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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64766 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 205 / Tuesday, October 23, 2012 / Proposed Rules 

pump control circuit by installing GFI and 

thereafter, in case a GFI failed an operational 

test, replacement of the faulty GFI, or 

deactivation of the associated fuel pump in 

accordance with the provisions of the 

applicable Master Minimum Equipment List 

(MMEL). 

Since that [EASA] AD was issued, it was 

noted that, inadvertently, the Applicability of 

the Final AD was incorrect (the preceding 

PAD [proposed AD] 12–051 was correct) by 

excluding aeroplanes on which Airbus 

modification 150736 has been embodied in 

production. As a result, the required actions 

when a GFI fails an operational test did not 

apply to those aeroplanes. 

For the reasons described above, this 

[EASA] AD retains the requirements 

[modification of the centre tank fuel pump 

control circuit by installing GFI] of EASA AD 

2012–0133, which is superseded, and 

expands the Applicability to aeroplanes on 

which Airbus modification 150736 has been 

embodied in production. 

The required actions also include either 

replacement of the GFI or deactivation 

of the associated fuel pump following 

failure of any post-modification 

operational test of the GFI. You may 

obtain further information by examining 

the MCAI in the AD docket. 

Relevant Service Information 

Airbus has issued Service Bulletin 

A320–28–1188, dated March 23, 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 This 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 the State of 

Design Authority, we have been notified 

of the unsafe condition described in the 

MCAI and service information 

referenced above. We are proposing this 

AD because we evaluated all pertinent 

information and determined an unsafe 

condition exists and is likely to exist or 

develop on other products of the same 

type design. 

Costs of Compliance 

Based on the service information, we 

estimate that this proposed AD would 

affect about 755 products of U.S. 

registry. We also estimate that it would 

take about 11 work-hours per product to 

comply with the basic requirements of 

this proposed AD. The average labor 

rate is $85 per work-hour. Required 

parts would cost about $3,360 per 

product, depending on configuration. 

Where the service information lists 

required parts costs that are covered 

under warranty, we have assumed that 

there will be no charge for these parts. 

As we do not control warranty coverage 

for affected parties, some parties may 

incur costs higher than estimated here. 

Based on these figures, we estimate the 

cost of the proposed AD on U.S. 

operators to be $3,242,725, or $4,295 per 

product. 

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. 

We prepared a regulatory evaluation 

of the estimated costs to comply with 

this proposed AD and placed it in the 

AD docket. 

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: 

Airbus: Docket No. FAA–2012–1105; 

Directorate Identifier 2012–NM–137–AD. 

(a) Comments Due Date 

We must receive comments by December 7, 

2012. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to Airbus Model A318– 

111, –112, –121, and –122 airplanes; Model 

A319–111, –112, –113, –114, –115, –131, 

–132, and –133 airplanes; and Model A320– 

111, –211, –212, –214, –231, –232, and –233 

airplanes; certificated in any category; all 

manufacturer serial numbers. 

(d) Subject 

Air Transport Association (ATA) of 

America Code 28, Fuel. 

(e) Reason 

This 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. We are 

issuing 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. 

(f) Compliance 

You are responsible for having the actions 

required by this AD performed within the 

compliance times specified, unless the 

actions have already been done. 

(g) Modification 

Except as provided by paragraph (h) of this 

AD: Within 48 months after the effective date 

of this AD, modify the center tank fuel pump 

control circuit by installing ground fault 

interrupters (GFIs), in accordance with the 

Accomplishment Instructions of Airbus 

Service Bulletin A320–28–1188, dated March 

23, 2012. 

(h) Airplanes Excluded From Modification 

Requirement 

For airplanes on which Airbus 

modification 150736 has been embodied in 

production, and on which no GFI has been 

removed since first flight, the modification 

specified in paragraph (g) of this AD is not 

required. 

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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 205 / Tuesday, October 23, 2012 / Proposed Rules 64767 

(i) Corrective Action for Failed Postmodification Operational Test 

After accomplishment of the modification 

specified in paragraph (g) or (h) of this AD, 

each time a GFI fails an operational test, 

before further flight, replace the GFI or 

deactivate the associated fuel pump, in 

accordance with a method approved by the 

Manager, International Branch, ANM–116, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA. 

Note 1 to paragraph (i) of this AD: 

Guidance on the operational test specified in 

paragraph (i) of this AD can be found in Task 

28.18.00/01, Operational Check of Centre 

Tank Fuel Pump GFI, of the Airbus A318/ 

A319/A320/A321 Maintenance Review Board 

Report or Task 281800–710–801, Operational 

Check of Centre Tank Fuel Pump GFI, of the 

Airbus A318/A319/A320 Aircraft 

Maintenance Manual. 

Note 2 to paragraph (i) of this AD: 

Guidance on the fuel pump deactivation 

specified in paragraph (h) of this AD can be 

found in Item 28–21–02, Center Tank 

Systems, of the FAA Master Minimum 

Equipment List for Airbus A318/A319/A320/ 

A321. 

