This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains notices to the public of the proposed

issuance of rules and regulations. The

purpose of these notices is to give interested

persons an opportunity to participate in the

rule making prior to the adoption of the final

rules.

Proposed Rules Federal Register

64763 

Vol. 77, No. 205 

Tuesday, October 23, 2012 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2012–1134; Directorate 

Identifier 2012–CE–034–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Lindstrand 

Hot Air Balloons Ltd Appliances 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 

Lindstrand Hot Air Balloons Ltd female 

ACME threaded hose connectors, part 

numbers HS6139 and HS6144, installed 

on balloons. This proposed AD results 

from mandatory continuing 

airworthiness information (MCAI) 

originated by an aviation authority of 

another country to identify and correct 

an unsafe condition on an aviation 

product. The MCAI describes the unsafe 

condition as insufficient tightness of the 

threaded hose connector in the 

assembly area that could result in fuel 

leakage. We are issuing this proposed 

AD to require actions to address the 

unsafe condition on these products. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by December 7, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by 

any of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Fax: (202) 493–2251. 

• Mail: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 

Washington, DC 20590. 

• Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 

Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. 

and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. 

For service information identified in 

this proposed AD, contact Lindstrand 

Hot Air Balloons Ltd., Maesbury Road, 

Oswestry, Shropshire SY10 8ZZ, The 

United Kingdom; telephone: +44 (0) 

1691–671717; fax: +44 (0) 1691–671122; 

email: simon@lindstrand.co.uk; 

Internet: http://www.lindstrand.co.uk/. 

You may review copies of the 

referenced service information at the 

FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 

Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. 

For information on the availability of 

this material at the FAA, call (816) 329– 

4148. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the Internet at http:// 

www.regulations.gov; or in person at the 

Docket Management Facility between 9 

a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 

Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD 

docket contains this proposed AD, the 

regulatory evaluation, any comments 

received, and other information. The 

street address for the Docket Office 

(telephone (800) 647–5527) is in the 

ADDRESSES section. Comments will be 

available in the AD docket shortly after 

receipt. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Taylor Martin, Aerospace Engineer, 

FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 

Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, 

Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329– 

4138; fax: (816) 329–4090; email: 

taylor.martin@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to send any written 

relevant data, views, or arguments about 

this proposed AD. Send your comments 

to an address listed under the 

ADDRESSES section. Include ‘‘Docket No. 

FAA–2012–1134; Directorate Identifier 

2012–CE–034–AD’’ at the beginning of 

your comments. We specifically invite 

comments on the overall regulatory, 

economic, environmental, and energy 

aspects of this proposed AD. We will 

consider all comments received by the 

closing date and may amend this 

proposed AD because of those 

comments. 

We will post all comments we 

receive, without change, to http:// 

regulations.gov, including any personal 

information you provide. We will also 

post a report summarizing each 

substantive verbal contact we receive 

about this proposed AD. 

Discussion 

The European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA), which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Community, has issued EASA AD No.: 

2012–0142R1, dated September 14, 2012 

(referred to after this as ‘‘the MCAI’’), to 

correct an unsafe condition for the 

specified products. The MCAI states: 

Three incidents were reported where the 

female ACME threaded connectors (Rego 

type) was leaking when connected to the gas 

cylinder with the cylinder valve turned on. 

The results of the technical investigations 

revealed the possibility that other similar 

connectors produced between 01 January 

2011 and 01 September 2011 might not have 

been assembled with sufficient tightness. A 

list of potentially affected connectors has 

been drawn up Table 1 of this AD. A list of 

burners and manifolds on which it is already 

known that an affected connector has been 

installed is provided in Table 2 of this AD. 

This condition, if not detected and 

corrected, could result, in case of an ignition 

source, in a fire hazard that could damage the 

balloon and its envelope, ultimately leading 

to a forced emergency landing, during which 

balloon occupants and persons on the ground 

could be injured. 

To address this potential unsafe condition, 

Lindstrand Hot Air Balloons Ltd. (who 

manufactured the hose assemblies) issued 

Service Bulletin (SB) N°12, which, for the 

affected parts, requires accomplishment of an 

inspection of the female ACME thread hose 

connectors. 

