[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 216 (Thursday, November 7, 2024)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 88173-88174]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-25883]


========================================================================
Proposed Rules
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

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.

========================================================================


Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 216 / Thursday, November 7, 2024 / 
Proposed Rules

[[Page 88173]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2024-2142; Project Identifier AD-2024-00033-A]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Piper Aircraft, Inc. Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM); extension of comment 
period.

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SUMMARY: This document announces an extension of the comment period for 
the referenced NPRM, which proposed to supersede Airworthiness 
Directive (AD) 2020-26-16, which applies to certain Piper Aircraft, 
Inc. (Piper) Model PA-28-151, PA-28-161, PA-28-181, PA-28-235, PA-28R-
180, PA-28R-200, PA-28R-201, PA-28R-201T, PA-28RT-201, PA-28RT-201T, 
PA-32-260, PA-32-300, PA-32R-300, PA-32RT-300, and PA-32RT-300T 
airplanes. This NPRM invited comments concerning the proposed 
requirements for calculating the calculated service hours (CSH) to 
determine the times for required actions for each main wing spar; 
repetitively inspecting the lower main wing spar bolt holes for 
crack(s) and non-crack damage and taking corrective actions as needed; 
and replacing or modifying main wing spars at a specified time. This 
NPRM also invited comments concerning the proposal to revise the 
applicability by removing certain airplanes and adding a new airplane 
model. This extension of the comment period is necessary to provide all 
interested persons an opportunity to present their views on the 
proposed requirements of this NPRM.

DATES: The comment period for the NPRM published on September 23, 2024, 
at 89 FR 77457, and scheduled to close on November 7, 2024, is extended 
until December 9, 2024.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR 
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to regulations.gov. Follow 
the instructions for submitting comments.
    <bullet> Fax: (202) 493-2251.
    <bullet> 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.
    <bullet> Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under 
Docket No. FAA-2024-2142; or in person at Docket Operations between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD 
docket contains this NPRM, any comments received, and other 
information. The street address for Docket Operations is listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Fred Caplan, Aviation Safety Engineer, 
FAA, 1701 Columbia Avenue, College Park, GA 30337; phone: (404) 474-
5507; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#85bca8c4d6caa8c4d1c9c4c6caa8c4c1d6c5e3e4e4abe2eaf3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="447d6905170b6905100805070b69050017042225256a232b32">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed 
under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2024-2142; 
Project Identifier AD-2024-00033-A'' at the beginning of your comments. 
The most helpful comments reference a specific portion of the proposal, 
explain the reason for any recommended change, and include supporting 
data. The FAA will consider all comments received by the closing date 
and may revise this proposal because of those comments.
    Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in 
the following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR 
11.35, the FAA will post all comments received, without change, to 
regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. The 
agency will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal 
contact received about this NPRM.

Confidential Business Information

    CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily 
and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of 
Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public 
disclosure. If your comments responsive to this NPRM contain commercial 
or financial information that is customarily treated as private, that 
you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to 
this NPRM, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted 
comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission containing 
CBI as ``PROPIN.'' The FAA will treat such marked submissions as 
confidential under the FOIA, and they will not be placed in the public 
docket of this NPRM. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Fred 
Caplan, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1701 Columbia Avenue, College 
Park, GA 30337. Any commentary that the FAA receives which is not 
specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket for 
this rulemaking.

Background

    The FAA issued an NPRM to amend 14 CFR part 39 by adding an AD that 
would supersede AD 2020-26-16, Amendment 39-21371 (86 FR 3769, January 
15, 2021) (AD 2020-26-16), for certain Piper Model PA-28-151, PA-28-
161, PA-28-181, PA-28-235, PA-28R-180, PA-28R-200, PA-28R-201, PA-28R-
201T, PA-28RT-201, PA-28RT-201T, PA-32-260, PA-32-300, PA-32R-300, PA-
32RT-300, and PA-32RT-300T airplanes. AD 2020-26-16 requires 
calculating the factored service hours (FSH) for each main wing spar to 
determine when an inspection is required, inspecting the lower main 
wing spar bolt holes for crack(s), and replacing any cracked main wing 
spar. Since the FAA issued AD 2020-26-16, the FAA evaluated the reports 
required by AD 2020-26-16 and determined that repetitive inspections of 
the lower main wing spar bolt holes for crack(s) and non-crack damage 
(including deep scratches, gouges, and thread marks) and replacement or 
modification of the main wing spar should be required, CSH should be 
used instead of FSH to determine times for required actions for each 
main wing spar, and that certain airplanes should be removed from the

[[Page 88174]]

applicability and a new airplane model added to the applicability.
    The NPRM published in the Federal Register on September 23, 2024 
(89 FR 77457). In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to require calculating the 
CSH for each main wing spar; repetitively inspecting the lower main 
wing spar bolt holes for crack(s) and non-crack damage and taking 
corrective actions as needed; replacing or modifying main wing spars at 
a specified time; and reporting inspection results to Piper and the FAA 
if any cracks are found during any inspection. In the NPRM, the FAA 
also proposed to revise the applicability by removing certain airplanes 
and adding a new airplane model. The FAA is proposing this AD to detect 
and correct fatigue cracks in the lower main wing spar cap bolt holes. 
The unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in a wing 
separating from the fuselage in flight.

Actions Since the NPRM Was Issued

    Since issuance of the NPRM, the FAA received a request from Piper 
to extend the comment period. The commenter stated that the NPRM is 
complex and could drive substantial costs, among other things. In 
addition, the commenter stated that two significant hurricanes have 
prevented operators from performing a dedicated review of the NPRM. To 
be able to prepare informed and meaningful comments Piper requested an 
extension of 30 days to the comment period.
    The FAA has determined that it is appropriate to extend the comment 
period for the NPRM to give all interested persons additional time to 
examine the proposed requirements and submit comments. The FAA has 
determined that extending the comment period an additional 30 days will 
not compromise the safety of the affected airplanes.

Extension of Comment Period

    The FAA has reviewed the request for extension of the comment 
period for this notice. The commenter has shown a substantive interest 
in the proposed policy and good cause for the extension of the comment 
period. Therefore, in accordance with 14 CFR 11.47(c), the FAA has 
determined that an extension of the comment period for an additional 30 
days to December 9, 2024, is consistent with the public interest, and 
that good cause exists for taking this action.
    Accordingly, the comment period for Docket No. FAA-2024-2142 is 
extended until December 9, 2024.
    Because no other portion of the proposal or other regulatory 
information has been changed, the entire proposal is not being 
republished.
    Issued under authority provided by 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, and 
44701.

    Issued on November 1, 2024.
Steven W. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-25883 Filed 11-6-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P


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