(j) Other FAA AD Provisions 

The following provisions also apply to this 

AD: 

(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs): The Manager, International 

Branch, ANM–116, FAA, has the authority to 

approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested 

using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. 

In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, send your 

request to your principal inspector or local 

Flight Standards District Office, as 

appropriate. If sending information directly 

to the International Branch, send it to ATTN: 

Sanjay Ralhan, Aerospace Engineer, 1601 

Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 

98057–3356; phone: 425–227–1405; fax: 425– 

227–1149. Information may be emailed to: 9– 

ANM–116–AMOC–REQUESTS@faa.gov. 

Before using any approved AMOC, notify 

your appropriate principal inspector, or 

lacking a principal inspector, the manager of 

the local flight standards district office/ 

certificate holding district office. The AMOC 

approval letter must specifically reference 

this AD. 

(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 Design Authority 

(or their delegated agent). You are required 

to assure the product is airworthy before it 

is returned to service. 

(k) Related Information 

(1) Refer to MCAI EASA Airworthiness 

Directive 2012–0198, dated September 26, 

2012; and Airbus Service Bulletin A320–28– 

1188, dated March 23, 2012; for related 

information. 

(2) For service information identified in 

this 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. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on October 

15, 2012. 

John P. Piccola, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–26078 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–2012–0495; Directorate 

Identifier 2011–NM–236–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Gulfstream 

Aerospace LP (Type Certificate 

Previously Held by Israel Aircraft 

Industries, Ltd.) Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Proposed rule; withdrawal. 

SUMMARY: The FAA withdraws a notice 

of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that 

proposed a new airworthiness directive 

(AD) for certain Gulfstream Aerospace 

LP (Type Certificate previously held by 

Israel Aircraft Industries, Ltd.) Model 

Galaxy and Gulfstream 200 airplanes. 

The proposed AD would have required 

determining the lengths of the wear 

indicating pins of all brake assemblies, 

shortening the pin if the wear indicating 

pin is too long, inspecting for normal 

brake wear, and replacing brakes with 

new brakes if necessary. Since the 

issuance of the NPRM, the FAA has 

received new data that indicates the 

actions addressing this unsafe condition 

have been accomplished on the 

worldwide fleet. Accordingly, the 

proposed AD is withdrawn. 

ADDRESSES: 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 AD, the regulatory 

evaluation, any comments received, and 

other information. The address for the 

Docket Office (telephone 800–647–5527) 

is the Document Management Facility, 

U.S. Department of Transportation, 

Docket Operations, M–30, West 

Building Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 

1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 

Washington, DC 20590. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom 

Groves, Aerospace Engineer, 

International Branch, ANM–116, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 

1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 

98057–3356; telephone (425) 227–1503; 

fax (425) 227–1149. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

We proposed to amend part 39 of the 

Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 

part 39) with a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) for a new AD for 

certain Gulfstream Aerospace LP (Type 

Certificate previously held by Israel 

Aircraft Industries, Ltd.) Model Galaxy 

and Gulfstream 200 airplanes. That 

NPRM was published in the Federal 

Register on May 31, 2012 (77 FR 32069). 

The NPRM would have required 

determining the lengths of the wear 

indicating pins of all brake assemblies, 

shortening the pin if the wear indicating 

pin is too long, inspecting for normal 

brake wear, and replacing brakes with 

new brakes if necessary. The NPRM 

resulted from reports of degraded brake 

performance during landing due to 

improperly-sized wear indicating pins. 

The proposed actions were intended to 

detect and correct improperly-sized 

wear indicating pins, which, if not 

corrected, could result in worn-out 

brake pads and subsequent loss of 

braking power, which could result in 

runway overruns. 

Actions Since NPRM (77 FR 32069, 

May 31, 2012) Was Issued 

Since we issued the NPRM (77 FR 

32069, May 31, 2012), FAA has received 

new data that indicates the unsafe 

condition no longer exists. Review of 

the Gulfstream Aerospace LP Model 

Galaxy and Gulfstream 200 airplane 

service history shows that the 

worldwide fleet is in compliance with 

the actions specified in Gulfstream 

Service Bulletin 200–32–389, Revision 

1, dated October 27, 2011. Therefore, 

the unsafe condition no longer exists. 

FAA’s Conclusions 

Upon further consideration, we have 

determined that the actions specified in 

Gulfstream Service Bulletin 200–32– 

389, Revision 1, dated October 27, 2011, 

and the Gulfstream Aerospace LP Model 

Galaxy and Gulfstream 200 airplane 

service history adequately addressed the 

identified unsafe condition. Therefore, 

it is not necessary to issue a final rule. 

Accordingly, the NPRM (77 FR 32069, 

May 31, 2012) is withdrawn. 

Withdrawal of the NPRM (77 FR 

32069, May 31, 2012) does not preclude 

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