Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 227 / Tuesday, November 25, 1997 / Proposed Rules 62725

flight cycles after the effective date of this

AD.

(2) For airplanes that have accumulated

less than 20,000 total flight cycles as of the

effective date of this AD: Inspect prior to the

accumulation of 18,000 total flight cycles, or

within 1,500 flight cycles after the effective

date of this AD, whichever occurs later.

(c) If any crack is detected during any

inspection required by this AD, prior to

further flight, repair in accordance with a

method approved by the Manager,

International Branch, ANM–116, FAA,

Transport Airplane Directorate.

(d) 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,

International Branch, ANM–116. Operators

shall submit their requests through an

appropriate FAA Principal Maintenance

Inspector, who may add comments and then

send it to the Manager, International Branch,

ANM–116.

Note 2: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the International Branch,

ANM–116.

(e) Special flight permits may be issued in

accordance with §§ 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.

Note 3: The subject of this AD is addressed

in French airworthiness directive (CN) 97–

274–230(B), dated September 24, 1997.

Issued in Renton, Washington, on

November 18, 1997.

Stewart R. Miller,

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 97–30858 Filed 11–24–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 97–CE–78–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; AeromotIndustria Mecanico Metalurgica Ltda.

Models AMT–100 and AMT–200

Powered Gliders

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

Aeromot-Industria Mecanico

Metalurgica Ltda. (Aeromot) Models

AMT–100 and AMT–200 powered

gliders. The proposed action would

require replacing all main landing gear

attaching nuts and bolts with ones of

improved design. The proposed AD is

the result of mandatory continued

airworthiness information (MCAI)

issued by the airworthiness authority for

Brazil. The actions specified by the

proposed AD are intended to prevent

failure of the main landing gear, which

could cause loss of control of the

sailplane during landing operations.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before December 26, 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–78–

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

Grupo Aeromot, Aeromot-Industria

Mecanico Metalurgica Ltda., Av. das

Industries-1210, Bairro Anchieta, Caixa

Postal 8031, 90200-Porto Alegre-RS,

Brazil. This information also may be

examined at the Rules Docket at the

address above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Curtis Jackson, Aerospace Engineer,

Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office,

One Crown Center, 1895 Phoenix Blvd.,

suite 450, Atlanta, Georgia 30349;

telephone (770) 703–6083; facsimile

(770) 703–6097.

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. 9–CE–78–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–78–AD, Room 1558,

601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri

64106.

Discussion

The Centro Tecnico Aeroespacial

(CTA), which is the airworthiness

authority for Brazil, recently notified the

FAA that an unsafe condition may exist

on certain Aeromot Models AMT–100

and AMT–200 powered gliders. The

CTA reports that the main landing gear

on two powered gliders failed. The

failure is the result of hard landings

shearing the attaching bolts and causing

collapse of the main landing gear. After

further investigation, the manufacturer

has determined that these bolts (part

numbers (P/N) TH 6x30 PL11) and nuts

(P/N 6PA–108) may have intergranular

defects and the design is not adequate

to withstand a very hard landing. These

conditions, if not corrected, could result

in loss of the main landing gear during

landing operations.

Relevant Service Information

Aeromot has issued Service Bulletin

(SB) No. SB–200–32–044, Issue Date

August 18, 1997, which specifies

procedures for removing the original

attaching bolts and nuts, and installing

attaching bolts and nuts of an improved

design.

The CTA classified these service

bulletins as mandatory and issued

Brazilian AD 97–09–06, dated August

14, 1997, in order to assure the

continued airworthiness of these

airplanes in Brazil.

The FAA’s Determination

This airplane model is manufactured

in Brazil 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 CTA has kept the FAA informed of

the situation described above. The FAA
62726 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 227 / Tuesday, November 25, 1997 / Proposed Rules

has examined the findings of the CTA;

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 Aeromot Models

AMT–100 and AMT–200 powered

gliders of the same type design

registered in the United States, the

proposed AD would require replacing

all main landing gear attaching bolts

and nuts with attaching bolts and nuts

of improved design. Accomplishment of

the proposed action would be in

accordance with Aeromot SB No. SB–

200–32–044, Issue Date August 18,

1997.

Cost Impact

The FAA estimates that 18 powered

gliders in the U.S. registry would be

affected by the proposed AD, that it

would take approximately 1 workhour

per powered glider to accomplish the

proposed action, and that the average

labor rate is approximately $60 an hour.

Parts are provided by the manufacturer

at no cost. Based on these figures, the

total cost impact of the proposed AD on

U.S. operators is estimated to be $1,080

for the fleet or $60 per glider.

Compliance Time

The compliance time of the proposed

AD is in calendar time instead of hours

time-in-service (TIS). The average

monthly usage of the affected glider

ranges throughout the fleet. For

example, one owner may operate the

glider 25 hours TIS in one week, while

another operator may operate the glider

25 hours TIS in one year. In order to

ensure that all of the owners/operators

of the affected gliders have replaced the

attaching bolts and nuts on the main

landing gear within a reasonable

amount of time, the FAA is proposing

a compliance time of 30 calendar days.

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:

Aeromot-Industria Mecanico Metalurgica

LTDA: Docket No. 97–CE–78–AD.

Applicability: Model AMT–100 powered

gliders (serial numbers (S/N) 100.001 through

100.039 and 100.041 through 100.044) and

Model AMT–200 powered gliders (S/N

200.040 and 200.045 through 200.080),

certificated in any category.

Note 1: This AD applies to each glider

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

gliders 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 30

calendar days after the effective date of this

AD, unless already accomplished.

To prevent failure of the main landing gear,

which could cause loss of control of the

sailplane during landing operations,

accomplish the following:

(a) Replace all main landing gear attaching

bolts (part number (P/N) TH 6x30 PL11 or an

FAA-approved equivalent part number) and

nuts (P/N 6 PA–108 or an FAA-approved

equivalent part number) with attaching bolts

(P/N DIN 931 M6x30 (Pitch 1.0) Class 10.9

or an FAA-approved equivalent part number)

and nuts (P/N DIN 982 M6 (Pitch 1.0) or an

FAA-approved equivalent part number) in

accordance with the Procedures section in

AEROMOT–IND. MECANICO–

METALURGICA LTDA. Service Bulletin No.

SB–200–32–044, Issue Date August 18, 1997.

(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 glider 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, Atlanta Aircraft

Certification Office, One Crown Center, 1895

Phoenix Blvd., suite 450, Atlanta, Georgia

30349. The request shall be forwarded

through an appropriate FAA Maintenance

Inspector, who may add comments and then

send it to the Manager, Atlanta Aircraft

Certification Office.

Note 2: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Atlanta Aircraft

Certification Office.

(d) All persons affected by this directive

may obtain copies of this document referred

to herein upon request to Grupo Aeromot,

Aeromot-Industria Mecanico Metalurgica

Ltda., Av. das Industries-1210, Bairro

Anchieta, Caixa Postal 8031, 90200-Porto

Alegre-RS, Brazil; or may examine these

documents 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 addresses

Brazilian CTA AD 97–09–06, dated August

14, 1997.

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on

November 17, 1997.

Larry E. Werth,

Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate,

Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 97–30866 Filed 11–24–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 97–NM–138–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Boeing

Model 747–400 Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.