60184 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 216 / Friday, November 7, 1997 / Proposed Rules

wheel leg version ‘‘B’’, in accordance

with the applicable maintenance

manual.

Cost Impact

The FAA estimates that 20 airplanes

in the U.S. registry would be affected by

the proposed AD, that it would take

approximately 1 workhour per airplane

to accomplish the proposed

replacement, and that the average labor

rate is approximately $60 per hour.

Parts cost approximately $900 per

airplane. Based on these figures, the

total cost impact of the proposed AD on

U.S. operators is estimated to be $19,200

or $960 per airplane.

Differences Between the Austrian AD,

the Service Bulletin, and This Proposed

AD

Austrian AD No. 86, dated May 29,

1996, and Diamond Aircraft Industries

Service Bulletin N. 20–32, dated April

5, 1996, both give the owners/operators

of certain HOAC Austria Model DV–20

Katana airplanes the option of either (1)

repetitively inspecting the weld of the

nose wheel tappet in the NLG until

cracks are found, at which time

immediate modification or replacement

(with parts of improved design) would

be required; or (2) immediately

replacing the weld of the nose wheel

tappet in the NLG with parts of

improved design.

The FAA’s policy is to provide

corrective action that will eliminate the

need for repetitive inspections. The

FAA has determined that long-term

operational safety will be better assured

by design changes that remove the

source of the problem, rather than by

repetitive inspections or other special

procedures.

Because replacing the nose wheel leg

(with parts of improved design)

eliminates the need for repetitive

inspections, the proposed AD differs

from the service bulletin and the

Austrian AD in that it would mandate

the replacement.

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

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:

HOAC Austria: Docket No. 97–CE–84–AD.

Applicability: Model DV–20 Katana

airplanes, serial numbers 20005 through

20160, certificated in any category.

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 100

hours time-in-service (TIS) after the effective

date of this AD, unless already accomplished.

To prevent nose landing gear (NLG)

collapse caused by cracks in the welding of

the nose wheel tappet of the NLG, which

could result in the inability to control the

airplane during landing, takeoff, and other

ground operations, accomplish the following:

(a) Replace the nose wheel leg of the NLG

with a part of improved design, nose wheel

leg version ‘‘B’’, in accordance with the

applicable maintenance manual.

Note 2: Diamond Aircraft Industries

Service Bulletin No. 20–32, dated April 5,

1996, specifies the replacement required by

this AD.

(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, 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.

Note 3: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Small Airplane

Directorate.

(d) All persons affected by this directive

may obtain copies of the document referred

to herein upon request to HOAC Austria

Ges.m.b.H., N.A. Otto-Strabe 5, A–2700,

Wiener Neustadt, Austria; or may examine

this document at the FAA, Central Region,

Office of the Regional Counsel, Room 1558,

601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri

64106.

Note 4: The subject of this AD is addressed

in Austrian AD No. 86, dated May 29, 1996.

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on

October 31, 1997.

James E. Jackson,

Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate,

Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 97–29408 Filed 11–6–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 97–CE–43–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; SOCATA—

Groupe AEROSPATIALE Model TBM

700 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

SOCATA—Groupe AEROSPATIALE

(Socata) Model TBM 700 airplanes. The

proposed AD would require replacing

the starter generator mounting adapter
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 216 / Friday, November 7, 1997 / Proposed Rules 60185

with a part of improved design. The

proposed AD is the result of mandatory

continuing airworthiness information

(MCAI) issued by the airworthiness

authority for France. The actions

specified by the proposed AD are

intended to prevent loss of the starter

generator caused by failure of the starter

generator mounting adapter, which

could result in loss of electrical power.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before December 15, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in

triplicate to the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Central Region,

Office of the Regional Counsel,

Attention: Rules Docket No. 97–CE–43–

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

SOCATA-Groupe AEROSPATIALE,

Socata Product Support, Aeroport

Tarbes-Ossun-Lourdes, B P 930, 65009

Tarbes Cedex, France; telephone

62.41.74.26; facsimile 62.41.74.32; or

the Product Support Manager,

SOCATA-Groupe AEROSPATIALE,

North Perry Airport, 7501 Pembroke

Road, Pembroke Pines, Florida 33023;

telephone (954) 964–6877; facsimile

(954) 964–1668. This information also

may be examined at the Rules Docket at

the address above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Karl Schletzbaum, Aerospace Engineer,

FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 1201

Walnut Street, suite 900, Kansas City,

Missouri 64106; telephone (816) 426–

6934; facsimile (816) 426–2169.

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. 97–CE–43–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

Regional Counsel, Attention: Rules

Docket No. 97–CE–43–AD, Room 1558,

601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri

64106.

Discussion

The Direction Ge ́ne ́rale de l’Aviation

Civile (DGAC), which is the

airworthiness authority for France,

recently notified the FAA that an unsafe

condition may exist on certain Socata

Model TBM 700 airplanes. The DGAC

reports four incidents of cracked starter

generator mounting adapters and one

incident of a broken adapter. These

conditions, if not detected and

corrected, could result in loss of

electrical power.

Relevant Service Information

Socata has issued Service Bulletin No.

