[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 227 (Tuesday, November 25, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 62725-62726]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-30866]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 97-CE-78-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Aeromot-Industria Mecanico Metalurgica 
Ltda. Models AMT-100 and AMT-200 Powered Gliders

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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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

[[Page 62726]]

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.


Sec. 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