

which is the airworthiness authority for

the Netherlands, notified the FAA that

an unsafe condition may exist on certain

Fokker Model F28 Mark 0100 and 0070

series airplanes. The RLD advises that

failures of the fusible pin to shear as

required under excessive loading

conditions may result in structural

damage to the main landing gear (MLG).

This condition, if not corrected, could

result in reduced structural integrity

and potential collapse of the main

landing gear.
42952 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 154 / Monday, August 11, 1997 / Proposed Rules

Explanation of Relevant Service

Information

Fokker has issued Service Bulletin

SBF100–32–099, dated June 14, 1996,

which describes procedures for

replacement of the fusible pin in the

upper torque link of the MLG with an

improved pin. (This service bulletin

references Menasco Service Bulletin

41050–32–6, dated March 15, 1995, as

an additional source of service

information for accomplishment of the

replacement.) The RLD classified the

Fokker service bulletin as mandatory

and issued Dutch airworthiness

directive BLA 1996–074 (A), dated June

28, 1996, in order to assure the

continued airworthiness of these

airplanes in the Netherlands.

FAA’s Conclusions

These airplane models are

manufactured in the Netherlands 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. Pursuant to this bilateral

airworthiness agreement, the RLD has

kept the FAA informed of the situation

described above. The FAA has

examined the findings of the RLD,

reviewed all available information, and

determined that AD action is necessary

for products of this type design that are

certificated for operation in the United

States.

Explanation of Requirements of

Proposed Rule

Since an unsafe condition has been

identified that is likely to exist or

develop on other airplanes of the same

type design registered in the United

States, the proposed AD would require

accomplishment of the actions specified

in the Fokker service bulletin described

previously.

Cost Impact

The FAA estimates that 10 airplanes

of U.S. registry would be affected by this

proposed AD, that it would take

approximately 14 work hours per

airplane to accomplish the proposed

actions, and that the average labor rate

is $60 per work hour. Required parts

would be supplied by the manufacturer

at no cost to the operators. Based on

these figures, the cost impact of the

proposed AD on U.S. operators is

estimated to be $8,400, or $840 per

airplane.

The cost impact figure discussed

above is based on assumptions that no

operator has yet accomplished any of

the proposed requirements of this AD

action, and that no operator would

accomplish those actions in the future if

this AD were not adopted.

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 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) 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 is contained 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 the following new airworthiness

directive:

Fokker: Docket 97–NM–165–5-AD.

Applicability: Model F28 Mark 0100 and

0070 series airplanes, equipped with

Menasco Aerospace Ltd. main landing gears

having part number (P/N) 41050, including

the fusible upper torque link pin having P/

N 41223–1; certificated in any category.

Note 1: This AD applies to each airplane

identified in the preceding applicability

provision, regardless of whether it has been

otherwise 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 as indicated, unless

accomplished previously.

To prevent reduced structural integrity and

potential collapse of the main landing gear,

accomplish the following:

(a) Within one year after the effective date

of this AD, replace any main landing gear

upper torque link fusible pin having P/N

41223–1 with a pin having P/N 41223–3, in

accordance with Fokker Service Bulletin

SBF100–32–099, dated June 14, 1996.

(b) As of the effective date of this AD, no

person shall install a main landing gear

upper torque link fusible pin having P/N

41223–1 on any airplane.

(c) An alternative method of compliance or

adjustment of the compliance time that

provides an acceptable level of safety may be

used if approved by the Manager,

Standardization Branch, ANM–113, FAA,

Transport Airplane Directorate. Operators

shall submit their requests through an

appropriate FAA Principal Maintenance

Inspector, who may add comments and then

send it to the Manager, Standardization

Branch, ANM–113.

Note 2: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Standardization Branch,

ANM–113.

(d) 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.

Issued in Renton, Washington, on August

5, 1997.

John J. Hickey,

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 97–21097 Filed 8–8–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 97–NM–166–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Israel

Aircraft Industries (IAI), Ltd., Model

1121, 1121A, 1121B, 1123, 1124, and

1124A Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.