SB 70–072, dated January 1996, which

specifies procedures for replacing the

starter generator mounting adapter with

a part of new design. The parts

necessary for this replacement are

included in Socata Kit No.

OPT70K0058–24.

The DGAC classified this service

bulletin as mandatory and issued

French AD 95–242(B)R1, dated February

28, 1996, in order to assure the

continued airworthiness of these

airplanes in France.

The FAA’s Determination

This airplane model is manufactured

in France and is 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 DGAC has kept the FAA informed

of the situation described above.

The FAA has examined the findings

of the DGAC; reviewed all available

information, including the service

information referenced above; and

determined that AD action is necessary

for products of this type design that are

certificated for operation in the United

States.

Explanation of the Provisions of the

Proposed AD

Since an unsafe condition has been

identified that is likely to exist or

develop in other Socata Model TBM 700

airplanes of the same type design

registered in the United States, the FAA

is proposing AD action. The proposed

AD would require replacing the starter

generator mounting adapter with a part

of improved design by incorporating

Socata Kit No. OPT70K0058–24.

Accomplishment of the proposed

replacement would be in accordance

with Socata Service Bulletin No. SB 70–

072, dated January 1996.

Cost Impact

The FAA estimates that 55 airplanes

in the U.S. registry would be affected by

the proposed AD.

The proposed replacement would take

approximately 2 workhours per airplane

to accomplish, at an average labor rate

of approximately $60 an hour. Parts to

accomplish the proposed AD will be

provided by the manufacturer at no cost

to the owners/operators of the affected

airplanes. Based on these figures, the

total cost impact of the proposed AD on

U.S. operators is estimated to be $6,600

or $120 per airplane.

Differences Between the French AD, the

Service Bulletin, and This Proposed AD

French AD 95–242(B)R1, dated

February 28, 1996, and Socata Service

Bulletin No. SB 70–072, dated January

1996, both give the owners/operators of

certain Model TBM 700 airplanes the

option of replacing the starter generator

mounting adapter immediately or

inspecting this adapter for cracks every

25 hours time-in-service (TIS) up to 100

hours TIS, at which time the

replacement is mandatory. This allows

the owners/operators the option of

having their airplanes inspected up to

three times before mandatory

replacement, provided no cracked

adapters were found, which, if found

cracked, would require immediate

replacement.

The FAA has determined that, since

the parts for the replacement are free;

the parts are available; and the action

takes less than 2 workhours to

accomplish, 25 hours TIS would be

adequate time to incorporate the

replacement. If followed with a final

rule, the proposed AD would require

replacing the starter generator mounting

adapter within 25 hours TIS, and would

not allow the option of repetitively
60186 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 216 / Friday, November 7, 1997 / Proposed Rules

inspecting every 25 hours TIS up to 100

hours TIS.

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

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:

SOCATA—Groupe Aerospatiale: Docket No.

97–CE–43–AD.

Applicability: Model TBM 700 airplanes,

serial numbers 1 through 109, certificated in

any category.

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 25

hours time-in-service (TIS), unless already

accomplished.

To prevent loss of the starter generator

caused by failure of the starter generator

mounting adapter, which could result in loss

of electrical power, accomplish the

following:

(a) Replace the starter generator mounting

adapter with a part of improved design by

incorporating Socata Kit No. OPT70K0058–

24. This replacement shall be accomplished

in accordance with the ACCOMPLISHMENT

INSTRUCTIONS section of Socata Service

Bulletin No. SB 70–072, dated January 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, 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.

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.

(d) All persons affected by this directive

may obtain copies of the document(s)

referred to herein upon request to SOCATA—

Groupe AEROSPATIALE, Socata Product

Support, Aeroport Tarbes-Ossun-Lourdes, B

P 930, 65009 Tarbes Cedex, France; or Perry

Airport, 7501 Pembroke Road, Pembroke

Pines, Florida 33023. These documents may

also be examined at the FAA, Central Region,

Office of the Regional Counsel, Room 1558,

601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri

64106.

Note 3: The subject of this AD is addressed

in French AD 95–242(B)R1, dated February

28, 1996.

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on

October 31, 1997.

James E. Jackson,

Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate,

Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 97–29411 Filed 11–6–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 97–NM–109–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Dornier

Model 328–100 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 Dornier Model 328–100 series

airplanes. This proposal would require

replacement of the main landing gear

(MLG) uplocks with new or modified

MLG uplocks. This proposal is

prompted by the issuance of mandatory

continuing airworthiness information by

a foreign civil airworthiness authority.

The actions specified by the proposed

AD are intended to prevent failure of the

MLG to lock in the stowed position due

to ice accumulation on the uplock hook

and roller assembly, which could result

in the inadvertent deployment of the

MLG during flight.

DATES: Comments must be received by

December 8, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in

triplicate to the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Transport

Airplane Directorate, ANM–103,

Attention: Rules Docket No. 97–NM–

109–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

Dornier Luftfahrt GmbH, P.O. Box 1103,

D–82230 Wessling, Germany. This

information may be examined at the

FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate,

1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton,

Washington.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

International Branch, ANM–116, FAA,

Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601

Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington

98055–4056; telephone (425) 227–2110;

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