For the reasons described above, EASA 

issued AD 2012–0142, to require an 

inspection of the female ACME thread hose 

connectors for leakage, and, depending on 

findings, to re-torque the connectors using 

correct values. 

Since that AD was issued, it has been 

determined that the pilot-owner of the 

balloon can accomplish the inspection of the 

affected parts to identify the leak. In 

addition, the risk assessment has been 

reconsidered, which has led to the 

conclusion that the compliance time for the 

inspection can be extended to 60 days after 

the effective date of the date at original issue. 

Similarly, as most of the parts have now been 

inspected and, depending on findings, 

corrected, it was possible to delete paragraph 

(3) from the AD, dealing with spare parts. 

You may obtain further information 

by examining the MCAI in the AD 

docket. 

Although the European Aviation 

Safety Agency (EASA) MCAI allows the 

pilot-owner to do the inspection and 

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64764 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 205 / Tuesday, October 23, 2012 / Proposed Rules 

correction required in paragraphs (f)(1), 

(f)(2), and (f)(3) of this AD, the U.S. 

regulatory system requires all actions of 

this AD be done by a certified mechanic. 

Relevant Service Information 

Lindstrand Hot Air Balloons Ltd has 

issued Service Bulletin No. 12, Issue 2, 

dated May 10, 2012. The actions 

described in this service information are 

intended to correct the unsafe condition 

identified in the MCAI. 

FAA’s Determination and Requirements 

of the Proposed AD 

This product has been approved by 

the aviation authority of another 

country, and is approved for operation 

in the United States. Pursuant to our 

bilateral agreement with this State of 

Design Authority, they have notified us 

of the unsafe condition described in the 

MCAI and service information 

referenced above. We are proposing this 

AD because we evaluated all 

information and determined the unsafe 

condition exists and is likely to exist or 

develop on other products of the same 

type design. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this proposed AD 

will affect 2,170 products of U.S. 

registry. We also estimate that it would 

take about .5 work-hour per product to 

comply with the basic requirements of 

this proposed AD. The average labor 

rate is $42.50 per work-hour. 

Based on these figures, we estimate 

the cost of the proposed AD on U.S. 

operators to be $92,225, or $42.50 per 

product. 

In addition, we estimate that any 

necessary follow-on actions would take 

about .5 work-hour. We have no way of 

determining the number of products 

that may need these actions. 

Authority for This Rulemaking 

Title 49 of the United States Code 

specifies the FAA’s authority to issue 

rules on aviation safety. Subtitle I, 

section 106, describes the authority of 

the FAA Administrator. ‘‘Subtitle VII: 

Aviation Programs,’’ describes in more 

detail the scope of the Agency’s 

authority. 

We are issuing this rulemaking under 

the authority described in ‘‘Subtitle VII, 

Part A, Subpart III, Section 44701: 

General requirements.’’ Under that 

section, Congress charges the FAA with 

promoting safe flight of civil aircraft in 

air commerce by prescribing regulations 

for practices, methods, and procedures 

the Administrator finds necessary for 

safety in air commerce. This regulation 

is within the scope of that authority 

because it addresses an unsafe condition 

that is likely to exist or develop on 

products identified in this rulemaking 

action. 

Regulatory Findings 

We determined that this proposed AD 

would not have federalism implications 

under Executive Order 13132. This 

proposed AD would not have a 

substantial direct effect 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. 

For the reasons discussed above, I 

certify 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), 

(3) Will not affect intrastate aviation 

in Alaska, and 

(4) 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. 

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39 

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation 

safety, Incorporation by reference, 

Safety. 

The Proposed Amendment 

Accordingly, under the authority 

delegated to me by the Administrator, 

the FAA proposes to amend 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. The FAA amends § 39.13 by adding 

the following new AD: 

Lindstrand Hot Air Balloons LTD: Docket 

No. FAA–2012–1134; Directorate 

Identifier 2012–CE–034–AD. 

(a) Comments Due Date 

We must receive comments by December 7, 

2012. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to all hot air balloons, 

certificated in any category, equipped with 

Lindstrand Hot Air Balloons Ltd female 

ACME threaded hose connectors, part 

numbers (P/Ns) HS6139 and HS6144, all 

serial numbers. 

