Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 244 / Friday, December 19, 1997 / Proposed Rules 66563

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:

Pilatus Aircraft Ltd.: Docket No. 97–CE–

46–AD.

Applicability: Model PC–12 and PC–12/45

airplanes (serial numbers MSN 001 through

MSN 168), 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 electrical arcing in the fuel

tanks and detonation of the fuel-air mixture,

which can be created by poor electrical

bonding of fuel tank underwing access

panels, and if not corrected, could result in

a fire on the airplane, accomplish the

following:

(a) Install aluminum bonding bushings

onto the screws for certain fuel tank

underwing access panels in accordance with

Part A and Part B of the Accomplishment

Instructions in Pilatus Aircraft LTD PC12

Service Bulletin No. 57–001, dated February

28, 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 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, Aircraft Certification Service,

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 referred

to herein upon request to Pilatus Aircraft

Ltd., CH–6370 Stans, Switzerland; 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.

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on

December 11, 1997.

Michael Gallagher,

Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft

Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 97–33143 Filed 12–18–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 97–CE–101–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Alexander

Schleicher Segelflugzeugbau Model

ASW–19 Sailplanes

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

Alexander Schleicher Segelflugzeugbau

(Alexander Schleicher) Model ASW–19

sailplanes. The proposed AD would

require modifying the inspection hole

cover in the fuselage area. The proposed

AD is the result of mandatory

continuing airworthiness information

(MCAI) issued by the airworthiness

authority for Germany. The actions

specified by the proposed AD are

intended to prevent loss of aileron and

flap control caused by an inspection

hole cover entering the fuselage, which

could result in loss of control of the

sailplane.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before January 19, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in

triplicate to the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Central Region,

Office of the Regional Counsel,

Attention: Rules Docket No. 97–CE–

101–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

Alexander Schleicher Segelflugzeugbau,

6416 Poppenhausen, Wasserkuppe,

Federal Republic of Germany. This

information also may be examined at

the Rules Docket at the address above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

J. Mike Kiesov, Project Officer,

Sailplanes/Gliders, Small Airplane

Directorate, Aircraft Certification

Service, FAA, 1201 Walnut, suite 900,

Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone

(816) 426–6932; 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–101–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–101–AD, Room 1558,

601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri

64106.

Discussion

The Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA),

which is the airworthiness authority for

Germany, notified the FAA that an

unsafe condition may exist on certain

Alexander Schleicher Model ASW–19

sailplanes. The LBA reports that an

inspection hole cover entered the

fuselage area on a Model ASW–20

sailplane and jammed the aileron and

flap controls.
66564 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 244 / Friday, December 19, 1997 / Proposed Rules

The Model ASW–19 sailplanes are of

a similar design to that of the ASW–20

sailplanes, so the condition is likely to

exist or develop on certain Model ASW–

19 sailplanes. The Model ASW–20

sailplanes are not type certificated for

operation in the United States.

This condition, if not corrected, could

result in loss of aileron and flap control

with consequent loss of control of the

sailplane.

Relevant Service Information

Alexander Schleicher has issued

Technical Note No. 7, September 11,

1978, which specifies procedures for

modifying the inspection hole cover in

the fuselage area. This service bulletin

also specifies taping the inspection hole

cover before the modification to assure

that it doesn’t enter the fuselage, and

taping the inspection hole after the

modification to reduce noise and rattle

and improve the aerodynamics.

The LBA classified this service

bulletin as mandatory and issued

German AD No. 78–303, dated

November 13, 1978, in order to assure

the continued airworthiness of these

sailplanes in Germany.

The FAA’s Determination

This sailplane model is manufactured

in Germany 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 LBA has kept the FAA informed of

the situation described above.

The FAA has examined the findings

of the LBA; 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 certain Alexander Schleicher

Models ASW–19 sailplanes of the same

type design registered in the United

States, the FAA is proposing AD action.

The proposed AD would require

modifying the inspection hole cover in

the fuselage area. Accomplishment of

the proposed installation would be in

accordance with the technical note

previously referenced.

Cost Impact

The FAA estimates that 30 sailplanes

in the U.S. registry would be affected by

the proposed AD, that it would take

approximately 3 workhours per

sailplane to accomplish the proposed

modification, and that the average labor

rate is approximately $60 an hour. Parts

cost approximately $40 per sailplane.

Based on these figures, the total cost

impact of the proposed AD on U.S.

operators is estimated to be $6,600, or

$220 per sailplane.

Differences Between German AD, the

Technical Note, and This Proposed AD

Alexander Schleicher Technical Note

No. 7 specifies taping the inspection

hole cover prior to each flight before the

modification to assure that it doesn’t

enter the fuselage, and taping the

inspection hole after the modification to

reduce noise and rattle and improve the

aerodynamics.

German AD No. 78–303, dated

November 13, 1978, requires taping the

inspection hole cover prior to each

flight until the modification is

accomplished at the next annual

inspection.