(d) Subject 

Air Transport Association of America 

(ATA) Code 14: Hardware. 

(e) Reason 

This AD was prompted by mandatory 

continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) 

originated by an aviation authority of another 

country to identify and correct an unsafe 

condition on an aviation product. The MCAI 

describes the unsafe condition as insufficient 

tightness of the threaded hose connector in 

the assembly area that could result in fuel 

leakage. We are issuing this AD to detect and 

correct insufficient tightness of the threaded 

hose connector in the assembly area. This 

condition, if not corrected, could result in 

fuel leakage and lead to an inflight fire. 

(f) Actions and Compliance 

Unless already done, do the following 

actions: 

(1) Within the next 60 days after the 

effective date of this AD, inspect the female 

ACME threaded hose connectors, (P/Ns) 

HS6139 and HS6144, for leaking in 

accordance with the instructions of 

Lindstrand Hot Air Balloons Ltd Service 

Bulletin No. 12, dated May 10, 2012. 

(2) If fuel leakage is detected in the 

inspection required in paragraph (f)(1) of this 

AD, before further flight, tighten the threaded 

hose connector to the correct torque 

following Lindstrand Hot Air Balloons Ltd 

Service Bulletin No. 12, dated May 10, 2012. 

(3) If, after the effective date of this AD, 

you install on any balloon an ACME threaded 

hose connector, (P/Ns) HS6139 or HS6144, 

manufactured by Lindstrand Hot Air 

Balloons Ltd. and supplied as a spare part 

between January 1, 2011, and September 1, 

2011, before further flight, you must comply 

with the actions of this AD. 

(4) Although the European Aviation Safety 

Agency (EASA) MCAI allows the pilot-owner 

to do the inspection and correction required 

in paragraphs (f)(1), (f)(2), and (f)(3) of this 

AD, the U.S. regulatory system requires all 

actions of this AD be done by a certified 

mechanic. 

(g) Other FAA AD Provisions 

The following provisions also apply to this 

AD: 

(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs): The Manager, Standards Office, 

FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs 

for this AD, if requested using the procedures 

found in 14 CFR 39.19. Send information to 

ATTN: Taylor Martin, Aerospace Engineer, 

FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, 

Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; 

telephone: (816) 329–4138; fax: (816) 329– 

4090; email: taylor.martin@faa.gov. Before 

using any approved AMOC on any airplane 

to which the AMOC applies, notify your 

appropriate principal inspector (PI) in the 

FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), 

or lacking a PI, your local FSDO. 

(2) Airworthy Product: For any requirement 

in this AD to obtain corrective actions from 

a manufacturer or other source, use these 

actions if they are FAA-approved. Corrective 

actions are considered FAA-approved if they 

are approved by the State of 

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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 205 / Tuesday, October 23, 2012 / Proposed Rules 64765 

Design Authority (or their delegated agent). 

You are required to assure the product is 

airworthy before it is returned to service. 

(3) Reporting Requirements: For any 

reporting requirement in this AD, a federal 

agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a 

person is not required to respond to, nor 

shall a person be subject to a penalty for 

failure to comply with a collection of 

information subject to the requirements of 

the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that 

collection of information displays a current 

valid OMB Control Number. The OMB 

Control Number for this information 

collection is 2120–0056. Public reporting for 

this collection of information is estimated to 

be approximately 5 minutes per response, 

including the time for reviewing instructions, 

completing and reviewing the collection of 

information. All responses to this collection 

of information are mandatory. Comments 

concerning the accuracy of this burden and 

suggestions for reducing the burden should 

be directed to the FAA at: 800 Independence 

Ave. SW., Washington, DC 20591, Attn: 

Information Collection Clearance Officer, 

AES–200. 

(h) Related Information 

Refer to MCAI European Aviation Safety 

Agency AD 12–053, dated May 25, 2012; and 

Lindstrand Hot Air Balloons Ltd Service 

Bulletin No. 12, dated May 10, 2012, for 

related information. For service information 

related to this AD, contact Lindstrand Hot 

Air Balloons Ltd., Maesbury Road, Oswestry, 

Shropshire SY10 8ZZ, The United Kingdom; 

telephone: +44 (0) 1691–671717; fax: +44 (0) 

1691–671122; email: 

simon@lindstrand.co.uk; Internet: http:// 

www.lindstrand.co.uk/. You may review 

copies of the referenced service information 

at the FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 

Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call (816) 329–4148. 

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on 

October 17, 2012. 

Pat Mullen, 

Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–26064 Filed 10–22–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2012–1105; Directorate 

Identifier 2012–NM–137–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus 

Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for all 

Airbus Model A318, A319, and A320 

series airplanes. This proposed AD was 

prompted by fuel system reviews 

conducted by the manufacturer, which 

revealed that certain fuel pumps under 

certain conditions can create an ignition 

source in the fuel tank. This proposed 

AD would require modification of the 

center tank fuel pump control circuit by 

installation of ground fault interrupters 

(GFIs). This proposed AD would also 

require either replacement of the GFI or 

deactivation of the associated fuel pump 

following failure of any postmodification operational test of the GFI. 

We are proposing this AD to prevent the 

potential of ignition sources inside fuel 

tanks, which, in combination with 

flammable fuel vapors, could result in 

fuel tank explosions and consequent 

loss of the airplane. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by December 7, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by 

any of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Fax: (202) 493–2251. 

• Mail: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 

Washington, DC 20590. 

• Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 

Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

For service information identified in 

this proposed AD, contact Airbus, 

Airworthiness Office—EAS, 1 Rond 

Point Maurice Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac 

Cedex, France; telephone +33 5 61 93 36 

96; fax +33 5 61 93 44 51; email 

account.airworth-eas@airbus.com; 

Internet http://www.airbus.com. You 

may review copies of the referenced 

service information at the FAA, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 

Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call 425–227–1221. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the Internet at http:// 

www.regulations.gov; or in person at the 

Docket Operations office between 9 a.m. 

and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. The AD docket 

contains this proposed AD, the 

regulatory evaluation, any comments 

received, and other information. The 

street address for the Docket Operations 

office (telephone (800) 647–5527) is in 

the ADDRESSES section. Comments will 

be available in the AD docket shortly 

after receipt. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Sanjay Ralhan, Aerospace Engineer, 

International Branch, ANM–116, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 

1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, 

Washington 98057–3356; phone: 425– 

227–1405; fax: 425–227–1149. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to send any written 

relevant data, views, or arguments about 

this proposed AD. Send your comments 

to an address listed under the 

ADDRESSES section. Include ‘‘Docket No. 

FAA–2012–1105; Directorate Identifier 

2012–NM–137–AD’’ at the beginning of 

your comments. We specifically invite 

comments on the overall regulatory, 

economic, environmental, and energy 

aspects of this proposed AD. We will 

consider all comments received by the 

closing date and may amend this 

proposed AD based on those comments. 

We will post all comments we 

receive, without change, to http:// 

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information you provide. We 

will also post a report summarizing each 

substantive verbal contact we receive 

about this proposed AD. 

Discussion 

The European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA), which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Community, has issued Airworthiness 

Directive 2012–0198, dated September 

26, 2012 (which superseded EASA AD 

2012–0133, dated July 18, 2012) 

(referred to after this as ‘‘the MCAI’’), to 

correct an unsafe condition for the 

specified products. The MCAI states: 

* * * The FAA published Special Federal 

Aviation Regulation (SFAR) 88, and the Joint 

Aviation Authorities (JAA) published Interim 

Policy INT/POL/25/12. 

In the framework of these requirements, 

EASA have determined that the electrical 

power supply circuits of certain fuel pumps, 

installed on A320 family aeroplanes, for 

which the canisters become uncovered 

during normal operation, could, under 

certain conditions, create an ignition source 

in the tank vapour space. 

This condition, if not corrected, could 

result in a fuel tank explosion and 

consequent loss of the aeroplane. 

To address this potential unsafe condition, 

Airbus developed a modification which 

includes installing Ground Fault Interrupters 

(GFI) into the centre tank fuel pump control 

circuit, providing additional system 

protection by electrically isolating the pump 

in case of a ground fault condition 

downstream of the GFI. 

Consequently, EASA issued AD 2012–0133 

to require modification of the centre tank fuel 

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