The FAA does not have service

history to require taping the inspection

hole cover prior to each flight before

accomplishment of the modification.

Instead the FAA has determined that 6

calendar months is a reasonable time

period for the affected sailplane owners/

operators to have the inspection hole

cover modified. In addition, although

the FAA believes that taping the

inspection hole cover after the

modification to reduce noise and rattle

and improve the aerodynamics is a good

idea, there is nothing unsafe about the

sailplanes if not accomplished. The

FAA is including a note in the proposed

AD to recommend this action.

Compliance Time of the Proposed AD

Although the inspection hole cover

would only enter the fuselage and jam

the aileron and flap controls during

flight, this unsafe condition is not a

result of the number of times the

sailplane is operated. The chance of this

situation occurring is the same for a

sailplane with 10 hours time-in-service

(TIS) as it would be for a sailplane with

500 hours TIS. For this reason, the FAA

has determined that a compliance based

on calendar time should be utilized in

the proposed AD in order to assure that

the unsafe condition is addressed on all

sailplanes in a reasonable time period.

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:

Alexander Schleicher Segelflugzeugbau:

Docket No. 97–CE–101–AD.

Applicability: Model ASW–19 sailplanes,

serial numbers 19001 through 19232,

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 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.
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 244 / Friday, December 19, 1997 / Proposed Rules 66565

Compliance: Required within the next 6

calendar months after the effective date of

this AD, unless already accomplished.

To prevent loss of aileron and flap control

caused by an inspection hole cover entering

the fuselage, which could result in loss of

control of the sailplane, accomplish the

following:

(a) Modify the inspection hole cover in the

fuselage area in accordance with the

Instructions: section of Alexander Schleicher

Technical Note No. 7, dated September 11,

1978.

Note 2: Alexander Schleicher Technical

Note No. 7 specifies taping the inspection

hole cover after the modification to reduce

noise and rattle and improve the

aerodynamics. Although this action does not

address the unsafe condition specified in this

AD, the FAA recommends taping the

inspection hole cover after accomplishing the

modification required by paragraph (a) of 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 sailplane

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) Questions or technical information

related to Alexander Schleicher Technical

Note No. 7, dated September 11, 1978,

should be directed to Alexander Schleicher

Segelflugzeugbau, 6416 Poppenhausen,

Wasserkuppe, Federal Republic of Germany;

telephone: 49.6658.890 or 49.6658.8920;

facsimile: 49.6658.8923 or 49.6658.8940.

This service information may be examined at

the FAA, Central Region, Office of the

Regional Counsel, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th

Street, Kansas City.

Note 4: The subject of this AD is addressed

in German AD No. 78–303, dated November

13, 1978.

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on

December 11, 1997.

Michael Gallagher,

Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft

Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 97–33141 Filed 12–18–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 97–CE–74–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; AlliedSignal

Aerospace Bendix/King Model KSA

470 Autopilot Servo Actuators, Part

Numbers 065–0076–10 Through 065–

0076–15

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

AlliedSignal Aerospace Bendix/King

Model KSA 470 autopilot servo

actuators, part numbers 065–0076–10

through 065–0076–15, that are installed

on aircraft. The proposed AD would

require replacing the autopilot servo

actuator with a modified actuator. The

proposed AD is the result of two reports

of the affected autopilot servo actuators

containing loose roll pins within the

servo housing. Loose roll pins could fall

out, become lodged in the output shaft

clutch mechanism, and prevent this

mechanism from disengaging. The

actions specified by the proposed AD

are intended to prevent such an

occurrence, which could result in

increased effort by the pilot to control

the aircraft and possible loss of control

of the affected flight control axis.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before February 19, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in

triplicate to the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Central Region,

Office of the Regional Counsel,

Attention: Rules Docket No. 97–CE–74–

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

AlliedSignal Aerospace, Commercial

Avionics Systems, 400 N. Rogers Road,

Olathe, Kansas 66062–1212. This

information also may be examined at

the Rules Docket at the address above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Joel Ligon, Aerospace Engineer, Wichita

Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, 1801

Airport Road, Mid-Continent Airport,

Wichita, Kansas 67209; telephone (316)

946–4138; 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. 97–CE–74–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–74–AD, Room 1558,

601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri

64106.

Discussion

AlliedSignal Aerospace recently

advised the FAA that an unsafe

condition may exist on certain Bendix/

King Model KSA 470 autopilot servo

actuators, part numbers 065–0076–10

through 065–0076–15, that are installed

on aircraft. AlliedSignal reports two

incidents where the roll pins within the

servo housing became loose on the

affected autopilot servo actuators. An

analysis of the design of the affected

servo actuators reveals that the roll pin

holes are larger than that recommended

by the roll pin specification.

Loose roll pins could fall out and

become lodged in the output shaft

clutch mechanism, which would

prevent this mechanism from

disengaging. This condition, if not